Protect GemRB

[Callirgos]

How is GemRB protected? What is the copyright? And how can we use, license, or buy it? I'm very interested in licensing it for a future product at my company.

 

However, I'm concerned about it being stolen by Chinese hackers and patented within their legal system. They do not respect western IP law, and use their own framework to sue the original creators. This is epidemic, and the game industry is a multi-billion dollar enterprise.

 

FarmVille, ICQ, and how even how to make stronger steel have all been pirated, patented, and turned on their creators. You do not need this.

 

What is the legal situation of GemRB? Who has rights to it, and how does it relate to the infinity engine and that copyright?

[lynx]

GemRB is licensed under the GPL. There is no real copyright assignment, since we don't have a legal entity (nor would people be interested, I bet). That complicates relicensing, since you have to get approval from many people, but it is doable. For all intents and purposes, just think of GemRB as remaining under the GPL, with everything it brings along.

https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html

 

You can patent software in China? Too bad, but I doubt we could become a target. In the worst case, there are some Free Software NGOs that could help us with legalese, since GPL enforcement is one of their specialties (usually vs. hardware vendors though).

 

GemRB is open source, so it's trivial to show prior art, unlike with the examples you mention.

[Avenger]

Under western law, GemRB is just as protected as a Disney movie Copyright.

Well, at least theoretically.

Since no one of us has any financial interest in China, "patenting" GemRB there would not achieve anything.

Even if their laws are totally broken.

[Callirgos]

There's not really a patent on software, I know. But there is IP ownership in the west. For Example, if someone hacks your Facebook game, mods it, and puts new art on top you CAN go to court and have both source codes reviewed. Everyone knows there's many ways to implement, so if the majority of the source code is dot for dot identical its obviously stolen. Also, if you pay someone else for their source code, meaning you hire a team as developers, they can't turn around and resell that code... You own it. They can't even make their own knockoff because you financed it. These are the things we can do back home, but it doesn't happen here. RenRen is something like a Chinese Facebook game platform, and most of those games are ripped from western developers, modded, new art, and profit. The source code is exactly the same.

 

GemRB looks awesome and I really want to see the people who profit from it be the community that invested in it. I just don't want anything sneaky to happen, but it sounds like its so open there really is no "owner".

 

RPG games are huge in China... And over 100 million smart phones went into service the beginning if this year. Plus, they've never seen Baldurs Gate or any of the classics. Now we can develop these game on the iPhone and iPad!? Talk about an opportunity ( if you want to localize into Chinese ). Not a bad idea.

 

Anyway thanks for the response.

[lynx]

Btw, at minimum one of the BGs has already been localised.

[Mike1072]

In what sense do you want the GemRB developers to "profit" from it? Licensing under GPL means they aren't trying to make money off it.

[Avenger]

Since GemRB development is public from the start (more than 10 years ago), no one can claim we stole it from some chinese hacker who learned about it in 2009 or later

 

You can use GemRB for your own project and get money for it without paying us any coins as long as you publish the source code for that project, that's GPL.

And that publication is what is the 'price' of the license.

[Avenger]

In what sense do you want the GemRB developers to "profit" from it? Licensing under GPL means they aren't trying to make money off it.

This is not entirely true. For example, someone might want to hire one or more of our programmers for a work on something similar. A working engine of this complexity surely shows that they are capable. More than a HR interview.

[Mike1072]

In what sense do you want the GemRB developers to "profit" from it? Licensing under GPL means they aren't trying to make money off it.

This is not entirely true. For example, someone might want to hire one or more of our programmers for a work on something similar. A working engine of this complexity surely shows that they are capable. More than a HR interview.

Indeed, but in that case you're selling your skills and experience rather than the product.

[Avenger]

In what sense do you want the GemRB developers to "profit" from it? Licensing under GPL means they aren't trying to make money off it.

This is not entirely true. For example, someone might want to hire one or more of our programmers for a work on something similar. A working engine of this complexity surely shows that they are capable. More than a HR interview.

Indeed, but in that case you're selling your skills and experience rather than the product.

I still profit from it.

[Mike1072]

Of course. But you're not trying to make a financial profit from selling GemRB. I think Callirgos wants you to monetize the software before someone else does. If you had been interested in doing that, you probably wouldn't have chosen the GPL.

[lynx]

Still, the GPL doesn't preclude it, since it could be relicensed if all the authors agree (permanently or to just some contractor). Also, any profits could return to the community for further development and expansion. Whether the choice of GPL is bad for such a scenario is disputable