Questions tagged [legal]
As a business, game development is fraught with legal concerns and issues, especially on copyright, terms of service, and licensing fronts.
263
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Legal status of games with similar titles [closed]
I've been working on a game for around a year and a half named Planetfall, in which you build a colony on a new planet.
I've bee working on it with that title since before the announcement of Age of ...
0
votes
1answer
117 views
How do I get rights to an game? [duplicate]
I' looking to get rights to an game called Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the Nintendo DS. I am a Nintendo 3DS Developer trying to make a remastered version for the Nintendo 3DS. How would I go ...
0
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2answers
48 views
Can I sample audio sources from others without asking?
As the title says, would it be considered legal if I take a part of an audio source (any media like music, dialog, video, etc.) to use in a project, whether it is for commercial or non-commercial ...
3
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4answers
126 views
How can I open source my Unity project when I use third party assets?
I know you are not allowed to open source a Unity project that contains asset store items that are either paid or under the default license. I am just wondering if there's any way to make my git ...
1
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1answer
90 views
Is it ok to remake a 2D game into first person and then releasing it for free? [duplicate]
I saw a video online where someone made a first person version of flappy bird, so I was wondering...
If I were to remake a 2D game into a 3D game and change the perspective to first person, and then ...
5
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1answer
252 views
Is it legal to develop a game using software which is unavailable in my region due to legal reasons?
I was wondering: what would happen if I published a game while the software I used is not available in my area?
I was planning to make a game using Unity Personal, and it just happened that it's not ...
0
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0answers
26 views
Can I give vehicles its real names? (e.g. Skoda, Tatra) [duplicate]
I'm working on a simulator of old USSR transport.
But my boss is telling me that I can't put real names on vehicles, but don't get me any proofs of it. I know that you can't put real human names and ...
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2answers
79 views
Is it legal to make a fan game but only publish the gameplay?
If I make a fan game that uses copyrighted material, sounds, dialogues etc. from other games but only ever upload the gameplay/walkthrough of the fangame to Youtube without publishing it anywhere else,...
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0answers
114 views
Now that Articles 17 & 11 have passed, what should indie developers do?
Since on the 26th of March 2019 the EU has voted in favor of Articles 17 (previously known as Article 13) and 11, what should an indie developer who is based in the EU do to setup a game and a website ...
0
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0answers
39 views
Can I legally use mechanics from a game that is removed from the store? [duplicate]
There was a mobile (android, ios) card game that I really liked playing. Last year, the game was removed from the store and noone were able to play it. The company is still up.
That game had a really ...
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1answer
66 views
How to handle a Google Play game's privacy policy
I am trying to release a mobile game (insert obligatory sellout statement for Chunk of Space) on Google Play, and I'm worried about their privacy policy system. Basically, if you mark your game as "...
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0answers
25 views
Is using Warehouse3D models in your game allowed? [duplicate]
I know there's a question like this already here, but it's been closed and was asked 6 years ago. It doesn't really offer much help. I was wondering if anyone has used models from 3D Warehouse in ...
2
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2answers
149 views
Is it legal to imitate a game without publishing it
If you're developing a game that's very similar to a game that's already published, both the game mechanics and the graphics but you're not publishing it, instead you're keeping it in your own ...
0
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0answers
19 views
Game Idea/Style copyright [duplicate]
I develop software for a few years now and I now I want to start a Project I have thought about for a long time:
Create a (more or less) clone of the very popular game Civilization V/VI. Of course, I ...
2
votes
1answer
74 views
Could I get in to trouble for “rickrolling” users in my commercial game?
Not sure if this question is too stupid but, theoretically speaking...
Could you get into trouble for using something like Application.OpenURL in a commercial game to rickroll a player or would that ...
0
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1answer
434 views
Converting copyrighted song to 8 bit. Is it legal? [duplicate]
I would like to get a copyrighted song, convert into a 8 bit song and use it in my game. Is that legal?
7
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1answer
7k views
Can I sell a game made with OpenGL?
I love creating games, and I've always made games using OpenGL and not with game engines such as Unity or Unreal. Can I legally sell the games I made with OpenGL?
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2answers
108 views
Is it legal to publish a Noughts and crosses (tic-tac-toe) game? [duplicate]
Is it be legal to publish a Noughts and crosses game?
3
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1answer
74 views
What legalese is required in a game installer?
So I've seen a lot of installers, and on almost (if not every one, I don't keep track), all of them, there is a EULA, and specific items that are seen on all installers. However, I'm going to be ...
0
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1answer
67 views
Extracting gamefiles from a game, modify it, then use it commercially, would it be illegal? [duplicate]
I kinda get a chance to extract gamefiles from the game fortnite(assets, sounds, etc), and then I want to use them for my animation, would that be illegal.
If it is illegal, what if I alter the ...
3
votes
1answer
139 views
What are the legal considerations with using spritesheets? [duplicate]
If you google for sprites sheets, you'll find a lot of sprites sheets.
As far as I can remember, industrial patents (the terms may not be the right ones I'm sorry), after 20 years, fall into public ...
0
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0answers
25 views
Copyright of concept? [duplicate]
There is a game that I really like to play when I was young. But there are some features that are not implemented that would be cool.
How can I find copyright database from games editor ?
4
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3answers
365 views
If a game is made for Windows or MacOS, and sold for profit, is Microsoft or Apple entitled to royalties, even if it's sold on a different website?
I.e. sold on some website some game developer made, and NOT sold on Apple Store or Microsoft Store.
2) Also, for any game made and sold for their platform, does Apple or Microsoft look at the game/...
2
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1answer
81 views
Licensing classic (vintage) car models for game
I know that I cannot use real car models in a game without permission. However, I am interested in a classic (vintage) cars from era before 1950. Some of the companies no longer exist, or were bought ...
1
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1answer
97 views
When I use a font in my game, do I have to include its license in the credits?
For example, if I use this font from Google Fonts:
https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Open+Sans
This font is licensed under Apache License 2.0
But regardless of the license, if it allows commercial ...
0
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1answer
119 views
Do you need special permission to personify companies as characters?
in the Hyperdimension Neptunia series a number of human characters are personifications of games companies ie.
Compa = Compile Heart
Red = Red Entertainment
Tekken = Namco
Falcom = Nihon Falcom
Cave =...
2
votes
2answers
364 views
Can I use fictional city/country names from public domain/fiction etc. in a potentially monetized browser game?
I'm currently developing a browser game with a focus on economy, trading and industry. For that I'm building a fictional world with countries and cities. To avoid political drama within the games ...
2
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1answer
177 views
Could you create a game for an older system (say, SNES) and sell it with an emulator as well as the game?
I was looking into development for the SNES in assembly, as programming in assembly is my hobby. I then had the thought: what if I could sell my native SNES games for modern use (on steam, bundled ...
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0answers
38 views
Licensing for assets in a game but it is free for commercial use
In my game, there is this music that I use and of course before releasing anything for commercial use, I have to have a license for what I dont create for my game for example ( game engine, music, ...
0
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2answers
78 views
Does using a Community Script with Creative Commons - Attribution-NonComercial-ShareAlike prevent me from selling the game?
So I have been building a game in one of the RPG Makers with the end goal to sell it. while I have been working hard coding up my own scripts one in particular is a complex Active Battle System like ...
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1answer
563 views
Is it legal to use formulas from a professional game?
The Pokémon series uses a total of 5 different formulas to determine how much experience is required to get to the next level. Likewise, in RPG games, each character has a formula for determining when ...
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1answer
201 views
Is it a legal thing to do to sell fabricated accounts of your game?
For example, say I create an online mass multiplayer game with in-game purchasing system and with randomness factors as well (the point is that game accounts have actual value and there is a somehow ...
61
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10answers
19k views
Why is account sharing so bad?
In games where you have to use an account to sign in or otherwise authenticate yourself (e.g MMO games), it is often prohibited to share your account with other people.
For example in the World of ...
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1answer
190 views
Is it legal to mod a MMORPG game to make it look like another franchise and profit from it?
Let's say I take World of Warcraft and I mod it to make it look like a Dragon Ball game and I obtain profit from it, would it be legal?
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1answer
160 views
Using real-life names in fantasy league
I am looking into creating a fantasy soccer league, where users can create their own virtual team of real-life soccer players. The performance the virtual team depends on how those soccer players ...
7
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1answer
181 views
Is it legal to use elements of the outfit of a character in another game as an optional cosmetic in my own game?
In my game, I plan on implementing various optional unlockable costumes, earned by collecting in-game items. One hypothetical example of such a costume would be Banjo's (from Banjo-Kazooie) shorts, ...
44
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7answers
8k views
Licensing (or similar) for my fan-game?
For the past 8 years, I've been working on a Pokémon fan-game. It's been awesome, well-received by players, and I'm very proud of the community we've built. But, as with all things "fan-game", there's ...
0
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2answers
1k views
Unity remove logo in splash screen
Heavily related to this question, as of now, Unity's TOS has changed dramatically. And searching in the TOS, it looks like I'm allowed to remove the Unity logo in my exported game. Looking at Section ...
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0answers
57 views
How to be sure that a name we came up with for an evil corporation is safe to use in our game? [closed]
I need your advice. We are currently developing a pixel art point and click adventure game. We have an evil corporation in our game and we also came up with a name for it. Now, to be sure that the ...
1
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1answer
51 views
Art Style Guide - External Image Sources?
I've been looking into how to structure an art style guide (ASG); it's a document which helps guide artists how a project's visuals should look. They often have sketches and illustrations from artists ...
1
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1answer
90 views
Can I make the project files/source code of my comerical Unity game avalible as a DLC or with the game?
Is it legal and/or a good idea to let the players download the source code/project files of a comerical Unity game with the game or as a DLC?
3
votes
1answer
240 views
What are the legal implications of creators streaming their development?
Is there any question of losing ownership of their work if people stream themselves coding? I can understand that streaming modeling, animations, and game design would be fine because even if you see ...
3
votes
1answer
512 views
Is it illegal to decompile Unreal Engine maps from games?
I am currently in the process of learning to use Unreal Engine 4, and want to learn how certain games design their components. I know about the issues with decompiling Unreal Engine 3 to Unreal Engine ...
4
votes
3answers
371 views
Should I talk about my game concept?
I have what I think is a great idea for a small android game. It might be crap, but for the sake of the discussion, let's assume it is potentially good. I'm currently learning game development as a ...
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1answer
72 views
Legal - Will code-naming a project after Marvel property be a problem?
I am developing a game, and since I haven't decided on a name yet, I've named it say, Project Deadpool. I plan to release the game as a beta. Will this cause any problems. It is just a name until a ...
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0answers
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Can I make my sprite design very similar to Pokémon's sprite design? [duplicate]
I'm making a 2d RPG and I'm having trouble designing a sprite, so I downloaded an image of Pokémon Leaf Green's player sprite and copied how it looked. I didn't copy it completely, only how it looks. ...
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2answers
227 views
How is custom-written music generally licensed for a small game?
I am relaunching my career as a game musician; previously I have done a little bit of licensed work and writing music for game jam-type games, after having written music as a secondary job duty for my ...
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2answers
162 views
If I purchase game assets from an artist, should I ask them to explicitly sign over all rights to the art?
To cover all worst-case scenario legal bases, does a developer need any form of written communication from an artist confirming both the purchase of, and explicit transfer of all rights to, the art ...
2
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0answers
259 views
About to release a free game on Google Play Store, any legal considerations I should take into account? [closed]
I will release in the next few weeks a small free game on the Google Play Store. I was wondering if there was any important legal aspects I should consider before release.
Here's a few infos:
I'm ...
69
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5answers
12k views
Making an indie with friends: Legal considerations
I am close to finishing a game I am making with 3 friends. 1 other coder, and 2 graphic designers. We agreed from the start to split revenue (40/40/10/10).
However we have no contract, and I know ...
