Licensing question

[rob42lou]

Hi

I read up on licensing concerning use of their assets in your game, and I see it's not allowed. My question is if we create a base game with our own assets are we allowed to "support" other games assets?

An example being let's say you own my game and gears of war, am I allowed to allow players to use gears of war assets in the game?

[Graylord]

No, you can not use assets from other games, regardless if they own it or not. You're still using their work for your profit.
However, what they do with their own copy of their game is up to them, but you don't want to encourage copyright infringement yourself.

You can freely use assets that come with UDK, with the exception of skeletal meshes.

[rob42lou]

Well I was thinking it could be argued that I wouldn't be selling a game. I'd be selling a mod. A perfect example of this is garrysmod, it's required you own half life 2, but it allows other game assets to be used in game, yet they are allowed to sell it.

[Graylord]

If you made a UT3 mod, or a Gears of war mod then yes, you could use the respective assets. Just like GMod originally was a HL2 mod. UDK isn't for making mods though.

[rob42lou]

But the FAQ makes the distinction that the difference between Udk and a mod is the fact that it stands alone and doesnt require additional software. If i require gears of war is it not similar enough to a mod then? My hope was if valve doesn't mind what garrysmod does then epic won't mind a similar use of assets.

[Graylord]

Again, Garrysmod WAS a mod. Valve bought it and sold it, that's why they don't mind.

Besides, it seems like you are wanting to create a GOW mod, the mod GOW instead of coming to UDK.

UDK is for creating standalone games, if you make it use GOW assets, it will still be standalone. Saying it requires gow, won't make it so.

[rob42lou]

Valve has never owned garrysmod nor has anyone from valve worked on it.

What i'd like to do is make a game that uses udk assets (minus skeletal meshes) but also ingame allows users to browse a content browser for assets of "compatible" games that they own and have installed.

And it wouldn't just be just saying it requires GOW. Using steam I think you can make it so if you don't own GOW buy/use my game.

[Graylord]

Valve has never owned garrysmod nor has anyone from valve worked on it.

This is not true.

At GMod v9 they bought the publishing rights in order to make it standalone (sort of) and sell it for profit, this version is GMod 10.
This is why they allow for selling the game with their content. It is in fact their own doing.

Before that Gmod was just a mod like any other.

Look, no matter how you twist and turn it, you are not allowed to use content from other games with UDK as is. You'd have to contact epic for a special agreement.

[darthviper107]

No, you can't use GOW assets, even if you make it so it doesn't include the assets from GOW, you'd be saying that this is a game that uses GOW which is a selling point, so you'd be using GOW to get people to play your game.

It might be possible to use it if you don't plan on making any money of your project, but I'm not sure. Definitely can't use GOW at all though.

[rob42lou]

This is not true.

At GMod v9 they bought the publishing rights in order to make it standalone (sort of) and sell it for profit, this version is GMod 10.
This is why they allow for selling the game with their content. It is in fact their own doing....

Is not true...it was Garrys decision to charge for gmod 10. (As backed up by a wiremod administrator)

Also you have to keep in mind i wouldn't be selling their content. It wouldn't be in my game at all when you purchase it.

[Graylord]

Is not true...it was Garrys decision to charge for gmod 10. (As backed up by a wiremod administrator)

Which was done through valve as a publisher, look it up. You can't just grab content from other games and sell as your own, it's that simple, regardless of how you beat around the bush. As long as it has anything to do with the work of another game, you cannot use it. Disagreeing won't change anything, you still cannot use it, no matter how many "but"s you throw in.

[rob42lou]

Ah, people are telling me conflicting things so i'll defer to what you're saying. So basically it comes down to epic giving the "yay or nay" should I be hell bent on this idea. Thanks for your input!

[Graylord]

In that case you should probably email them directly.