About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself

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Offline LPChip

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #60 on: November 11, 2009, 12:19:42 »
I'm not saying that this is the case, but if you originally thought of: I'll just ignore the warning and deal with it when the level is ready, and hope that I can bend the rules somehow: no, that won't happen. If you originally thought, if that happens, I'll just have had a nice time making the level, then do so.

Note again: this is just a possible way.
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Offline Lizzaroro

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #61 on: November 12, 2009, 06:11:19 »
I was planning on contacting Valve about using their music at one point, But the huge problems are big companies like that might just ignore you. I know Valve would probably respond, but other companies like Lucasarts, I posted a thread on how to get a game to work and no one responded. Now I understand the deal.
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Offline LPChip

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #62 on: November 12, 2009, 09:14:55 »
If you tried to contact them, but got no response, save the info about how you contacted them (text and if posted, url to post), and you can say that you tried your  best and use the content for that particular level.

In the credits you then mention that its their content, and that you tried to contact them but got no response.

If they suddenly respond that you're using their content, and don't want it, you will have to remove the level though. That's just a risk you have to take.
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Offline Gorfinhofin

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #63 on: November 13, 2009, 00:35:46 »
Really? I could do that? Joy!


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Offline minmay

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #64 on: November 13, 2009, 03:32:53 »
It'd be illegal, but you could do it.

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Offline LPChip

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #65 on: November 13, 2009, 08:30:50 »
It'd be illegal, but you could do it.

Technically its not illegal. The copyright is about them having the control of what happens with their created stuff. This can be transfered by a contract to other people, which opens up the possibility that you might be able to use content from others if you ask them.

If someone doesn't respond to your question, you can see this as: hey, they didn't say I couldn't. Companies often don't reply if they are okay with something, and they'll reply if they're not. Its timesaving (though its unethical) for them.

Just make sure you ask (not just say you did) and give it some time so they have the time to respond.
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Offline minmay

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #66 on: November 14, 2009, 17:52:51 »
Technically its not illegal.

Technically, it's a civil offense in the U.S., and a criminal one in many other nations.  In some, it's legal, but it shows a blatant lack of respect regardless.

If someone doesn't respond to your question, you can see this as: hey, they didn't say I couldn't.

That justification falls entirely flat.  If you get no response, or the license isn't specified, then by default you can't use it.  (Again, this is how copyright law works in most, not all, nations.)
Let's say you contact an artist, asking to use their work; you wait a week for a response, and don't get one.  So you go ahead and use it, because of your justification above.  And now after your KS level has been around for another week, the artist finds out.  Turns out he was on a two-week vacation and didn't have access to his email/other contact method.  Turns out he's pretty ticked about your level, too, and since he's not a jerk he doesn't sue but he does get LPChip to take down your level.  Now one person is upset, one is depressed, and one is annoyed.
As opposed to the option of NOT using said content, which, at worst, will result in the loss of one KS level - which probably would have been a pretty mediocre one anyway, what with using that other game's graphics and all.

That's almost a worst-case scenario, of course, and it's much more likely that the artist would never find out.  It's still illegal, however.  Were I a mod, I would delete that level as soon as I found it, and warn its author about doing such things in the future.  But I'm not a mod, because of things like that: I'd enforce the Forum Rules instead of the LPChip Rules.  Nobody wants that.  Well, except me.

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Offline Lizzaroro

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #67 on: November 17, 2009, 09:35:51 »
Did you just say my level sucks?

Anyway LPChip, I cannot figure out what to say. I don't wanna look stupid to the company.  :oops:
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Offline LPChip

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #68 on: November 17, 2009, 14:06:56 »
Be simple and to the point:

Dear sir, madam,

I'm making a level for a game called Knytt Stories, and I would very much like to use music/graphics that comes with your game"insert name here". Can I have permission to do so? I can give you more information about the game and the level if you need that.

Yours,

"your name"
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Offline minmay

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #69 on: November 17, 2009, 17:14:59 »
Did you just say my level sucks?

I don't think I did, but I admit that I have low expectations for it.
« Last Edit: November 17, 2009, 17:42:38 by LPChip »

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Offline Lizzaroro

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #70 on: November 18, 2009, 00:49:00 »
Ah, thanks LPChip!

Did you just say my level sucks?

I don't think I did, but I admit that I have low expectations for it.

That's dumb logic. You think it is bad because I used other peoples Ambiance and Music, I also hate that stupid thing you said where I stole artwork, are you trying to say I suck at art too?
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Offline BloxMaster

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #71 on: November 18, 2009, 00:54:59 »
Hey now, no need to be hateful! Minmay is just saying that you shouldn't rely on one thing to make your level good. I can totally understand what he means. Minmay may say things in an off manor, but he actually has good points if you look past the 'minmay must mean I suck'. Please see more to minmay's posts, he has good points and NO-WHERE did he ever accuse you, so why are you bashing him? Please think a little more before you post things like that again. :/


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Offline minmay

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #72 on: November 18, 2009, 01:43:22 »
and NO-WHERE did he ever accuse you

Er, actually, I did.  Really, what I said was basically a massive "TAKE THAT" against people who don't make their own content for KS levels.  I mean, you CAN make a level that feels fresh and new and professional and all that without making your own tilesets/music, but I've only seen it done a few times.
Obviously this is all opinion, however; moreso, it's thoroughly off-topic.  If there's more to say, take it to the PM system.

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Offline Lizzaroro

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #73 on: November 18, 2009, 05:28:18 »
More like Opinion and flaming.
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Offline AA

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Re: About Using Stuff You Didn't Make Yourself
« Reply #74 on: November 18, 2009, 10:14:43 »
On the one hand, 'borrowing' content from other games usually grants your game more visibility than it would if you used original artwork/music: this is because said content is widely recognized (oh, it's the music from <that game>) and/or proven to be good. Even in the commercial world there are similar phenomena, where license-based games get more visibility regardless of their quality.

On the other hand, using ready-made content for your game, as long as you ask for permission first, is fine in general if it helps creating it faster and/or if you think it's necessary to achieve the goal you set when planning it. There's plenty of fan-games that are also good in their own right; of course, there are also mediocre fan-games which overshadow genuinely better games with original and/or 'bad' art, but in the world of free games this is less of an issue, at least in my personal experience.
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