Let's start with the "stolen" idea. For something to be "stolen" in the world of code, it really comes down to "Did GIANTS take the code and assets of a mod and copy+paste that into the game?" so unless you are able to look at the code and assets of a mod, how can you ever make that judgement? Of course, when it comes to "asset-reuse which could possibly, just maybe considered to be "stealing" you have to look no further than the many mod maps, that use GIANTS own assets and code. The same applies to the example of bees: bees aren't the invention of the mod-maker, nor of GIANTS. For this to be stolen, to be
EXACTLY the same as they were from the mods in FS19. same size, textures, number of boxes, colours of boxes you would have to be able to examine the code and assets and compare to the base game, which by your own admission, you cannot do.
Then look at the "claiming full credit for inventing" - can you point to a statement from GIANTS where they do make that claim? I can point you to an example of a mod-maker's point of view, over one very popular mod:
here and please take particular note of TheSeb's comments on that thread.
Thirdly, and the broader issue, is it "stealing" to take an idea and develop it? Taking your own song scenario, is it stealing if two people have made songs about love? Person A meeting person B under a silvery moon? Is it stealing if the two songs are, say, reggae with the distinct bass and rhythm lines? Did Procul Harum steal from Bach? Are all the covers of "Yesterday" stolen from The Beatles?
And please note also the pejorative word "stolen" which implies malice on the part of the thief. Is that really what you mean?
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I'll start with the Beatles and Bach examples just because it's the quickest to answer. No they did not steal those songs, they asked for permission from the owners of the respective copyright owners and gave credit to the original writers and were granted the rights.
Having read TheSeb's comment. I'm not sure if it's really relevant what one person says (considering that we've already established that said user is part of a team where at least one member is employed by or affiliated with Giants) it doesn't make me believe any differently by the way. To me It's not enough to convince me. So he or she doesn't consider it theft of his or her original mod. That's up to the individual in question. We can't know what the others think unless they give their own input (one person is too small a sample size).
I Don't NEED to be able to look at the code of a pixelated bee or the beehive to see the similarities between it and a previous version of that pixelated bee. I have eyes and I can compare them visually. I could Even take a screenshot of the bee particles from both FS19 and FS22, paste them into editing software and compare them pixel by pixel. I also never said that the mod maker "invented" bees I said they made the original mod.
The AI workers driving tractors across the map and delivering goods is still just a modification of the GPS mod. The same goes for any other mod that was brought into the main game.
I don't believe I have to say this AGAIN but this is the last time I will, if you don't read, listen and understand this time, that's on you...
I see NOTHING wrong with Giants modifying a mod. A mod is after all a modification to a game that Giants produced. It is, however just a mod of a mod. That is all!
I also think you know exactly what I mean by "stealing" a mod otherwise you wouldn't have used so many variations of the idea of what can or cannot be considered stealing. Is it just that you WANT me to be wrong? Or DON'T want Giants to be wrong? Or is there something else that's causing you confusion in that regard?
In terms of coding a game the theft of an idea doesn't HAVE to be a copy/paste of the original code. It's just a copy of the idea and doesn't require malicious intent.
"We got the idea for Lara Croft from Indiana Jones and used the same concept." That's not something malicious. It's something that made Core some money. Sainsbury's didn't look at Walmart and say "Oh we can't open a supermarket because they already did." They "stole" the idea because it was something that worked. Neither of those needed to be malicious but neither were they original ideas.
Stealing an idea that doesn't have a patent, is, of course not illegal but it is still stealing an idea. Even if you improve on the idea. If you remember my mentioning of Alexander Graham Bell getting credit for inventing the telephone for many years. He still "stole" the idea from someone who couldn't afford to pay for the patent.
It is my opinion that when Giants cancelled FS21 at the last minute they rushed through FS22 and grabbing as many mods as possible was just the easiest way for them to do that.