How can I ensure free graphics are suitable for use in a game?

Question

We want to program a small minigame where we need a lot of icons for all kind of things (like in "Alchemy"). We looked through some free vector graphics pages, like http://www.freepik.com/, but they all state some vague instructions where and where-not to use the images.

For example this site writes

• For both personal and commercial projects and to modify it.

but on the other hand:

• Include FreePik Contents in an online or offline database or file.

Which sounds contradictionary, you need to store it in a file to modify it.

How can we get sure, that images that we use from such sites are really free to use on attribution and we don't get any problems later?

How should the licences look like, so we can be sure to get no problems later,if we use free icons from there?

Answer 1

When a site does not provide clear guidelines on where and when assets it offers you can be re-used, you need to get clarification before you start using them.

The best ways to do this are generally:

• contact the author or rights holder and ask them to clarify their license text to make it clear whether or not your goals are or are not covered by the licensing agreement

• get a lawyer to review the terms of the license and your own needs and make sure they are covered

In either case, if you aren't permitted by the license to use the assets the way you need to, you can consider getting a customized license agreement between yourself and the rights holder. This will also be something you want a lawyer involved with, probably.