Backgrounds made with sketchup - commercial use?

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namastaii
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Backgrounds made with sketchup - commercial use?

#1 Post by namastaii »

I know that you can't use sketchup commercially without purchasing the pro version. I'm assuming that means I can't make background art from it without paying for it if I'm using it in a commercial game? Any insight on this would be helpful, thanks :)

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vorgbardo
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Re: Backgrounds made with sketchup - commercial use?

#2 Post by vorgbardo »

Not sure if I misunderstood something, but if you wish to use any content created with SketchUp in a commercial application (including a commercial game), you need to purchase the Pro version to do this legally.
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Re: Backgrounds made with sketchup - commercial use?

#3 Post by Mammon »

Technically, yes. Perhaps there are some ways that you could work around it without the legal problem, relying on that your game probably won't be big enough for the company to even notice you. Though that's a slippery slope, of course.

I'd say; if it's an asset freely available in Sketchup like a generic tree.gif or tile-block uploaded with the program, don't. If you made the assets yourself within Sketchup or by using explicitly mentioned to be CC assets, do.

I can understand your reluctance to buy the pro version, it's indeed very expensive to do so. Maybe find a cheaper program that can do what you need or has less strict terms of agreement?
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Re: Backgrounds made with sketchup - commercial use?

#4 Post by namastaii »

What if I don't purchase it right away but after the game has made enough money, I buy sketchup pro after the fact? hahahah

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Re: Backgrounds made with sketchup - commercial use?

#5 Post by Mammon »

Then it will be a race: Will you make enough money or be sued first?

...

Probably neither, considering the profit margins of most indie VNs and the company never noticing you.

It's also hard for them to tell whether you got Pro, considering all features of the free (?) version ought to be on Pro and your game developer name shouldn't/wouldn't match your real name. They can't quickly trace back the game to you and determine whether you bought the pro license or not, unless they install some kind of invisible free/paid digital watermark in the image. Honestly wouldn't know if that's the case. But...

I'm not advising you to break terms of agreement and do illegal stuff, however the size of the project and the income that your VN will generate will probably prevent this from becoming an issue. You're too poor for them to spend the money and resources on to drag you to court, probably? These people make the terms extra strict and detailed to prevent that bigger companies who can hire lawyers to misuse any loose rules to skip out of buying dozens of Pro licenses.
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Re: Backgrounds made with sketchup - commercial use?

#6 Post by namastaii »

The way I was trying to see it was yes I'm borrowing sketchup for now.. BUT once I can afford it, I'll buy it. Like an 'I owe u' haha I don't intend on never paying for it. I am making more money at work now so I could probably also just save up for it before the game is even released anyway. My main issue is the free version is browser based and super slow. So ... That's an issue.

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