Licensing for other tools and software

#1 As far as I know you dont need licenses (other than the license to legally have the software installed) to use work from MS3D or Photoshop in your game. Even if you did need a license, how is anyone to know you used their program unless the program embeds something into your work. There are several tools you can buy where you do need a special "license" to use your work in a commercial application, but most of them are expensive anyway, so dont worry about using them. Your best bet is to look at the EULA for each tool you want to use, and if you need to have a special "license" then either ditch the tool and find a more "indie friendly" tool without the silly licensing crap, or if thats not possible use the cheapest tool you can that still allows you to get your work done.

#2 If you have purchased Pro Tools, Photoshop, or Milkshape, then you are already a licensed user of that software.

#3 Alright so its a matter of purchasing the software and reading the fine print...when I was in school and we did projects we were told make a game as quick as you can any way you can. So I will admit we used cracks and such to get the job done. It was educational based and not to make money off of. Too bad they never taught the business end of the game industry. But thanks for the info, i'll start looking into that before I make any soft of selling move.

#4 They gave you really bad advice. While there's definitely a lot of worth in the "get it done" mentality they were pushing, they would have been better off using the huge number of open source projects in their pipeline. Or, if they have licenses for Max, Maya, etc, use those in a lab situation with the university/college picking up the bill. Giving students free reign to use warez software is extremely bad educational form.

#5 Yes I agree, but we had to make an entire game from scratch in 3 months. Have presentations on it and such. It was the get it done attitude that the school had that got me confused as to what was the right thing to be doing once im out on my own. I pretty much want to cover my bases when I release, even as a demo, my first game. Like Nate was saying how would anyone know what programs I used, unless something is embeded. Like RenderWare has the big "RW" on the screen unless its a licensed version. Knowing that I still want to make sure im covered. Purchasing the programs would relieve me of any soft of issues I would imagine.

The game im working on wont be out for quite some time so im gonna keep doing my homework on this matter. Thanks for your help guys.

#6 A number of programs will embed information into the files that they create. A number of open source groups have also found pieces of their own code in commercial products by disassembling them. If someone has the time and money, they can screw you. It's best to not do anything stupid.

#7 Sure you can purchase the programs, and use them. But some companies have their heads so far up their arses that they'll charge you $4,000 to USE their program, then turn around and charge you what amounts to royalties for each thing YOU have created using their program and intend to sell in a product. It should be illegal because its as if the dirty software corporation "owns" something that YOUVE created.

#8 Developers should have to create their own tools, modeling applications, physics libraries, compilers, and engines from scratch. Then, and only then, should they get the props they deserve.

#9 Hey, all Im saying is that if youve paid to use a program, there should be a law against a company charging you to use content you create using their program. How would you like renting a U-Haul and having the company charge you additional money for each piece of furniture or whatnot that you move using their truck?

#10 If you don't like the license, don't use the software. If enough people within their market are unhappy, then they will change their licensing. Of course, most indie houses aren't in the professional market simply because we can't afford the staggering licensing costs. Therefore we won't be dictating their licensing schemes anytime soon. Indie and Amateur market-priced items are becoming more common though (GameSpace, XSI, etc).

#11 So lets say I was to just get the licenses for the programs I could only afford. Lets say Torque, Milkshape and Photoshop..then made a game using those tools, and only those tools, and published it. Is that fully legal to do so?

#12 Yup. As long as you're not making commercial software with an academic license of Adobe Photoshop, that is.

#13 Well of course I wouldnt try and pull something like that...im just gonna cover myself and purchase what I use.

#14 I wasn't hinting that you might. You simply asked about "fully" legal compliance so I made sure to include academic software not being included. Mostly it's for people who do a licensing search and read this topic a year from now.

#15 Aah I totally understand..no offense taken :-)