MV License Question

[R-ZoneGamer]

Quick question regarding selling things made using RMMV:

If a person uses the built-in Character Generator to create some custom characters and exports that content as .png files, can those files be sold as a "dlc" of sorts? Either through Steam or by some other means?

I realize the market for such a thing would be slim to none, but still wonder if this would violate the MV license in any way.

Thanks,
R-Zone

 

[mlogan]

No, you cannot sell those. You could only sell completely original works.

 

[R-ZoneGamer]

So could you sell a game made with Character Generator characters in it?

 

[Jonforum]

the numeric license only protect original code software.
all content generated through those sources, belongs to you.
The whole legal context is too complex to explain in numerical matters, to avoid issue, only distributing your work , and avoid that does not belong to you.

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

Selling a game with characters created using the generator parts is fine, selling the characters alone is a different thing

 

[R-ZoneGamer]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I'm really not trying to be pedantic here, but couldn't you then just sell a single map "game" with the custom characters made with the generator? The "game" wouldn't really be anything except for the characters generated and a dummy map with a player start for example.

 

[Jonforum]

yes you can! , but It would be as silly as selling a game made with Unity with the Basic Assets.
You will be lynched on the commercial network and contribute to the bad reputation that games using rmmv engine already on steam.
At this stage why not distribute free.

 

[R-ZoneGamer]

yes you can! , but It would be as silly as selling a game made with Unity with the Basic Assets.
You will be lynched on the commercial network and contribute to the bad reputation that games using rmmv engine already on steam.
At this stage why not distribute free.

Haha, fair enough. It was more of a theoretical question than anything else. Thanks for the insight.

Selling a game with characters created using the generator parts is fine, selling the characters alone is a different thing

I'm not quite sure why that would be the case, but if you say so! Thanks.

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

Because the resources for the generator are licensed for your own use in the engine, so you can use them in a game and sell that game. But if you sell the generated characters alone, it means you're basically using them outside of their scope (since ur selling them directly, instead of being used in a game made with MV)

 

[Andar]

@R-ZoneGamer
There are a few other reasons why this is a bad idea that haven't been mentioned already.

All stock resources (from tilesets over audiofiles to the character generator parts) are only licenced to be used in the RMMV engine, and anyone using them needs to have that licence himself/herself.
You cannot sell them to another engine or other uses at all - and everyone who could purchase and use them already has the character generator.
So what you would be selling is only the time and ideas to create pictures they could create themselves. And there is even a random button in the generator for those who have problems coming up with ideas.

So most people wouldn't even be interested in paying for something they could do themselves.

Second, as said the licence allows you to sell a game made with the resources but not the resources themselves. That is a distinction because it is assumed that you're selling the work, story and the ideas you put into that game as opposed to the game resources (who are free to use inside RMMV-Games only anyway for anyone who has purchased the program, and free to play games only for those who didn't purchase the editor).
you aren't allowed to sell the resources themselves for others to use - not even when you edit them. Which is why any edits of the RTP you find to download on this forum or anywhere else are always free to use for those who own the program, and not allowed to use for those who don't own the program.

 

[Jonforum]

@R-ZoneGamer
not even when you edit them

that not true.
you imagine all the legal mess if this are true !!
If a draw a moon , i will get attacks from all the other authors who believe that my moon is similar or calqued on their original drawing.
From the moment you modify an original drawing, it is no longer licensed by its author, except if the author has solid proof that the drawing is a copy of these works.

You can draw a character that looks like a mario without having a problem, despite the copyright.

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

If you draw a character that looks like mario, it still means you made it from scratch. You're not gonna get sued for ripping resources if you do that.

If you edit an existing resource, you used that resource

and the issue on hand is basically the use of the engines resources which is handled by the EULA itself. If the EULA forbids it, its forbidden

 

[Andar]

From the moment you modify an original drawing, it is no longer licensed by its author, except if the author has solid proof that the drawing is a copy of these works.

That is absolutely wrong.

If you edit something, you create a shared copyright that includes both the original creator and yourself.
The fact that it is sometimes difficult to proof an extensive edit does NOT remove the original copyright that is now part of the edit.

Please contact someone who knows the laws before distributing such nonsense.

 

[Jonforum]

That is absolutely wrong.

If you edit something, you create a shared copyright that includes both the original creator and yourself.
The fact that it is sometimes difficult to proof an extensive edit does NOT remove the original copyright that is now part of the edit.

Please contact someone who knows the laws before distributing such nonsense.

Do not worry about that, I have my own business for 20 years, and I have a service of a law firm for all my activities.
I know very well all the law that affects my country.

You will never convince me that's a judge, in the reasonable doubt, could condemned an artist for a digital file that would be similar to your work.
Above all, you must understand how digital files are made, whether with a software or a pencil.

 

[Andar]

that's a judge, in the reasonable doubt, could condemned an artist for a digital file that would be similar to your work.

Of course not - but that is because all laws (or at least in all lawfull countries) contain the basic phrase
"If in doubt, then decide for the accused".
That does not make the action itself legal, it only makes the punishment difficult.

Basically you've just proven my point - edits do contain the original copyright.
The fact that people can get away with a crime if they muddle up the evidence is a fact of our law system (a required fact unless someone finds a better way to protect against false accusations), but that fact does not make the crime itself legal.

I never disputed that it can be difficult to prove someone edited instead of made something from scratch.
But even if it is difficult to prove, it does not change the fact that the original copyright is retained for the edit.

And besides - if the original artist states that edits are not allowed, you're breaking even more laws when editing something.

 

[Peridot Gaming]

Selling a game with characters created using the generator parts is fine, selling the characters alone is a different thing

So these should not be sellable, should they? I'm assuming they are straight out of the character generator:
https://www.gamedevmarket.net/member/srivastavaS/

 

[Andar]

No, that person would break the EULA if those are using stock generator parts, especially since there is nothing there telling they can only be used in RMs.
@Touchfuzzy something for DCMA...

 

[Tuomo L]

If you draw a character that looks like mario, it still means you made it from scratch. You're not gonna get sued for ripping resources if you do that.

Excuse me? Have you not heard of Giana Sisters?

 

[Shaz]

Also, if you're using generator parts that someone else created and you didn't purchase or didn't come with the character generator, you can only use them in a game and sell that game if the person who made those generator parts says so. If they say no commercial use, you could not sell a game where those were used.