Blazed - You had a sook because I posted a thread about IP issues to centralise discussion (including paradoxically, saying "just create one thread about it and keep discussion there". So if you have IP related issues, feel free to confine it to this thread:
http://www.larian.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=527210#Post527210Someone using an old game as inspiration is their issue, not yours (despite how passionately you wish to prevent others 'wasting their time') - As per the above thread, people can be made aware that using external IP may result in them having to abandon their work if the IP owner decides to follow that path.
I think this thread is a great idea - it allows people to work on mod planning (which is the same regardless of if it is your idea or someone else's) and develop modding skills while paying homage to people's favourite games.
MORE on topic - How hard would it be to incorporate other genres into a mod? ie. instead of a fantasy style mod, would it be possible to incorporate firearms etc? I dont have time to get into the tools at the moment unfortunately but I could conceive of a more 'modern' mod based on an insurgency/small scale civil war? Jagged Alliance style combat could translate fairly well?
