This is a rant I wanted to do months ago, though I didn't get around to it because I got too busy with work.

But myself, Construct, Zykotec and Brian had a discussion this morning which brought back up the issue I wanted to tackle and now really want to step in and crack down on this. "Copy and paste chops." (better late then never).

I've been chopping since 2006, but just recently 2010-11? this phenomenon has taken over the majority of the community. It's ridiculous how many choppers are (being lazy) and relying purely on one donor. Be it the paint/ bodykit or background (Edit: I mean they use one donor for the BG, donor and paint meaning all they did was distort a photographers image to fit the base), some guys are not even trying to change it around to hide the fact it's 99% someone else's work or it's a different base image, there is no creativity and it's killing the community as we see the same crap day to day. WE. ARE. SICK. OF. IT!

Having a look on the New and intermediate area, I've seen 5-10 chops with the stance nation logo. How would YOU feel if someone stole YOUR chop and modded it slightly to post elsewhere? (I would be furious), if thats the case, why are we doing it? I'm actually surprised that we haven't got complained/ sued from the photographers from StanceNation, 360forge, Vossen wheels.

So it brings me to the point, How do we stop this?
No one single person can stop this, look though every chop on a 8500 user strong forum.
Because we are jumping on this issue so late, I am hoping we can tackle this as a community, everyone have a look out and start to single out these choppers, as they are heading in the wrong direction and are responsible for killing our chopping scene. (Edit: some people are going to the lengths to alter the base image to fit the donor, instead of trying to find parts and make them fit the base image, is that ok?)

Solutions ideas? ( These are just ideas, they are not actually happening unless I get enough people backing up my idea)
-A public name and shame thread (I'll make one tomorrow), just like the stolen chop thread, I want people to list chops they think and know have too much copied parts from the one donor, if you want to stay anonymous they can PM an admin, If you know the donor, that would be helpful as well. I dont care if it starts war, hate or arguments between users, The chopper that was responsible should be faced with the consequence and be taught a lesson and set on the right path?

-Have a warning system/ thread, if they have been told and warned repeatedly, ban from Autemo for days/weeks/months, no but or if's.

-I speak for myself and from my own perspective when I say the admin team could be doing a bit more to crack down on these chops, dedicate more time on Autemo.

I know many of you guys and girls feel the same, but never really spoke of it or have admin power to change things. But now I'm keen on hearing what ideas you guys have, I hope you guys can back me up on this and help bring the chopping scene back on it's feet.

I hope this rant/ initiative can be the start of something. Let me know who's keen on helping out and let me hear your ideas.

Cheers,
J_HUI

Although I only read the two first lines I totally agree with everything you said hui!







:-*

You guys do have a lot of valid points. Using a photo from a source such as StanceNation isn't too far off from seeing your own chop on a wallpaper site without any credit or permission. So while we as artists ask for fair treatment it is seriously double standards when the works have been made out of someone else's works.

Still, photomanipulation doesn't happen without sources and a lot of people don't have them, the time or skill to make their works without any donors or by only using their own photos as donors. Sure is a sticky situation.

Starting to call people out, however, won't really solve it and there should be clear consensus of rules on what kind of sources are 'okay to use' (much like the no stealing of bits from other's chops rule from year one of virtual tuning)*. The witch hunt will only result in confusion, frustration and possibly anger. Not only does it shrink the community down but it also gives autemo and it's members a bad name. Strictness is good but only when it's handled appropriately

EDIT: Maybe it should be encouraged for people to take that into account when rating the chops. If there are parts that are clearly from 'off-limits sources', whatever they are, people should just rate it lower and also bring it up in the comments. No way anyone could remember every single image and where it's from but at least getting the choppers to think about what images they use and where they get them from would def be a good thing.

EDIT2: But yeah, something needs to happen on this matter, especially if autemo wants to appear as a legitimate and professional-minded entity online. Which I would assume it does.

Valid point, and we have to make distinctions, and 'punishment' should not be as severe on a chop posted in inter or lower, as it should be on , let's say, a competition entry in the ASC or something featured on our facebook page.
This will mean some more work for our moderators, but starting with disqualifying comp entries and not featuring cheatchops on the Autemo fb page will be a good start
People just need to start educating the choppers who use these methods, even if they do it by accident or because 'they don't know better'.

Why? It is the same case for everyone isn't it? Punishments should be the same for everyone or new/inter choppers might think they can just get away with it.
I've already learned my lesson in this (the case with the blue Genesis donor)..

100 % egree with u J_HUI
a couple days or months ago Glacius warned me about that Mitsubishi EVO, I was using as my donor for golf mk5.
It was nearly finished but i have deleted it bacuse it was all wrong.
Now i've started that same golf mk5 with mazda cx 9 donor from autowp.ru
and ost of it is brush it is about 80/90 % brush.
I dont remember but im 100 % sure that i've never
have used bg from stance nation or bg from vossen, im using some wheels from voosen, volk etc.
And on all of mine chop there is at least about 60/80 % of brush and and most of the body work is mine own design.
What ever u decide guys im with u all the way!!!!

EDIT
most of these things are irrelevant when u are using a small amount of parts from other cars/donors
but when u are C/P the whole car without editing most of that pasted parts, than that's so wrong.
Brushing isn't so hard to learn I've started it with some PS colors and with burn/dodge tool, and than I've started to experiment with colors, well im not saying that we shouldn't use some parts fro, other cars but im saying that we should use some small amount of parts about 10/20 % or maybe 30 % . Still some of the members are using a lot more than that.
IMO every member from autemo should post all of the donor that he used in the description of that posted chop.
Just like Zyko and iCreate said that they should be punished I AGREE WITH THAT, but there is a problem that aren't just new or intermediate artists there are some of them in pro or maybe higher ranks, and all of there sholud be the same punish.

I'm with u in this J all the way

It's big problem for sure.But it's not easy to solve it.As @ollite said it's hard to use only your sources(that i personally don't have and i belive most of us don't).If you try to make everything by your own the time per work will be just too much,and we don't have time either.
I personally started to credit under my chops the people that made the photos i'm using as donors,but i'm still trying to use less of a donor pictures.And I'm trying not ot use donors from those big names like Stanceworks,StanceNation,360forged.
The other solution(at least for now) is to modifly everyhing as much as you can

*picks away a tear*

Well done J.

WE. ARE. SICK. OF. IT!

Yes... we are sick of it...

I totally agree with J.Hui ...
but my experience professional knows that it will be very difficult to put this into practice.
the distinction between theft and inspiration is very small ...
All our work is based on the addition of professional photo that we never receive authorizations ...
everything is a matter of interpretation o.O
Howmuch completely reworks a BG, a kit reflection, an interior ?
Whats de difference between a good photo of BG, a perfect reflection car, a standard kit, a chopping kit creation... ?

But when the rework on the donor is not sufficient,
then we can clearly punish the thief ...
just make sure you define clearly when the red line is crossed ...