Using older Resources

[RolandGAMES]

Hi!
I'm working on a game right now and being stupid and young as I am, I overread the fact that you can't use resources of RPG Makers you don't own (such as VX Ace).
I am using RPG Maker MV and working hard on a project, 80% of my maps are already done but they contain Resources of older Makers. I don't even know which of them are made for MV and which not so removing them from all the maps would be pretty hard and take a lot of time.

What would happen if I'd make a game using resources I "shouldn't" use?

 

[Sharm]

Well, you'd be breaking the law, the terms of use, and risk being banned from the forums.

 

[Shaz]

You also wouldn't be allowed to share your game here, and if you posted it elsewhere, you'd risk a take-down notice, which can cause all sorts of problems with your host or whatever site you're using to share your game.

Basically - you wouldn't be able to give it to anybody else to play.

 

[Kes]

The simplest thing would be to buy Ace, and then you can use assets made for it.

 

[Shaz]

IF you're only using Ace resources. Based on your "using resources from other makers" (plural) it sounds like you've taken from several of them. In that case you'd need to buy all the makers you have resources from - keeping in mind that VX and Ace resources are not the same.

 

[Piyan Glupak]

What you could do if you want to use the resources from older engines is to keep your eyes open for sales. The older engines seem to be frequently heavily discounted. Although you have to own the engine that the resources came with, there is no requirement to pay the maximum price for it, as far as I am aware.

I am considering buying RPG Maker XP at some point, not for the engine itself, (which I tried before choosing VX as my first RPG Maker engine a few years ago) but to be able to use the tile sets converted from it to MV format.

 

[Andar]

As said, your best option at this time is to simply purchase the older makers which you've used resources from.
Especially the Steam-version of Ace is available through steam-resellers for less than 10$ several times a year, and for the licence the Steam version would be enough.

You can use this to check regularly:
https://isthereanydeal.com/
It goes through Steam and all resellers to look for the current best price

 

[RolandGAMES]

Thank you all for your replies! I will probably buy some of the older game makers but I still have on question:
what if I'm using recources which are not RTP based and the creators say there is no need for a credit - would it be still against the law using such tilesets?

 

[Sharm]

The licensing of original artwork is up to the original artist. It's up to them what they do with it. However, modifying the resource does not make it lose the original license requirements. So if someone makes a modification and then tells you that you could use it in Game Maker or something like that, they'd be completely wrong. They have control over the part that they personally did, not the whole.

So let's say someone makes a tileset made of ripped and modified resources from an SNES game. You wouldn't be using the RTP but you'd still be in violation of the law. If the resource is legitimately CC0 then you can do whatever you please with it.

 

[RolandGAMES]

The licensing of original artwork is up to the original artist. It's up to them what they do with it. However, modifying the resource does not make it lose the original license requirements. So if someone makes a modification and then tells you that you could use it in Game Maker or something like that, they'd be completely wrong. They have control over the part that they personally did, not the whole.

So let's say someone makes a tileset made of ripped and modified resources from an SNES game. You wouldn't be using the RTP but you'd still be in violation of the law. If the resource is legitimately CC0 then you can do whatever you please with it.

Thank you very much, really helped me out! I could find the resources I can't use without owning older Makers and will replace them with some made for MV. I will also always keep an eye of the term of using and so on.
Thanks again.

 

[Ellie Jane]

I had a spare key for VX Ace so that's one out of the way. The others if you've used them tend to be quite cheap in the Steam Sales and other sales every now and then, I'm sure I've seen XP as low as a tenner, so hopefully they won't set your project back too much.

As far as RTP based graphics go, unfortunately it's up to the creator to tell you whether or not they use a maker's RTP (they should tell you), yet it is also your responsibility to ensure that the graphics you use are kosher. All you can do is ask the creator, which is difficult if they've long disappeared.

 

[Vixen]

Hopefully no-one minds that I borrow this thread to ask something similar myself.

If I understood correctly, I'd be allowed to use my RPG Maker VX Ace resources for RPG Maker MV (using the latter now, also own the former).
However, does this extend to the VX Ace extra resources available on Steam as DLC? I've got a whole bunch of those and wouldn't mind using them on MV.

 

[Kes]

@Vixen If you have purchased VXAce, then it doesn't matter if you bought the additional resources from the store or have them as dlc on Steam. You legitimately own them and can use them in any other engine you legitimately own.

 

[Vixen]

@Vixen If you have purchased VXAce, then it doesn't matter if you bought the additional resources from the store or have them as dlc on Steam. You legitimately own them and can use them in any other engine you legitimately own.

Well that's sweet, thanks for the response!