Custom is a term referring to any content that was not made by the game creators nor originally included in Re-Volt, mostly referring to fan-made content. This can include cars, tracks, models, textures, or any other type of file or content that the game can recognize and use during its execution.
Example of custom content.
Custom content can be installed with the purpose of replace original files (global mods) or they can be standalone as cars and tracks. The known version of the game to accept standalone custom content, and currently the mainstream of fan-made creations, is the full PC version. Others that accept custom cars are the fourth generation of demos, and full versions with a carinfo.txt, as the DEV version and possibly the Dreamcast version. Thanks to Ripax77, it was discovered at 2012 that custom content can also be installed in the iOS version of the game.[1]
Packaging[]
Custom content is usually shared online at the various Re-Volt websites. The most famous focused in custom content is Re-Volt Zone, created at 2004 and still active, containing more than 3000 cars and almost 2000 tracks.[2] Recently, Re-Volt I/O is also gradually gaining space in the community web ring, accepting both fan-made cars and tracks. Other mainstream websites that group custom content are ReVoltRace and Re-Volt XTG.
In all those websites, a standard packaging is required for the submission. In short, the content is packaged and compressed (usually in a .zip file) in a way that, when the content is extracted, it can be installed as a patch, being placed automatically in the correct folders of the game directory. Therefore, everything the user needs to do for installing cars or tracks is to insert the game directory (install location) at the compression software.
Vehicles are installed at the cars folder. Below is an example of how Adeon files would be placed in a .zip file:
Adeon.zip/cars/adeon/
Tracks are installed at the levels folder, and its preview picture at gfx. Below is an example of how Toy World 2 files files would be placed in a .zip file:
Toy World 2.zip/gfx/ Toy World 2.zip/levels/toy2/
The install process of custom content varies according to the type or files included. For that, people usually include install instructions with their content, mostly in a text document which generally is named as readme.txt.
Licenses and credits[]
Very rarely custom contents are protected with Copyright, Creative Commons or any other license. If so, the readme.txt file would be the medium an author would choose to warn others, as "readmes" are also a common place to write the permissions authors give for those who download their files.
The permissions varies from author to author. Some may ask people to give credits for their work. Others may require to contact them to ask if the desired use of files are permitted or not, or do not permit any kind of use at all, even knowing that enforcing terms are not effective enough unless files are indeed licensed. Ignore the authors requirements usually do not causes positive reactions from them.[3] Some may associate said reactions as an overprotection coming from the author or any other psychological reason, but in most cases is basic request for mutual respect for the creator and all the work behind the creation.[4]
In the community, is a common etiquette to give credits for the authors when their files are shared or modified, mainly for demonstrating respect for the author's work, rather than obey licenses, terms or copyright (if applied). Credits are usually given in the new readme.txt of the modified creation, or if only shared, the original (unmodified) readme.txt is kept together with the creation files. Ways to give credits may vary though.
Stock files modifications (repaints for instance) and conversions sharing rights are, however, doubtful due to the possibility of shared files be licensed with copyright. Even so, there's no history of complications involving authors or websites until the present time.
