Module Writers Take Note

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gmoore
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Module Writers Take Note

Post by gmoore »

The act of writing modules, copyrights and charging/paying for the modules has been fairly working off of a handshake, we are being required to formalize how this process works. Your input either public here or private in emails to me would be appreciated.

Areas to consider:
1) Copyrights
2) Payments
3) Becoming a module writer
4) Certification of ability
5) Uploads/downloads
6) Code review
7) Testing
8) Support
9) Other requirements of FunMayhem.com
10) Other requirements of the module writer
11) Option for Open Source of modules
12) Support lacking or author not available
13) Grandfathering of current module writers
14) Module market place
15) Non-FunMayhem.com websites attached to the market place
16) FunMayhem Marketplace that acts like Google Play or Apple Store (type thing)
99) Anything else with this on your mind

We don't want to stop the creative and collaborative efforts. However we need to formalize how things will work from this point forward. We haven't had any difficulties but want to make sure everything is written down and useful.

Thank you for your support!
Greg
Running a game is like riding a bike ... well it should be!

New Worlds Engine / FunMayhem.com
Helping you get your game concept up and running. Now.
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KyleMassacre
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Re: Module Writers Take Note

Post by KyleMassacre »

Well I don't know exactly what you wish to change with the marketplace but I don't believe you can do any worse than what is in place (not implying the MP is bad). As long as you don't try to do a massive markup on your end everything should be smooth on my end as a developer with both paid/free modules.

Maybe I'm just a little dense but I'm not understanding what it is exactly your asking of us in your list of things to consider but I will take a stab at some of my key points in your list.
1. Copyright- As long as everyone knows the law, we should be good there. The second I create the file it is mine unless I specify a license of my own.
2. Payments- I mentioned what I think above in my opening statement
3&13.-Module Writer- Is this going to be a closed market now? If so, I don't think that would be a good thing. Even if people do write crap, one mans crap is another mans treasure.
4. Cert of ability- I think this migh be nice. Kind of like a mini Zend/Magento thing. I will try to attempt.
5. Uploads/Downloads- No idea really. Maybe we can have some sort of analytics for it in our module information. Also would be nice to restrict to a license for good but I know to nearly impossible without protecting some of the core.
6.Code Review- I think is a must. As a MCCode module reviewer myself, we only check for malicious/copyright material f all modules and check to make sure it works right for paid modules to help fight negative PayPal remarks.
7. Testing- Kind of goes with item 6
8&12.- Doesn't really matter IMHO for free modules. If it's not getting taken care of just disable the module and don't let the developer cash out if there are inquiries about the module. Also maybe a rating system on funmayhem.com?

That's basically all I have to say in specific regards to your list. I don't think you should limit the people willing to develop for the engine because that can limit the amount of modules for people to download. Maybe you can come up with a certification program like mentioned a couple times and then the people who passed get a nice little badge to display next to their module(s). This way people know they are getting stuff that follow the guidelines
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gmoore
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Re: Module Writers Take Note

Post by gmoore »

Part of this is liability. Some is time.

What is our part to our customers and vendors? How can we spend time and money yet make time and money. Well, and still help for all.

Greg
Running a game is like riding a bike ... well it should be!

New Worlds Engine / FunMayhem.com
Helping you get your game concept up and running. Now.
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KyleMassacre
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Re: Module Writers Take Note

Post by KyleMassacre »

I believe your part to the customer and vendors is just supplying them with readily available product. I'm not quite sure what kind of liability you or your team would have unless it would have to do with the core. Maybe have some sort of TOS that you must follow when submitting a module to the MP that would release you of the liability for that particular module. I don't know what your process is during module acceptance but can I say it's safe to assume that you would notice some malicious code in there, such as some sort of request other than nwe.funmayhem.com with the license key, or transferring data from the db to an external site? Maybe you can send some sort of publication out to people with modules on the market to review such TOS and we agree or our account gets locked and we can not submit modules.

Something else maybe, I recall NWE coming with a 1 year warranty. You can offer professional help for a fee of course to licenses that have gone beyond that year.

Another way to get there would maybe be looking into Softaculous and possibly seeing about getting in on their 1 click instal list as an app to deploy.

And by all means, if you need anything you have my contact info so email me and I am down to help when and where I can.
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gmoore
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Re: Module Writers Take Note

Post by gmoore »

We are concerned about collecting money for a third party. Module Writers. We want to make sure this is documented and correctly handled. Money is important and transfer of services/product to people who collect such money.

So with that said, I just want to put in writing what our policies and procedures are. Makes sense? I want to see from everyone what they think before we have lawyer types involved.

Thanx!!!
Greg
Running a game is like riding a bike ... well it should be!

New Worlds Engine / FunMayhem.com
Helping you get your game concept up and running. Now.
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KyleMassacre
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Re: Module Writers Take Note

Post by KyleMassacre »

I think whatever it takes to protect you and your interests, do it. I don't know much about business law at all but does it even matter if a 3rd party is selling something on your site? It's kind of like Amazon in a way I would believe. I mean it is fr the most part obvious that some of the modules are made by a 3rd person hence the name of the creator in the modules list.

So with this new development of this topic, maybe you can kind of close off open developers submitting maybe just paid modules to the market? Maybe anyone can submit freebies but paid modules must be by a "Developer" with a badge? If you do close it off, can you accept my mod I submitted today lol? And maybe we can go through and application process to be able to add paid modules to the market. I am fine with that I suppose since this can make us subject matter experts and we can inherit the liability for our modules and hold us legally responsible since we do hold copyright of the module.

I will go on record now saying that I take full responsibility of my modules that you will find in my signature below.
http://i.imgur.com/EFU02UV.png?1
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gmoore
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Re: Module Writers Take Note

Post by gmoore »

An example might be. A module is submitted but not supported (let's just say over a year). How do we handle any of the ideas from the first posting. Like can we make a change? Can we take it over to make sure it is supported? Can we accept money for it?

Also, Alain was collecting money in such a way as to cover PayPal fees. $10.72 for 10 credits. Does that still make sense? Who should cover those fees? There are a number of models for this out there. Collection of fees is a concern. Etc.

Greg
Running a game is like riding a bike ... well it should be!

New Worlds Engine / FunMayhem.com
Helping you get your game concept up and running. Now.
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KyleMassacre
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Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2013 12:42 pm

Re: Module Writers Take Note

Post by KyleMassacre »

For the module, that's why I was suggesting something along the lines of a broken module link that would notify the developer and yourself. I don't think you should be going in there and trying to fix it, it's not your job to do so. I know if I were you I wouldn't want to go fix people's broken stuff all day long (at least not for free). I know when I was gone for a while for school I had a free module that still doesn't work lol that Alain disabled because of my lack of support for it. If you create something like an internal dispute mechanism you can potentially freeze a withdraw from a person so that in the case of a charge back you can give the person their money back. And if it is too late then you just direct PayPal to the developer.

As for the fees, since we are adding credits for goods/services the buyer is responsible for paying that fee. I assume this is partially the reason PayPal has a break down of their fee. This way when we do add 10 credits to our accounts we get 10 credits and not 9.28. Now, if the fee wasn't properly disclosed that's where I would see a concern. Was Alain taking the fee as a profit? I highly doubt it. He was just making it so that we get what we said we wanted in regards to the amount of credits.
KaL
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Re: Module Writers Take Note

Post by KaL »

sign me up for the certification!
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KyleMassacre
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Re: Module Writers Take Note

Post by KyleMassacre »

Sorry illusions to put you on blast like this even though it's been a short time but here is a prime example of a paid module support request:
http://indie-resource.com/forums/viewto ... 126#p70099. I know there is an option to write a comment on the module which will notify the owner to a comment but maybe we can do a couple extra things? One thing would be like a broken module button either in the module manager or the site of maybe both? Or update the schema for the XML file to add a support link/email address that is require:

Code: Select all

<support>
    <email>myemail@mail.com</email>
    <site>mysupportsite.com</site>
</support>
Something along the lines of that.
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