I think many people don’t understand that they are actually not buying the “game” itself… what you are buying is the premission to use game in acord with the rules of the studio for using software.
So there is no picking and ******** or whatever 
Not entirely true and once again depends what country you live in. Since I live in Canada a license or EULA can not excluded first purchasers rights written into law as to sovereignty of law. Just because a country amends a law does not mean that another country needs to abide by the amendment such as the DMA for example.
In my country it is a right to sell so called IP as property paid for in full as ownership be it software or a book as being used. EB games for example has been selling used games for years in a manner that most would deem being in violation of the EULA and you can from time to time buy used X-Box games at 7-11 along with your Big Gulp.
So yes as far as Canada goes you are buying the software and the software developer has no rights as to changing written law because it suits their needs.
Like i wrote before, of course it depends on your country laws… No EULA or business agrement stands above the laws of your country… But for the most countrys or even all countrys within the EU agrement is absolutly ok for the courts.
You didn’t buy the game just the license to play it, to be even more clear you are even not allowed to do things like “modern” let’s plays on youtube or how they are called. The only reason why they are tolerating them is… that the industry just see the benefit of let’s plays in they’re sales volume.
Fact is that most countrys agree to the biggest part of the eula for games and since industry is even bigger than all film stuidos on earth together, they have also a big impact on politics… but is another subject…
So basically you are just allowed to play the game for yourself thats all… nothing more. And i’m telling you from the point of view of a lawyer not hobby journalist
And by the way… Giving away or even selling your gaming “license” for a game is not the same like messing around with the content. And just because the game industry is “tolerating” a lot of things it doesn’t means it is legal…
you or other just only need to link a law of any EU country where say reverse enginer its ilegal and that all. since your lawyer that must be easy.
Yes of course but you did state in accordance of “the” studio as to the use of the software. The way I read it suggested that a corporations can write laws anytime they wish. I do agree no one has the right to rip content out of a game for their own use and more so if by passing means of protecting content which has nothing to do with fair use rights.
I’ll stick with my story though that copyrights is far to complex a subject and if it really matters talk to a lawyer.
Of course i can flood thread with “law paragraphs” but that simply makes no sense. Like i wrote i’m into economic crime, taxes etc… But partners of mine are into a lot of copyright cases, it’s no longer a “cavelier misdoing” messing around with software which isn’t yours. How ever was not my personal point of view… are just dry law “rules”.
@Frankie, Talking to a lawyer is of course always the right decision, but however law is law… And every lawyer will tell you of course something “slightly” different… So if someone is using your 3d content “illegal” he will probable tell you… thats not aloowed… blabla… and you should get some kind of compensation… When going to a lawyer and telling him, i have used some illegal 3d content for “personal use” or whatever… he will probable tell you, ok… let’s see if the company has to complain any finacial damage etc… but end the end the court decides… but the court usually decides very dry by law “at least in Germany”…
Fact is, the way you also see it… you can’t make it legal anyway, to rip “steal” content from games and be shocked receiving a letter from a lawyer in name of the game studio the game was from…
Very bad idea…
However was just a suggestion or tipp or whatever, everyone has his own brain… Cheers
And just to be clear i think even when it is not gladly seen by , no one will complain you because you have took a look into some 3d models, code or what ever… where no complainer is there is no Judge…
But i hink everyone understands, problems starts with sharing and distributing stuff…
I think there’s something about the whole legality of licensing in the EU, there was some case about it like with Autodesk licenses where they ruled that you have a right to resell licenses or something like that.
Ultimately, if it came down to it it would have to be decided by the Court, but for a lot of people even trying to fight it would be an even if you’re on the right side legally.
Absolutly right… big companys have usually a few more dollars in they’re pockets 
not like a average indie company or user. And going through the process of courts can be very expensiv…
But i’m sure that no court in germany or EU will forbid selling your license to person or company x, it’s simply absurd and brazen for me.
That is the point. If you know you are going to break the contract you shouldn’t sign it in the first place. And as I said, even if it’s not illegal it’s not morally right.
And if you do break the contract you should leave the contract and stop using whatever service you have been using in case UE4. But even when they break the contract with Epic they don’t stop using Epic’s engine and instead want to find a way to prove they have the right to break the contract and still use the engine. That’s again a moral.
moral can be, illegal clearly no.
Anyway i don’t understand why people have problems with that. If i make a game, you buy it, make whatever with the game for personal use. and thank for buy it!
and of course if you break the contract is supposed you must stop using it, and if you break the EPIC contract eg you are not allowing (its illegal) distribuited anything made with unreal engine since you only can redistribuited under his conditions, but… again if you continue using its for personal use there is no law which make that illegal, for denounce the company still must wait you to release or distribuited, sell or something with a law for forbiden it.
what? make no sense in thread where we speak about legality? :rolleyes:
I can link in my country laws forbiden “Redistribuited content”, “Download copyrighted things”, “Sell copyright material without rights” in clearly and simple phrases. But not that because no exist. And i not a lawer but i known what its illegal on my country.
Its still illegal, but EPIC is cool company that don’t sue people for nothing 
i guess they like people getting to know they tools. Extracting data from game files is usually crime because of EULA agreements
seems like a bit of a weird debate. First of all, if you’re using assets from another game to prototype your project, then there’s really nothing anyone here can do about it. It’s not hurting them, for a start. Secondly, unless you go out of your way to inform the publisher or developer, then there’s really not going to be an. Assuming you aren’t marketing your game using their assets - no one will actually know. However, if you’re planning on releasing them publicly? Of course that’s illegal - you don’t own them.
The amount of copyright, legal jargon and EULA agreement information being thrown around here already is staggering. People are continuously extracting data (assets, music and about anything else they can) from released titles. It’s not going to stop anytime soon. Those who use it for their own personal gain, are sooner or later going to be found out.
However, is often how modding tools are developed. I started out modding real-time strategy games way, way back. At the time, there weren’t strong development tools / SDKs released by a certain developer, leaving the community to pick up the slack. The publisher didn’t mind - if anything, it further helped promote their title. They later decided, due to the interest, to support the community in their efforts and released official tools. Though, certainly without the initial interest and efforts, that wouldn’t have been the case. has certainly happened on more than one occasion. Similarly, I know plenty of modifications that interchange assets between various titles. They haven’t been sued - yet. I’ve not heard of a case of a mod team being sued, without asking for it. If a request to cease development is filed, for example, and they decide to ignore it? That’s asking for it.
Furthermore, reverse-engineering isn’t only how I managed to get into development. It’s how I learnt how to model, rig, texture, animate and so forth. If I had been threatened with a lawsuit back at the start, I’d certainly not be here today! I really don’t see an.
There’s a team on these very forums developing an open-world game, using assets freely available online (which have been extracted from other titles, including Forza Motorsport). They’re using them to prototype - nothing more. They’re using disclaimers and clearly stating it’s all going to be replaced. If someone cared to do so, they’d easily be able to report them. If they have, nothing has happened yet, that’s for sure. I don’t think they’ll have an.
Simply put, there’s really not much need for a ‘debate’ on subject, really. You really need only use common sense.
you really think break EULA agreement can convert you in a criminal? or a company can make laws for write it in a EULA? :eek: that weird.
what convert you in a criminal its break laws not EULAS lol
European Union about reverse engineering. The act ins’t illegal, its illegal, reproduction, translation, transformatión, and public release.
@ Knack, we are talking here in genral, you know how many different laws you have for copyright and usage of art, software and spiritual belongings ? It is a mass…
What you have found is just the very very little top of the iceberg, you really think copyright law is that easy? Man wake up However i can just repeat myself, it is not legal at all to rip content off software for whatever purpose…
Usually when you rip content you a have goal / something in mind… at that makes it illegal…
But like i wrote… nobody will have a problem as long you do it for your self… but at the moment you start to draw any kind of attention it will become a problem for you!
And by the way, breaking EULA agreements can’t turn you into a criminal! We are talking here about civil- law not criminal- law… All you have to fear is usually compensation money and a omission do sell/use stuff forward…
And it always depends on how far the “holder/owner” of the software/content will go… Usually you will get a writing of a lawyer, which says, bad bad bad boy, stop it!
And it always depends on what you are doing, ripping content for what ever purpose is illegal but for example modyfing software for the purpose to add “functions” is usually not illegal.
Best sample for that i can give you is Apple… When it comes to apple, they say modyfing they’re iOS is absolutly illegal “EULA” but the “law” or the german court says, no it is not illegal at all…
But when it comes to guarantee cases with modyfied software in apple products it starts getting interesting again…
i still waiting for someone to post a link where say that ‘ever purpose is illegal’ (valid any country law) or ripping for personal use its illegal.
The reality is the laws going to mention ONLY the fact of distribuited that content without permission.
if i say “something its illegal” i can easy link to the law where say its illegal. ins’t complicated.
I think knack, you posted the answer. In the end of your law extract tehre is written:
Such an exception to the author’s exclusive rights may not be used in a way which prejudices the legitimate interests of the rightholder or which conflicts with a normal exploitation of the program.
and I think that what Normal exploitation is, is specified by the EULA. So ripping content of is against the EULA, way it’s agaist the normal exploitation, and way its against the law.
@Knack You still don’t get it right? By ripping something copyright protected, you can be complaint i a few different points… like i wrote copyright is not just copyright, you can split it up in a lot of categorys.
Copyright law isn’t just one sentece that can handle everything… Man they are whole heavy books with copyright cases, laws and judgements etc… It is not that easy like post me something to show… There is a whole bunch of laws you
are breaking when messing around with copyright… at the end you have to decide what you think or do, i gave you just a “quick” advice from my point of view as a lawyer, not just a copy and paste clause from google.
And by the way you are even breaking the law “EULA” when changing something copyright protected, even is forbidden… but it all depends on how dramatic the “owner” it sees… And we still just scratched the subject LAW and Copyright… with talk…
breaking copyright is not like 15 Years ago… The industry and also the courts changed dramatic when it comes to copyright issues these days, it is no longer a “gentlemen misdoing”.
However i’m not here to argue with you about law, it was just a nice advice… however peace and good luck!
I can speak about other countrys but in my country spain i known ins’t illegal rip, modified any software if you buy it, you can’t release its or any public disclosure. And ins’t illegal breaking EULA or any contract (except if you break the law too).
and you don’t get EULA ins’t a law. EULAs only say under what circumstances you are allowing to do anything law protected, example “distribuited copyrighter material” its illegal, if you check eg EPIC eula you can read in what circunstances you can distribuited it (if any). If you break that contract distributing breaking the EULA you can have a legal and can be ilegal (court decision). But that its because distribuiting its illegal by law without permiss (eula give you the circunstances that allow you do that).
suppose in your country distribuited copyrighter material ins’t illegal (i sure its that its, since in all countrys its, just imagine) then EULA can say whatever, that no valid in your country because in your country its legal. And EULA can add/invent any law but legally its useless. In short, limitations or prohibitions in EULA must have based in a law. Mayority the EULA its write for give permiss “distribuition”, something illegal without the permiss.
In my country copyrights laws are clear. I known what can do and what can’t do.
The problems if you distribuited or anything limited by laws, thinking you have the rights or copyright, permiss or EULA its abusive or misinterpreted, its what do that heavy books. 