DayZ Mod Licensing: The Facts

The debate around repacking DayZ mods (taking someone else's mod and bundling it into your own "server pack") is heated because it pits convenience against copyright.

Here is the breakdown of what the licenses actually say, stripping away the forum rumors and looking at the legal text of Steam and Bohemia Interactive.

1. The Steam Subscriber Agreement (The Platform)

Many server owners argue that "if it’s on the Workshop, it’s public property." This is false.

When a modder uploads content to the Steam Workshop, they agree to the Steam Subscriber Agreement (SSA). Here is what that agreement actually grants:

• Rights granted to Valve: The modder grants Valve (Steam) a broad, perpetual license to distribute, modify, and display the content. This allows Steam to host the file.
• Rights granted to Users (You): The SSA generally grants subscribers the right to download, install, and play the content for personal, non-commercial use.
• What is MISSING: The SSA does not grant other users the right to modify, repack, or redistribute that content. Just because you have the right to use it doesn't mean you have the right to copy and re-upload it under your own name.

2. Bohemia Interactive’s EULA (The Game)

Bohemia Interactive (BI) has specific licenses for community content (Arma Public License). While BI claims ownership over the game data, they recognize that the original creative work (custom models, textures, scripts) belongs to the modder.

The "Smoking Gun" (Monetization)

The strongest proof that modders have rights is found in Bohemia’s official Server Monetization FAQ:

"On my server I am using mods created by other people. May I get approval to monetize? You may, but ONLY if you have proper permission from all of the authors of such mods."

If modders did not have the right to control their content, BI would not require server owners to get permission from them to monetize.

3. What If The Mod Is "Script Only"?

A common misconception is that if a mod contains no 3D models or textures—only code (scripts)—it is free to steal. The short answer is No.

Being "script only" does not grant you the right to repack it without permission. In the eyes of both the law and Bohemia Interactive, code is treated exactly the same as a 3D model.

Code is a "Literary Work"

Under international copyright law and Steam’s DMCA policy, computer code is classified as a "literary work."

• The Model: If someone spends 100 hours sculpting a 3D helmet, you cannot steal it.
• The Script: If someone spends 100 hours writing a complex config.cpp or script to make that helmet have night vision, you cannot steal that text either.

Idea vs. Expression

This is where many server owners get confused. There is a legal distinction:

• You CAN copy the IDEA: You are allowed to see a mod that adds "Auto-Run," think "That's a great idea," and write your own script from scratch that achieves the same result. You cannot copyright the concept of running automatically.
• You CANNOT copy the EXPRESSION: You cannot open their PBO, copy their specific lines of code, and paste them into your mod. That specific arrangement of text (the "Expression") belongs to the author.

Obfuscation & "Open Source"

Just because a modder left their code readable (unbinarized) does not mean it is open source. Unless they included a license file (like the MIT License) that explicitly says "You can edit this," the default legal status is "All Rights Reserved."

4. The "Repacking" Debate Explained

The debate centers on Server Packs. Owners want them for version stability and single-download convenience. Modders hate them because they lose control, cannot push bug fixes, and lose download stats.

The Safe Path Options:

1. Collection Method (Recommended): Create a Steam Workshop Collection. Players subscribe to the collection, downloading the mods individually from their original authors.
2. Ask Permission: Many modders will grant repacking rights if you ask nicely and promise to link back to their original mod.
3. Rewrite It: If you need a script feature, write the code yourself from scratch. Since you are copying the functionality (the idea) and not the files (the expression), this is 100% legal.

Summary Verdict

You cannot repack mods without permission.

• Steam: Gives you the right to use the mod, not redistribute it.
• Bohemia: Explicitly requires you to respect modder permissions.
• Copyright Law: The creator automatically holds copyright unless they explicitly waive it.