Hey everyone,

with all the limitations that the copyright and trademarks put on the design of mods etc. it is hard to know what is allowed and what not. Luckily there are a couple of databases available to the public. In the European Union there is the European Union Interlectual Property Office which also provides access to a couple of databases: https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/databases

Now linking these databases here is not to have a de facto and definitive list of copyrighted material, but to give modders and reviewers a like some more information on what phrases, logos and likelinesses are protected.

I hope it will be of help to you!


EDIT: Feel free to post more public databases for this purpose

What I like the MOST about this new mod system is that we can finally add cars instead of replace existing ones.

However, I wonder if there's any kind of workaround for this whole copyright system or regarding mods with assets from other games.

For example, BeamNG.drive. They have a mod repository both as a website and also viewable in-game. This repository is hosted by them, and due to this, car mods cannot be copyright (A popular VW Golf mod is rebranded as the AW Astro). Though it's weird because people make car engines that are from real engines (Like a Chevy Duramax diesel engine for the Gavril D-Series).

HOWEVER, you can still make copyright mods or using models from other games, by uploading said mods on their forums instead. And this got me wondering if we can do something similar here? Where we can make add-on vehicles that don't replace existing ones and are copyrighted or whatever, just at the cost of you have to upload it here instead of it being available on LFS's repository.

We don't support the use of models without a suitable license that allows you to use them, of course. The idea is that LFS mod system promotes creativity, great racing and fun. It's not a sharing mechanism for stolen goods.

Have you seen the thread "Model sources - which are OK to use and which are not accepted" ? https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/97013

Our reviewers spent quite a while researching to find sites that provide a suitable license. Some sharing sites had to be excluded for various reasons, such as not providing a license at all, or not listing their sources. Those sites aren't a legitimate source.

And no, thanks, we don't want illegitimate models being shared on the forum either.