So I have been developing a game for just under a year. When I began developing it, I jus searched around for modeling programs and came across Autodesk Maya. I thought it would be good experience to learn how to model with it, so i (regretfully) downloaded a cracked version. Anyways, the time has come where I have come to think of how to publish and sell my game.
But now you see where the problem is. I cant sell my game, i dont own the couple thousand dollar license so my only option, if I even want to release the game at all anymore, is to offer the full version, for free.
Now my question is, even though I cant charge for the game, could I charge companies to advertise throughout my game? i.e. product placement, commercials etc. and if so how would I go about making myself available to these advertisements?
and if anyone else has any ideas on how to make some kind of profit please share it, (im hoping I can make enough to actually purchase the Maya license, upgrade the game to Unity Pro, and then actually start charging for the game content at $20 or less)
Well, if you are ready to publish your game, why not buy the program. I know its ridiculously expensive, but if you feel your game is good enough, you should be able to make it back… Or you could take a risk and publish it, get enough money, and buy the software.
I would recommend contacting a lawyer who has experience in this area. I’m not entirely sure on the legalities of what you’re asking, but to the best of my knowledge, there is nothing limiting you from selling the game… only from selling the models. I could be wrong on that so don’t write that in stone just yet.
As far as getting advertisers to pay you to place ad’s in your game… the best way to go about that is to contact companies that could be interested… and even some that you don’t know if they would be or not. Usually you’ll get turned down if your game hasn’t generated a lot of hype though.
As far as other ways to make money with your game, I would recommend that you sell the game… but get someone else to create some assets for you to replace the ones that you created illegally… that or join someones team that has a legal copy that you can use, or maybe get a friend to let you publish the models in the game under their license. Again though… don’t write that in stone as I’m not 100% certain on the legality of those particular ideas.
Not an expert, but i’d assume the fact you’ve used the program is in itself illegal, let alone releasing a product based on its output. Making any money at all of it simply means your more likely to be sued.
I am just wondering how would company be able to find out that you used cracked product of their software? Is there some sort of output in model files when you export them that has “cracked” footprint. I dont get how on earth could they find out.
They can trace what program created an image file- i used to know how to do it. THen they see if you’re registered with said program, and if not, BOOM.
WIth other things? Not so sure.
What makes you think its legal to give it away free even though you used the cracked version? That does not make it legal.
Anyway just buy maya then sell your game. Or sell your game then buy maya. I’m not justifying your actions but from this point you can choose to take a risk or wait and do it risk free. That is your risk not mine. If you are lucky, you can secure a loan which you pay back in very tiny instalments.
Other options: did it take 30 days to make it? There aren’t restrictions I can find preventing you using the trial version. If your models took a month, you’re probably in the clear. Re-export them from the trial. Or go student license. I am not sure what restrictions there are on that. You must look it up. But delete pirate maya from hard drive. It has no place there since imagine if someone pirated your game.
Another option - pay for maya for a year. Via subscription. You can’t use it after a year, but it does legally cover your game, and is relatively inexpensive (Maya 2012 costs £525.00 + VAT for a year).
Unfortunately, that never holds up in court. For a start they have to prove you actually made the file. Anyone can publish a game. Then they have to pay a few hundred thousand dollars to get to this point:
Which in english says: you can’t legally prove anything from reverse engineering. You can reverse engineer to discover things, that is legal. But you can’t use the discoveries in court unless you can prove it is copying your actual patented code. It does not cover files, which can be altered by compilers, tampered, compressed and otherwise actually not reveal the source package with 100% accuracy.
It is a giant waste of money to chase people based on a file where you created the content. This is not the same as ripping a texture. They can prove THEY made a file first, like an image. But they can’t do anything about you making a file.
If your interested by the thought of an investment partner then I could maybe help out. If your game is near completion and the only thing holding you back is a license to Maya then I could front the required amount. I would need details on the game, your target market and platform but if your interested feel free to contact me.
As Hippocoder mentioned: It doesn’t matter if someone can figure out what app a file was made with, because that doesn’t prove you made it. That would mean you couldn’t buy any artwork off of anyone who made it in an app you didn’t own (which is a ridiculous statement).
From what I gather, it is impossible to prove you used a crack version of maya, and a company cannot legally force you to prove where you got the file, so they are completely and entirely screwed in the matter and that even if they COULD it wouldn’t be worth it at all?
What I am actually MOST interested in, is the legality of Companies trying to invade another Company’s privacy.
For instance, you make a game and release it. How does Autodesk know the models might be from their product? If they assume they might be, are they allowed to demand you show them the files? How would they obtain the files legally, proving they are from their product, so that they may demand you prove you own Autodesk? And then what happens if you say someone gave you the models or sold them to you? How does Autodesk demand evidence, possibly even infringing on the privacy of an artist? What if this artist was overseas or disappeared and is no longer contactable?
In other words: PRIVACY.
Irrelevant if the content is legal or not, I don’t understand why Autodesk has any business hassling random clients to prove the models were made in their software, when there is no way to even know what program it was made in. Or do they? Do they even attempt these things or care? Inevitably, one could say “I made a 3D modeling program by myself, modeled the models myself, and then I lost the program I made in a harddrive crash.” or even a simple “I used Blender.”
On the opposite side-- what stops every company and individual in existence from cracking an illegal copy of Autodesk’s programs and hiding behind the law, so that Autodesk sells 0 copies forever afterwards?
Well i have thought of almost everything stated on this forum, but one thing keeps getting in the way. Credits. I ca say I created everything in the game, me as “insert real name here” but I believe I also have to state HOW I made the content, just like you hafta say “made with Unity” or “made with blender”, you have to give credit to how it was made. And after they look in their registered licenses and Im not in there, thats all they need.
At first I was thinkin I could export the models to blender, and use them as obj files, but that is tons of work this far along development. Then I thought I could just “say” I made them in blender, but all the files are .mb ( Maya Binary), finally I thought I could possibly somehow hide away the models so they cannot be used by an external company ( similar to how you have to hide turbo-squid purchased models) but I believe Unity is open-source right? so I cant lock away my code and models.
I dont have Maya anymore, I got rid of it, but I was thinking that for the time being I could just have it on the educational learning license, which is free, but for non-commercial use.
Another option I came up with was that I could collaborate with someone who DOES have the license, and release the game under that license, but im not sure if that would work because I believe I have to make the models under a license (but how would they know that).
I like HippoCoder’s idea. I had no idea I could pay for Maya for a year. I can make a one-time year purchase, edit the models slightly so I still used that license to create models, and then even after the year expires I still actually OWN the models I created with the license.
Is there a loophole somewhere in that?
Depending on country, they don’t need to prove it that way. You publish a game with elements made from illegal software, the copyright people just need to find reasonable doubt that it’s not legal to start the process of having your machines seized by the court. If you’re doing business, that’s even easier… just get an injunction based on suspect ion, have your computers “tested by experts”, freeze any unprotected business assets (and oh, btw, if this is Apple or other online store, you’d start with a complaint to them getting your app removed from the store)… Doesn’t matter if you’re innocent or not, your own legal costs will break you before they even have to.
Now if you’re in the US… well… have good lawyers, and “accidentally push your computer into a volcano” before they get to you… those copyright watchdogs are down right draconian.
Just work a job to fund your license or use a demo of your game to crowdsource via Kickstarter.
Your best bet is to get a license.
P.S. As of now, you’re in the clear: everything is legal until you get caught. Just remember that your actions have consequences and you’re taking a risk. Proceed wisely.
Well… I didn’t mention it before, but posting your problem on a forum for a game engine currently in use by a good portion of the major game makers and publishers globally, with a 400K developer pool, isn’t exactly “keeping it quite”.
I can’t imagine that a company like Autodesk would download an indie app off the appstore, reverse engineer it to get to the source files and check all of the 3d files to see if they were made with a product of theirs, and then if it was, find out who published the game and cross check that person or company with their database of licensees to see whether or not they have one, and then if they don’t, start up the legal machinery to file a lawsuit in case the models were created on pirated software. But then again what do I know, maybe they have nothing better to do.
In any case, I think it’s only fair to pay for software you use to create commercial products. If you can’t afford it, there are free or cheap alternatives for most tasks.
This. I’d like to see the statistics on indie devs that have been hunted down by Autodesk’s piracy policy; I’m pretty sure this just doesn’t happen.
I remember a story about CryTek getting busted for using pirated copies of 3ds max, but that’s like a 50-100 man development team, and they got ratted out by an ex-intern, it wasn’t the result of any reverse engineering. In the end they wound up just having to pay for the licenses.
so my only option, if I even want to release the game at all anymore, is to offer the full version, for free.