Legal stuff.

[Raven]

One note. AFAIK Epic stated in Eula, that you can only make mods to one of the games (UT1, UT2k4, UT3) but you can't redistribute runtime (even for free). Whatever you do - it has to be a mod for UEngine based game.

You are allowed to use content from Unreal-series games as long as it's used in game created by Epic.

My advice is to use Unreal 1 227 for your project. It's better and more stable then UT1 (it's also more advanced).

[GreatEmerald]

Beats me. I'm no lawyer. Maybe it's legal if you change even a tiny detail. Maybe it's illegal but no one cares. But exporting the maps aren't useless without the game because it's possible to convert them to other games, making them usable. I have no idea if that is legal though, or if a manually done "conversion", i.e. remaking E1M1 from Doom by hand to work in unreal is legal.

Aha! But that's not right. Converting is illegal, but distributing the map should be legal. Like, if Quake 3 had a TC of Unreal, that wouldn't be legal because it would be converted. But having only .unr files would be legal, because it's of no use to you (unless you convert it yourself, but that way it's for personal use and again legal).
But on the other hand, you're right, why would you need to have a stock map distributed, if you already have the game? Unless you overwrote it (that sometimes happen) - and this is where the files from redirection are priceless.

Raven, what do you mean by saying "but you can't redistribute runtime (even for free)"? The Runtime is already free. Oh, and UT engine is worse, but after Shadow releases his Extension Pack it will be better. He also said he would like to convert his pack to Unreal, so - idea for 228?

And yes, UE1 is no longer available for licensing, and no runtime was made for it. AFAIK UE3 Runtime is in the works now.

[KillerSkaarj]

I'm pretty sure Unrealer is saying that he wants to take the stock maps and modify them to use cutscenes and to enhance the single player experience via increased player interaction. I say that's not a problem. Back when I had a thread talking about 227's weather effects, someone (I think it was Darksider) modified Nyleve to include said weather effects and put it up for download so we can play it. The rest of the map was completely unchanged. As far as I know, no one came knocking to his door.

[[]KAOS[]Casey]

as long as they dont replace the original maps themselves, and its just a mod, and you still require the original unreal resources to play, and you make no profit.. go nuts

I mean, look at all the fixed versions of upak maps out there :p

[[§Ŕ] ŤhěxĐâŕkśîđěŕ]

Back when I had a thread talking about 227's weather effects, someone (I think it was Darksider) modified Nyleve to include said weather effects and put it up for download so we can play it.

No that wasn't me. When it was me, that was when I hosted NyLeve on my server and summoned a rain/snow controlling actor which I made.

[Raven]

GreatEmerald I'm saying that according to Eula (last time I read it) you can download runtime, you can make content but you can't release it . It's mainly for test purposes I think. So if anyone have idea for standalone game using runtime - it's illegal. Only licensees can release standalone games, everyone else has to mod .

When I finish exams, I'll try to modify weather simulator to support .:..: new emitter.

[[§Ŕ] ŤhěxĐâŕkśîđěŕ]

Would it be possible to modify the game, then contact Epic and ask their permission to release the content (forget the fact that you'd need to pay something if you wanted to do that)?

Or, maybe, give them the content so they can release it?

[Raven]

What for ?? Isn't it enough to make it a mod. I mean with mod you can do almost anything. Beside runtime is less advanced comparing to UT2k4. It's just me, but mod is 'the way it's meant to be done' .

Personally I don't think they'll release anything made for older engines.

Ok - here is what Epic says about runtime:

YOU MAY NOT USE THE RUNTIME SOFTWARE TO DEVELOP GAMES. YES, I KNOW THIS SOUNDS NASTY BUT LET'S FACE IT, EPIC`S PRIMARY MEANS OF INCOME COMES FROM GAME SALES AND ENGINE LICENSING. WE WOULD BE SHOOTING OURSELVES IN THE FOOT IF WE ALLOWED AN ENGINE WE GAVE AWAY FOR FREE TO TRAMPLE OUR PRIMARY MEANS OF INCOME. SORRY, BUT IF YOU WANT TO DEVELOP A GAME PLEASE DEVELOP IT AS A MOD FOR ONE OF OUR EXISTING RETAIL GAME PRODUCTS OR CONTACT US REGARDING A PROPER ENGINE LICENSE.

If you're curious for whole Eula here's a link: http://udn.epicgames.com/Two/UnrealEngine2RuntimeEULA.html

[GreatEmerald]

Aah. That explains a lot. Yet I have seen someone making a flyby with UE2 runtime and they even made it an installation in one of the art galleries. But maybe they had Epic's permission...

And hah, Epic and their informal license writing style Anyone read their fansite policy?
http://epicgames.com/fanart.html

Section 9 - Miscellaneous Legal Issues

Guess what, lawyers have wives can be as expensive as kids. In an effort to squeeze the maximum amount of billable hours on this thing our lawyers wrote the following mumbo-jumbo and insisted we put it here for your reading enjoyment. Epic reserves all rights not expressly granted herein. Epic may modify this Policy at any time by posting the revised Policy on one or more web sites and you are deemed to have knowledge of any such changes.

[gp]

A single player [url=http://teamvortex.planetunreal.gamespy.com/Help/]mod for Unreal Tournament[/url] was released a few years ago that consisted of a bunch of custom maps that eventually brought the player back to three modified original Unreal stock maps for the climax. Towards the end of the mod, the player plays through part of Rrajigar Mine, then Nyleve's Falls and Vortex Rikers backwards. It was an interesting concept (despite my negative opinion of the mod) and it sounds a bit like what the original poster was talking about.

[url= play through of the modified Nyleve's Falls.[/url] In the beginning of this video, the author includes Juan Pancho Eekels as co-creator.

[url=http://www.dailymotion.com/MMAN2/video/13268206]Video play through of modified Vortex Rikers.[/url] The video recording was started after map authors' names are mentioned, but was included too.

[PRIMEVAL]

Did he just call the Skaarj "scare" ? :-?

[Unrealer]

I'm pretty sure Unrealer is saying that he wants to take the stock maps and modify them to use cutscenes and to enhance the single player experience via increased player interaction.

Amen to that!  :D

[KillerSkaarj]

Did he just call the Skaarj "scare" ?  :-?

*shudder* Yes.... Yes he did.

[Unrealer]

Ok so after all the confusion. The mod would be a replayable unreal via ut. So that would mean distributing the music files and texture with levels and maybe some unreal.u files. Should still be legit right?

[Bane]

I believe you're allowed to use content from one unreal game in another. I've heard that used in defense of stuff like U1->2k4 ports, UT weapons in unreal, etc. I'm not positive that applies to maps as well. Even if it does, the download would be a few hundred meg just for the maps, which is pretty big for a mod. Another option would be to have them supply their own copy of unreal and tell them to copy all the map files to (a subdirectory in) their UT directory. That'd avoid the large distribution.

oh, and unreal's .u files should already be in UT. I know you can use all the weapons and monsters since UnrealI and UnrealShare are both present.

[GreatEmerald]

Yeap, porting Unreal franchise content on other Unreal franchise games is OK.

[Hellkeeper]

And hah, Epic and their informal license writing style Anyone read their fansite policy?
http://epicgames.com/fanart.html

Ahah, I'm not the only idiot who read this and the UERuntime EULA , glad to now it !