On the surface, if you think about the topic, most rational people with creative streaks would come down on the side of the map author. As a part-time musician, I wouldn't want someone taking songs I wrote and using them in their own way for public consumption. Like covering a song, doing so in a garage or even a club is one thing, but distributing your cover of my work for the world is another.

But....away from the specifics of the thread. . . I have to say that ztn's responses were total shit. I agree with his point of "if you ain't gonna leave my stuff alone, then at least keep it to yourself." i've exchanged a couple emails with him in the past and he came off as a regular guy that was doing something he enjoyed, and was genuinely interested in the short conversation we had. But his attitude on the board totally blew me away.

He started going off on people, when all it really required was a very simple request, and a personal realization (on ztn's part) that it's about all he could do... and that abusive retorts would net only more of the same. Other designers also jumped in, without personal provocation, and started their own full blown attacks, apparently in ztn's defense, when the conversation didn't directly involve them.

So there they are, mappers slamming on players. Proprietors beating on customers. Proprietors who's works are widely respected, and want their wishes respected as much as their work. News flash: personal attacks are not the path to getting that respect.

Treat other people the way you want to be treated. You might just have found that leaving it at ONE posting of your wishes to come closer to your goal.

I generally like ztn's work thus far and if you really pay attention, you can see his development as a mapper. But this episode totally takes the cake and It almost totally reverses my personal opinion of him as an individual.

IMO... -Monsto