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How to check if legal software was used ?

FreemanH
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FreemanH vertex
Hello everyone,

My company is planning to get their foot into the industry, we will be hiring people to create game for us and and launch some 3D online challenges.

I am an extreme newbie when it comes to Game Art, so I do not really know how technicalities work.

Can someone tell me, how can I check if the work that we got from freelancer was done on a legal software ?

Also, if we create art online art challenge(something similiar to CGTrader or Blizzart Challenge) and people submit their work done on pirated software, should we check it before we give away the prizes ?


Of course, do not get me wrong, I understand that most of the people who take part in these kind of contests are newbies that can't allow themselves to spend money on software.
It just gets weird, when you see someone trying to win a copy of Substance software, while he used Substance in his work.

If anyone could shed some light on it, I'd be glad.

Greetings

Replies

  • slipsius
    I could be wrong, but i think the only way to see what was used is the education version, when it pops up saying this file was made in the education version.

    I havent done freelance myself, but from what Ive heard, it's very "dont ask dont tell".

    That said, most freelancers will have a paid version. Contests will draw more pirates.
  • pigart
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    pigart polycounter lvl 6
    slipsius wrote: »
    Contests will draw more pirates.

    Those pirates pretty much never win anyways.
  • stickadtroja
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    stickadtroja polycounter lvl 11
    i dont understand why you would want to know it in the first place? how does it affect your contest in the slightest?

    make as much sense as checking if the team winning the world cup in fotball are all wearing legally obtained shoes.
  • low odor
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    low odor polycounter lvl 17
    With the Freelancers you should have the liability worked out in their contracts. I think it is covered under Indemnification...

    Same with a contest, somewhere in the EULA you should have the liability worked out.

    Best to talk to a lawyer about it

    www.rocketlawyer.com
  • Autocon
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    Autocon polycounter lvl 15
    I honestly feel like this post is just a round about way of really asking...

    "Hey guys I use pirated software and want to know if I enter contests on Polycount or submit stuff I make to CGTrade can they see I used illegal software and get caught?"


    Maybe I am just a cynic but I come on, lets all be honest here.
  • RaptorCWS
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    RaptorCWS polycounter lvl 12
    Autocon wrote: »
    I honestly feel like this post is just a round about way of really asking...

    "Hey guys I use pirated software and want to know if I enter contests on Polycount or submit stuff I make to CGTrade can they see I used illegal software and get caught?"


    Maybe I am just a cynic but I come on, lets all be honest here.

    It is still something I wonder about and I do have legal licenses of my software. And if someone is starting up a studio and all they receive is .fbx and .obj files how can they tell they aren't being screwed. Even with a liability clause in the contract it will still be a hassle to go through because your company is going to be dragged through the legal proceedings even if you are not the one at fault,
  • PyrZern
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    PyrZern polycounter lvl 12
    If you hire people to make game art assets, make sure you pay them enough that they can buy proper tools.

    Does Academic Licence allow for entering competition ?? If it does, then pirated version should be allowed as well. And if you only ask for images of the finished product, then it shouldn't really matter. If they won, then could buy the real things. Also, many software are monthly subscription-base. Getting the real whole thing will be awesome for them.
  • Zack Maxwell
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    Zack Maxwell interpolator
    I think Autodesk are the main targets of piracy. Modo's price isn't that bad.
    With what Autodesk charges though, I do kind of have a hard time feeling bad for them.
  • Blond
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    Blond polycounter lvl 9
    aah..and this, everyone is why I'v learned Blender (for now at least).

    All personnal and freelance work, I'll be using Blender but if I ever get a studio job, I'll just use what they have installed there (which s very likely to be Maya).:-)

    I was thinking of doing freelance activites on my spare time but I really didnt want to spend my buck on AD's product only if there was no alternatives.
  • dzibarik
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    dzibarik polycounter lvl 10
    I've heard that you can see it Max and Maya's files but since you actually interested in the topic why don't you ask software companies yourself. If you represent some entity and you have a legal reason to check people's software then AD or Foundry might help you. If you don't have a legal reason it's too much headache to check. People will pirate, and it's their own ethical problem, not yours.
  • kanga
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    kanga quad damage
    Most people participating in competitions are interested in exposure, what they want is not software prizes but work in the future so they can buy the software they use.
  • Eric Chadwick
    As low odor said already, this is covered in freelancer contracts. If written properly, the contract places the liability on the freelancer to provide work without any copyright or other restrictions.

    In some contracts I have added a clause about using CGTextures and the like, making it clear that the texture source files can't be resold. For example if source PSDs are provided, with a CGTextures image as a layer.

    But software ownership is handled in the contract under indemnity.

    Get a lawyer to advise you, well worth the upfront cost!
  • Mant1k0re
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    Mant1k0re polycounter lvl 8
    In some countries where I have lived and worked I know for a fact that some major companies do not own a single legit copy of the software they use to produce game art; and they're also heavily involved in producing art for other comnpanies in the West, especially cinematics and animation.

    This seems to indicate there's no easy way to find out if the asset you buy from a third party has been created with legit tools or not.

    As an individual I wouldn't chance to sell an asset produced on pirated software nonetheless... Autodesk lawyers must be pretty annoying to deal with if you get caught red-handed.
  • loggie24
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    loggie24 polycounter lvl 3
    pigart wrote: »
    Those pirates pretty much never win anyways.
    With the price of some software pieces out there i don't feel sorry for the company selling it if people are pirating...
  • cookedpeanut
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    cookedpeanut polycounter lvl 13
    To be fair there's only a handful of programs that a really worth buying/pirating, in the end we're fortunate enough as artists to have access to quite a wide range of free and open-source resources.

    If someone used a pirated copy of 3DSMax and they used a non-legit copy of Photoshop for example, what's stopping them from just saying they used Blender and Krita as a cover-up. All the other tools like XNormal and stuff can be downloaded freely.

    So in the end it begs the question, who gives a shit? No, there isn't a definitive way of knowing, and in the end most artists will eventually purchase legitimate copies once this sort of work becomes a reputable profession of theirs. Then it's a risk.

    But if you take all the young talented artists out there, some of which are only 16-18 years old then how can you possibly fathom the possibility of them being able to subscribe and buy multiple packages which can rack up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. In the end you're isolating a select crowd of people which I think is wrong.

    Yes companies may suffer from this, however if you weigh in the substantial cost for studio licenses then counter in the pirate market, in the end it's such a small impact and minority. I'm not saying it's good, of-course there's a loss.

    I mean shit, Adobe PS is pirated so much now I don't even think they give a shit anymore.

    I personally use Blender because I believe it's seriously making ground and throwing punches with the big boys now. A year ago I wouldn't have said that, but if you look at some of the new features in it now, wow.

    As already mentioned before in this topic, the best way I can summarize this is.

    Don't ask, don't tell.
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