Giving proper credits

[Blackfield]

Hi all!

I am in the final stages before releasing my first game on steam - super exciting times. One thing I definitely don't want to mess up is giving proper credits. I have a list of all the people / terms of use for the games ressources. How detailled do they have do be?

-> Plugins: Do I just list Yanfly, somerandomdude and others or the specific plugins used?
-> Graphics: I feel like it would be an overkill to mention every single thing the person has contributed to the project, so I would simply list the names of everyone?

My plan is to show some post-game scenes about the characters (based on the achieved ending), so technically the list could be longer.

How did you all handle the credits in your games?

 

[ATT_Turan]

Unless the asset's terms of use specify otherwise, literally whatever you want.

I have never seen a professional game that listed the specific contributions of any people, so the standard format is to simply list the names. If you feel it makes a difference, split them into categories and list all of the Graphics people, then the Plugins people, etc.

Note that if you've purchased any DLC packs, many of those do specify in their terms that you need to list the individual packs used.

 

[AquariusKawaii96]

congratulation!

For me, I'm ON one plugin for main title "credit title" and listing in there all credit of your used resource (so people can read every credit resource before play game. No need to finished game so credit list appear). In time of RM2K-RM2K3 game its norm to list every credit resource you used, the time before way commercial rpg maker exist. if not do that, you will accused use their asset and claim its as your own. Sensitive case.

 

[ManaBrent]

Handled a few ways.

Credits plugin on the title screen that lists the person and the relevant asset/contribution, and links through to the resource.

And then during the end credits they're listed again along with the relevant asset/contribution/resource.

Check everyone's terms to see how they want to be credited, if they don't list how then assume username. But some are specific so make sure in each case.

I also messaged all contributors I could get a hold of at launch and sent them a free key as thanks.

 

[Maliki79]

As someone who has been credited, I prefer it as something new players can access from the title, NOT something seen at the end. And just a general listing of plugin distributors would be fine for me. There should be lists for art assets, music and whatever other categories you can think of. A more detailed credit list can be done at the end of the game if you think it's worth adding. That's the way I plan to do it, anyway.

 

[Blackfield]

Thank you! Sounds pretty much like I was planning to do it. But @Maliki79 said something that got me thinking:
Credits in the title menu sound cool and I thought of that already, Yanfly has a plugin for that ready to use - but do people really look at them? I can only speak for myself but I never looked at them if I had the chance in the main menu of any (commercial) game - only when they rolled after the game was finished.

 

[Puppet Knight]

Credits in the title menu sound cool and I thought of that already, Yanfly has a plugin for that ready to use - but do people really look at them? I can only speak for myself but I never looked at them if I had the chance in the main menu of any (commercial) game - only when they rolled after the game was finished.

Anyone thats seen me ask for plugin updates here knows i'm BIG on user experience and access, however in this scenario its a matter of:

1) Covering yourself
2) Showing respect to folks who did genuinely make your project possible
3) Allowing those same people to have access to that appreciation earlier on rather than having someone have to play through your project to make sure they were credited correctly lol

 

[Blackfield]

Anyone thats seen me ask for plugin updates here knows i'm BIG on user experience and access, however in this scenario its a matter of:

1) Covering yourself
2) Showing respect to folks who did genuinely make your project possible
3) Allowing those same people to have access to that appreciation earlier on rather than having someone have to play through your project to make sure they were credited correctly lol

Oh yeah I get that. I have never seen it from a "content creator" perspective and as you said, they are the ones that made the project possible. So the menu-credits option totally makes sense for me now - thank you!

 

[Maliki79]

Thank you! Sounds pretty much like I was planning to do it. But @Maliki79 said something that got me thinking:
Credits in the title menu sound cool and I thought of that already, Yanfly has a plugin for that ready to use - but do people really look at them? I can only speak for myself but I never looked at them if I had the chance in the main menu of any (commercial) game - only when they rolled after the game was finished.

It's kinda like the terms and conditions: People probably should read em, but most don't. But to cover your tail in the event of some possible legal action, I'd have the credits front and center as an option on the title screen.
You could probably also get away with a credits text file released with the game. Not sure if there are any caveats to that tho...

 

[Willibab]

I intend to have a simplified version in game but a full list of everything I used in a text document within the game's folder with links and everything regardless of if its part of the license or not xD

That way, I have an easy way to ask anyone who wonders where something is from.

 

[Finnuval]

Graphics: I feel like it would be an overkill to mention every single thing the person has contributed to the project, so I would simply list the names of everyone?

Personally o cut it up in sub-sections like ;

Pixel art
background art
Digital Art

Same for music :

Overworld Bgm
Battletracks

Etc.
This not to just show proper credit but also for those playing the game that want to search out a specific creator of a bgm or art piece and what they might have created more and make it a little easier to do so.

But that's what I do and I'm weird xD

 

[Puppet Knight]

Pixel art
background art
Digital Art

Same for music :

Overworld Bgm
Battletracks

More or less my approach.

For plugins specifically I break them up into

"VisuStella related "stuff (cause they're their own grouping there)

Skill System Plugins:

Equipment Plugins:

Events Plugins:

Visual/Scene Plugins:


Makes it easier on the eyes and essentially follows my plugin manager order lol

 

[KawaiiKid]

For my game I just put them in the credits. Everytime I use any creative commons asset such as a sound effect, I will write down in a notepad the user name, file name, and website it was obtained from. Makes it easy to just copy and paste into your credits at the end. Although creative commons 0 doesn't require attribution, I still put it in there to keep consistency, and to make sure I just have the muscle memory to do this so I never forget any attributions whatsoever.