New answers tagged legal
0
I agree with the contract statements, but if I were you, I would use the original mesh as a base, then expand/improve/modify it to a point where it is no longer the same as it was but has helped you to save time when making the new model - the term for this is 'kit bashing' - creating a bunch of reusable assets that you re-use whenever you need a similar ...
9
It depends on the contractual agreement you have with your client. If they own all source art assets you create, then the safe answer is "no".
3
Nothing is required to enact copyright over a work. That includes placing "Copyright" on the work in question. However, the more steps you take to formalize your copyright, the easier it will be to defend.
In order of easier to harder (and more expensive)
Identify the copyright owner on the works
Register the copyright, as Steven suggested.
...
3
As long as you can prove ownership you're protected by copyright laws. (I.E. My work showed up on my portfolio site, before anyone else used it.) Of course, it is always a good idea to put copyright information on all work to remind people to contact you if they want to use it in any form.
6
(Stock caveat: I Am Not A Lawyer and this should not be construed as specific legal advice.)
If all you're concerned about is that your work is copyrighted to you, then you're in luck - that happens automatically upon creation of the work, and no explicit copyright mark is needed.
On the other hand, if you're concerned about the prospect of people ...
5
Pac-Man is still covered by copyright, and has not reverted to the public domain.
Exhaustively sourced proof:
Copyright for works created during or after 1978 lasts a bare minimum of 70 years. (section 302.a) (In the case of Pac-Man, 120 years is probably a more likely duration, as it presumably would have been a work for hire performed for Namco by ...
6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pac-Man
In 2011, Namco sent a DMCA notice to the team that made the
programming language Scratch saying that a programmer had infringed
copyright by making a Pac-Man game using the language and uploading it
to Scratch's official website.[94]
Considering they sent a DMCA to someone who wasn't making money off of it I'm ...
2
Also, http://opengameart.org/ has various sounds and effects that you can use for free. Although, be careful with the licensing that are advertised on the asset you use from there as different licenses have different conditions.
3
This is all going to depend on how capable you are as an audio machine and what your budget is.
If you do it yourself, you can either find some tools that let you generate sound effects or you can record your own from coconuts or something. If you try recording your own I would highly recommend you try renting or borrowing some nice audio equipment, since ...
1
off course that one option is to make original soundtracks for the game, making the legal work to have that music available for you to use in your game. But maybe you can see if this guys can help you: http://www.putumayo.com/content/filmtv_licensing. they have a LOT of music to use, and if you see in that link, they offer his services for videogames. it can ...
2
In addition to making it yourself or hiring someone, you can go through a music licensing site:
http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2009/04/top-7-music-licensing-sites-.html
Another good place (we used this for The Greatest Heist) is www.shockwave-sound.com. You pay a small amount for royalty-free use of music there.
0
Yes, the way around it is to purchase the rights to the material you want to use. Or if you want to save money, create your own assets.
3
@jwenting Has a very valid point on restrictions of use. But you also asked about licensing and creation.
Any copyrighted work or trademark can be licensed, if the copyright owner agrees to. (He may have his own plan for a game or may think you will not build a quality game and devalue his brand.) As a default and especially in your case you need to go to ...
7
IANAL, and it would potentially be different in different countries, but some guidelines:
Anything that references trademarked and/or copyrighted content (and everything is copyrighted at the moment of creation by its creator) should not be used without explicit permission from the trademark/copyright owner.
When in doubt about trademark or copyright ...
0
The title of this question is an oxymoron. Any revenue means your product is commercial. If you don't want to pay licensing, you need to stick to free alternatives. OpenAL is not that much harder to use than FMod and it is free. There are plenty of free libraries like SDL that can help with a lot of the startup work.
It sounds like you're trying to "get ...
5
No.
From the faq link I put on @eBusiness's answer, in reference to what money requires the 25% royalty while using a comercial license:
...includes, but is not limited to, revenue earned from: sales,
advertisements, sponsorships, endorsements, subscription fees,
microtransactions, in-game item or service sales, rentals,
pay-to-play, services you ...
4
First of all, read the terms of free use for the desired product, they will usually contain a much more specific phrasing.
It is hard to define a strict definition for what is commercial and what is non-commercial, a prominent borderline case is a good given out for free to promote a commercial product. It is still commercial, but what if the good doesn't ...
3
Non-commercial:
...refers to an activity or entity that does not in some sense involve
commerce.
An in-game shop involves commerce.
If you make money directly from the game, it's a commercial game.
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