I like to analyze models to learn how to model. Looking through the online catalogue at the Daz 3D store, several of the models have pix (screenshots) of the model sans textures. That lets me separate what of the model is geometry and what is texture. Recently my friend, the storyteller, sent me .obj exports of a couple of commercial models for me to use to set scale and to make certain things I am building for him. Now let me affirm up front that he did NOT send me an illegal copy of commercially available models. What he sent me was an export of the models. No bells and whistle, no moving (rigged) parts nothing like that. But by examining the models in detail - especially in wireframe mode I can see the underlying geometry of the model. Looking at what the pro did makes me wonder "How did he do that?" Then I start thinking of ways to generate the same geometry.
Am I "cheating"? To me what I am doing is no different from a golfer watching a YouTube video of someone demonstrating a proper golf swing. I am not copying what the pro did as trying to figure out how he did it. I have learned a LOT since those two .obj files came into my email. Analyzing a pro's work teaches me things. But I want to know if you folks consider what I'm doing "stealing" someone else's work. I am not pulling parts off the models I have (all 2 of them) and putting those parts on work I present as my own. Heck! I have neither the desire nor the intention of trying to sell anything I might make. Might upload a model of which I'm particularly proud to one of the free sites but that is the extent of my ambition.
I am asking because years ago I was into M$ Flight simulator and started to do repaints (still available on AvSim and Simviation) and even tried to build my own models. One project I did was to reproduce the shuttle-type vehicle from the comic series "Space Family Robinson" Had a pretty tricked out visual model (telescoping landing legs and the cutest little unfolding steps you ever saw) and even wrote some gauges. Since the vehicle's nose was clear I figured everything would be holographic and like a head-up display. I had one gauge which took the vehicle's current ground speed plus it's absolute vertical speed and lateral velocity and computed the vehicle's vector. (had to drag the trig textbook out for that bigtime.) The space car was vertical takeoff and landing and the final version of my gauge was accurate enough that if you put the crosshairs on a helipad at an airport and kept it centered on that helipad you could fly right down to a landing as pretty as you please. Anyhow I was also learning how to make it look like there were landing jets. There was a beautiful model of the "Lost in Space" Jupiter II that had smoke coming out when it landed. I was studying that model to learn how to make sprites dance to my tune. I wrote an email to the author of that model thanking him for making it and telling him how he was teaching me so much. Unfortunately the email somehow went to an attorney. Instead of passing my thanks on he threatened me with legal action. Further, he started bad mouthing me to the FS community. I wasn't copying the guy's work. I was using what that guy had done to learn how to do it. Whatever happened to "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."? Anyhow ultimately I just deleted all the files plus backups. Left a bad taste in my mouth.
So am I stealing someone else's work or am I using someone else's work to learn how to do things my self? Am I a cheat or an ethical, honorable man. You guys tell me.
