hello
I was wondering if i can use models i made in LEGO Digital Designer in my game. I will not (and never will be) selling my game it will (always) be F2P, or will I get into some legal trouble?
Thanks in advance!!
Is a good question, some years ago in Europe Lego cant patented the Blocks as a brand because blocks are a technical solution and not a product itself, then in relation with Lego characters i dont know the legal state of this but this notice can help you http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20120130/PRINTEDITION/301309998/lego-locked-in-domestic-copyright-fight. This is a interesting article too How "The Lego Movie" is Really About Copyright - Leftward Thinking.
About the Lego digital designer the legal advice say âAny commercial use of the software is strictly prohibited.â I think that this refer to that the app cant be sale or resale but i recomend you make your own models with a 3D aplication. and Finally your better option is contact LEGO for ask this. 30 years ago when i was a child Lego kits has a very high price in my country and my parents giftme a local similar toy more cheaper call âarmo todoâ in english âbuild allâ i play years with this, good luck.
1 Like
Thank you for the reply, I will not be using models from LDD for any âcommercialâ purposes my game will be âfreeâ so i will NOT be getting any profit with those models
and one more thing does this also apply to a software called LDRAW?
You canât use them even if its free. Itâs their IP.
about Ldraw this say: You are free: to copy - distribute, display, and use the CA approved LDraw Parts Library, to make derivative works, to make commercial use of the CA approved LDraw Parts Library.
About your project remember that F2P not means No Commercial, for example you can make and publish a F2P game but you can earn money with adds in the site.
2 Likes
Thank you. I think iâll have to use LDRAW then 
Thatâs not true. Making a game is a lot different than making fan art or creations. For games there is already companies that has licensed the rights to make LEGO games. Even if the created game is free, no adâs anywhere etc. itâs can be categorized as competing product. Also, a free game can possibly damage the LEGO IP even if its highlighted everywhere that it is unofficial creation.
3 Likes
Well this depends of the project and the laws in the country, i think that the question refer more to use the Lego app that to make a Lego fan game, personally i see the games as art and for me apply the same laws.
That will only apply when i say that my game is a âlego gameâ if i say that it is a âbrick basedâ game then it will have nohing to do with lego because there are many lego-like toys being sold by different names
If your âgameâ is distributed through regular game channels, it is a âgameâ that competes in the same realm as other games. There is no claim for recontextualization - ie: it is not for an art gallery installation. Lego already has established itself in the game market. People seem to think that âartâ is exempt from copyright, citing Warholâs Campbell Soup can paintings, but he was sued many times (and lost) when he used the work of other artists in his paintings.
It took me exactly 2 clicks (starting with google) to find this info on the Lego Digital Designer website (it is at the bottom of their webpage) They have gone to a lot of effort to define âFair Useâ even creating a downloadable pdf.
http://www.lego.com/en-us/legal/legal-notice
I think that model is not subject to any rules. Go ahead and throw some disney logos in there, youâre free!
Then just describe it as brick building game like legos and youâre fine. Itâs impossible to prove scale between the digital and real world. On a different scale, megablo
ks look just like legos. If you compress their Y scale, you'll see they're identical :P So if they have the likeness of legos with the little pegs on top that hurt your feet when you step on them, you probably don't need to worry.
On the off chance that your game got super popular and lego could potentially notice, just update the block models and take off the top pegs.
As I recall the branded legos blocks have round holes and round pegs. You may want to come up with a completely original idea. Maybe blocks that connect via square pegs and square holes or triangular pegs and triangular holes. Or maybe no pegs and holes and magnetic force locks them together. Or maybe magic. And completely avoid any reference to legos.
3 Likes
Magnetic sounds pretty cool. If you actually coded such a system, you could do cool things with repelling blocks.
No-one on this site (as far as I know) is a lawyer. If you want to use content created by LEGO Digital Designer in your game, then youâll need to ask your question to Lego. In general I would recommend that you do not do anything you cannot get permission to do.
3 Likes
Or you can make a set of natural building blocks at adhere using gecko sticky feet and call your gecko glue. Of course itâs be more like Velcro and Iâll inform you that the Unity forum auto-capitalized Velcro so that a TM too. Velcro and Lego are sparse versions of gecko feet so go make your Gecko Glue app and call it something like MineCraft, oh wait, thatâs take. Well, just call it Gecko Glue then, would ya? Iâd do an IP search on Gecko Glue though, I know there is Gorilla Glue and Gorilla Glass already, âbusiness geniusesâ buy up those type wordsâŚ
Ok so i am literally confused here. There are so many people, all telling / advising different things. Can any âexplainâ to me what i should do?
The best advice here is from GrahamâŚ
Thanks for all the replies, so this is what i have learned from this thread:
A. I cannot use ldd to design models for my game unless i ask lego for the permission
B. i cannot make a âlegoâ game without the permission from lego. If i really want to i would have to make some changes to design of bricks.
C. I cannot publish my game as a lego game i would need a license to do so
(Correct me if i am wrong somewhere)
If youâre Graham thatâs good advice maybe but here you go: Locations - About Us - LEGO.com