Question about ownership rights of user-made scenarios.

[Rob2020]

Having played the original trio of games, some 20 years ago, I vaguely remember something about BFC having given ownership/copyrights/distribution rights of scenarios to players who designed them. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this, or elaborate - and, is this still true for the newer games?

Typically, of course, publishers/developers reserve all rights to anything made for their games, so I'm wondering what BFC's policy is in regard to user-made scenarios, maps, and so on.

Edited October 19, 2023 by Rob2020

[chuckdyke]

1 hour ago, Rob2020 said:

Having played the original trio of games, some 20 years ago, I vaguely remember something about BFC having given ownership/copyrights/distribution rights of scenarios to players who designed them. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this, or elaborate - and, is this still true for the newer games?

Typically, of course, publishers/developers reserve all rights to anything made for their games, so I'm wondering what BFC's policy is in regard to user-made scenarios, maps, and so on.

Yes I think that is correct. You buy the rights to play the game and make scenarios. I think it stops people selling their keys to use the game. 

[George MC]

6 hours ago, Rob2020 said:

Having played the original trio of games, some 20 years ago, I vaguely remember something about BFC having given ownership/copyrights/distribution rights of scenarios to players who designed them. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this, or elaborate - and, is this still true for the newer games?

Typically, of course, publishers/developers reserve all rights to anything made for their games, so I'm wondering what BFC's policy is in regard to user-made scenarios, maps, and so on.

From the manual under 'License'. This section refers specifically to user made content. 

"User-created scenarios and other materials like graphics or other mods may be distributed free of charge, but shall not be sold, licensed, or included as part of any package or product that is sold or licensed, without the prior written consent of Battlefront.com, Inc.. You may not rent or lease the Software or related materials."

[Redwolf]

13 hours ago, George MC said:

From the manual under 'License'. This section refers specifically to user made content. 

"User-created scenarios and other materials like graphics or other mods may be distributed free of charge, but shall not be sold, licensed, or included as part of any package or product that is sold or licensed, without the prior written consent of Battlefront.com, Inc.. You may not rent or lease the Software or related materials."

 

The wording could use some improvement. Technically speaking putting up a scenario on a website and telling people to do whatever they want with it [i]is[/i] licensing. Same for open source software, it comes with very specific licenses of different sorts. It is just not [i]for-cost[/i] licensing.

 

 

[Vacillator]

14 minutes ago, Redwolf said:

The wording could use some improvement

How about

'You can create your own scenarios and campaigns if you're bad-*** enough to do so, and you can make them available to others free of charge through whatever channel you see fit (Bootie of course, but who knows?).  BFC are not interested financially in such behaviour.  But you're not allowed to ask for remuneration for your efforts.'

[Centurian52]

I don't think I've ever heard of any video game company successfully charging anyone for user-created content of any sort. Every game has mods, and I've never had to pay a dime for a mod. They would need to find some way of claiming that any and all content made for the game by anyone was official content, and I can't imagine how anyone could ever make that claim. Who owns user-created scenarios, maps, and mods? I don't know, but not the company which didn't allocate any of its own staff or funding to create those scenarios, maps, and mods.