Is redistributing modified official maps illegal?

[SFJake]

Strange question maybe.

I always was an extremely lousy mapper so what I loved to do, even when I was young, was modify the maps to make them better/harder.

I've been doing that now, just for LAN fun, with the expertise I have today (if you could call it that) and the mind of an adult.


If I were to distribute the maps (the maps alone, no official textures, sound..), would it be illegal?

I doubt I'll even finish it and publish it anyway, but I thought I'd ask. Since you would need the game anyway to run the maps, since it needs the original files, would it be considered "wrong"?

[Shivaxi]

There's already plenty of modified original maps that are released publicly. As long as you're not selling the maps, then you're fine.

[SFJake]

There's already plenty of modified original maps that are released publicly.  As long as you're not selling the maps, then you're fine.

There is? I've never found any.

[Hyper]

There's already plenty of modified original maps that are released publicly.  As long as you're not selling the maps, then you're fine.

There is? I've never found any.

There have been tons of modified original maps already, they have been there shortly after the release of Unreal. So you're fine with that.

Just to mention a few: All 1001 DM-Deck16 variants, DM-Ariza variants, Unreal Gold DM map fixes, Many fixed / modified versions of the RTNP maps for online cooperative play.

[Shivaxi]

There's already plenty of modified original maps that are released publicly.  As long as you're not selling the maps, then you're fine.

There is? I've never found any.

There have been tons of modified original maps already, they have been there shortly after the release of Unreal. So you're fine with that.

Just to mention a few: All 1001 DM-Deck16 variants, DM-Ariza variants, Unreal Gold DM map fixes, Many fixed / modified versions of the RTNP maps for online cooperative play.

Here's probably the best and biggest example:

http://www.unrealsp.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1651

[Neon_Knight]

Not to mention each and every single of the ports to Unreal Tournament...