Dear community,

The Steam Workshop has made it easier than ever to share modifications and scenarios. This comfort however does come at a price. Recently we have noticed a number of cases where users uploaded works without specific consent of the original author.
Though Steam gives us the option to report such files, we have yet to see the actual removal of said files. Which is where you, the community, come in.

What we want you to do is to report any files of which it is clear that the uploader was not the original author or was not given permission to share the files. Additionally, it would be great if you would post links to files you suspect are cases of plagiarism. We hope that a mass-reporting of plagiarized files will lead to a faster response of Steam Support.

Please encourage other users to refrain from uploading files they did not create. If you feel that a certain excellent file from the Blacksmith is missing in the Steam Workshop, please alert a moderator and we will deal with it.


On behalf of the Age of Kings Moderation Team,

Dead_End

When the Steam Workshop was introduced to AoE2 HD, we saw quite a few scenarios being re-uploaded there without the authors' consent, which prompted the creation of this thread in the Scenario Design & Modding forum. When the forums got split, it remained in the scenario design forum. After stumbling upon a new heap of re-uploaded graphics on the Steam Workshop, we decided that it would be for the best to create a new thread in the modding forum, too.

What Dead_End wrote still applies, but Steam has shown to be very reluctant to take down uploads unless the creator files a DMCA takedown request using the report function. Hence, if you see any of your files being uploaded without your permission, be it when you see it on the Steam Workshop or by a post in this thread, be aware that only you as the creator can reliably ensure that the file gets taken down.

We do not have much experience with other sites such as moddb.com, but please also report re-uploads of files from the AoKH blacksmith, both here in this thread and on their site - unless it is the original creators uploading it themselves, of course.

If you are not sure if the uploader has permission or might even be the creator, it's better to ask in here first.

Mods uploaded by creators (at Moddb):
Age of Chivalry - Hegemony by Kor
Tales of Middle Earth by ToME team
Age of Vampires and Varangians and Bolgars by Khan Ivayl
Portuguese Civ Mod 2 by danielpereira
AoK: Realms by Vardamir
Rome at War by Wildfire Games
Crusades by Chruchil

Most likely uploaded without permission:
Pretty much anything this person uploaded (Please check if there is any of your work!)