#3336 - Mani - Sun Feb 23, 2003 1:39 am
Does anyone know if its possible to actually go commercial with a game youve developed with devkitadv, or is there any limitations in the using license or in the code?
_________________
---
#3339 - imikeyi - Sun Feb 23, 2003 2:04 am
devkitadvance is just a set of GNU tools compiled for linux or win32.
So no, there shouldn't be any legal problems, as devkitadvance doesnt 'own' gcc etc.
_________________
microkernel advance
#3345 - tepples - Sun Feb 23, 2003 4:26 am
Licenses for compilers apply only to the libraries that get linked into your code. The library that comes with Devkit Advance is Red Hat's Newlib, under a permissive (XFree86/zlib style) license that allows linking into proprietary software.
Of course, if you're using somebody else's library such as a mod player, movie player, or 3D engine, you'll have to obey its license. And if you're using MFXJO's LZO compression library, you'll need to follow the GPL, which includes publishing the source code of your game's engine (but not the graphics, maps, audio, NPC scripts, etc) and opening the game to Total Conversions that can be sold.
If you're using music licensed from a music publisher, you'll need to obey its license, which typically includes royalty payments; if you're using music written by in-house composers, you'll have to check whether or not the composers accidentally copied some other copyrighted song.
Nothing you read on forum.gbadev.org is legal advice.
_________________
-- Where is he?
-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.
#3353 - Psyk - Sun Feb 23, 2003 11:54 am
If u mean sell it on the net for people with flash carts to buy then it would be quite a small market. Plus one person could buy it and spread it around the net so no one else will buy it. Plus there are probably loads of legal implications and you would have to get professional legal advice which would probably cost more than what you make selling the game. I think you're best bet is to show it to a publisher and, if they want it, get it officially released.
#3366 - Mani - Sun Feb 23, 2003 5:29 pm
| tepples wrote: |
| Licenses for compilers apply only to the libraries that get linked into your code. The library that comes with Devkit Advance is Red Hat's Newlib, under a permissive (XFree86/zlib style) license that allows linking into proprietary software. |
Thanx alot.
Also, I wonder if publishers or Nintendo have certain demands or frameworks that every GBA-title has to comply with.
Hmm.. maybe my questions are better suited in another topic, but are there any commercial gba-developers active in this forum?
_________________
---
#3377 - jenswa - Sun Feb 23, 2003 8:48 pm
I believe this forum is generaly spoken for the homebrew community,
some commercial could be here, but don't think so.
If you are a commercial gba developper, you don't want to share
your code with the 'whole' world. Otherwise someone could copy it,
take it earlier to the stores and sells the game before u bring it out.
but that's just what i think.
_________________
It seems this wasn't lost after all.
#3389 - tepples - Sun Feb 23, 2003 10:19 pm
| jenswa wrote: |
| If you are a commercial gba developper, you don't want to share your code with the 'whole' world. Otherwise someone could copy it |
A program is only a small part of a game. The GNU General Public License typically doesn't require you to open-source your story, graphics, maps, audio, or other assets not compiled to executable code. Though you can't sue pirates over copying a GPL'd engine, you can sue them over copying the other parts of the copyrighted game. Example 1: The musical score of the movie It's A Wonderful Life is copyrighted, but the rest of the movie has fallen into PD in the United States. The owner of copyright in the musical score controls the broadcast of the movie. Example 2: Kivio by theKompany.com is free software, but the stencils that make it useful are proprietary. Example 3: Doom and Quake by id Software now have GPL'd engines, but the trademarks, textures, maps, and music are still proprietary.
| Quote: |
| take it earlier to the stores and sells the game before u bring it out. |
If your program links to a library under the GNU GPL, the GPL doesn't require you to publish the source code of your program unless and until you publish your executable program. Because you don't need to publish the program's source code until the day your cartridge ends up in stores[1], you have a time-to-market advantage.
[1] Technically, you "publish" a GBA program under the GPL when you send it off to Nintendo for approval, but Nintendo probably won't distribute your source code to third parties.
_________________
-- Where is he?
-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.