Using an unlisenced version of maya for commerical work
I have a friend who is making models for dota 2, and is worried that he might get sued by autodesk for using a student version of maya so he switched to blender, does Autodesk actually enforce this? what would they do if they find out you used a student version of maya to make some models that you then got profit from?
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"By the way, do you know if student versions are allowed to be used in the major contests here on CG Society? That's something I want to start getting involved in, but I also know that in some of the larger ones there are awards so I wasn't sure if that went againt their policy."
Funny, i kinda had a meltdown about the same thing only yesterday. It led me to call up Autodesk and ask that very same question. The answer is yes, you can also submit to film festivals and the like - just as long as it's all non-profit i.e. you're not actually getting a commission or selling your work. Awards are fine - i distinctly asked that."
So the question is are royalties commission?
That being said.... Will they actually check? Who knows.
If they did you could offer to cross promote their product a bit, maybe even offer to do a few "making of lectures" explaining how you used their product to achieve certain things. Thanking them for helping to enable your win that kind of stuff.
OR you could threaten to drown them with nerd rage as you kick off a firestorm of bad PR... it's really their call but it could end really badly for them if they don't handle it correctly. Chances are they won't see any money in going after you and if there is cheap and easy PR to be had they'll be all over it.
But then again this is autodesk we're talking about and they aren't known for their clear logic...
I have a feeling autodesk itself doesn't actually know what their stance is on some things.
For example, saying this year that we can't use the edu licences in classrooms and we have to pay for them, and then when quite some people have paid updating their licence so it can be used in classrooms after all.
So asking one autodesk employee might give you another answer on this kind of things then asking another one a while later.
but as others have said, if you go by the rules, no you can't do it, in reality, it's more a matter of, will they actually bother with it, since they are probably more interested in large/medium company's using a lot of "illegal" licences.
If the wants to play it safe, just keep using blender if he is comfortable with it.
Someone did tell me that with the actual bough student licence version (I think it's like 130 euro) you can actually do a couple of freelance works, I can't immediatly find something written down on it on autodesks site, so I'll look into it, and see if that is actually the case or not.
Always use the best tool for the job. But if you want to work at a studio, you'll be mostly using max and maya. Blender is awesome if you want to develop your own game or freelance/work commercially and you cannot afford a $3k piece of software. If you want to get a job at a studio at least try to know how to use Maya and/or Max. I still suggest anyone should work in the best and fastest tools for them, do not let a tool/piece of software hold you back.
Besterest idea: Keep using blender, become a fantastic artist and then get a job at a AAA game studio that probably wont care what you used as long as you learn their pipeline.
.....
Until it comes time to set up bakes, rigging, animation, or actually export your assets to the game that is!
Hey I'm all for using supplemental apps(I do all my modeling in Modo) but I don't think its very good advice to suggest someone could get away with using blender exclusively. So you're still going to need to know that Max/Maya specific stuff, might as well get a head start on it instead of avoiding it, especially when there are free/student versions available these days, there isn't any excuse not to learn them, the basics at the very least, if you're trying to break into the industry.
Sorry, a bit off topic there. OP: Use that shit, contests are not commercial work, and even then, Autodesk doesn't have a team of lawyers running down individuals for using student versions of their software. They mostly care about how companies use their software, as that is the majority of their business.
Blender is the only one you can use at your studio without having to bother management for a license, but as I've said: becoming an artist is what takes time, applications are constantly changing and evolving and easily learned.
Winning them is though, these items go on sale and most definately count towards being an income. But true, autodesk couldn't care less about someone doing an entry if he didn't win anything.
And to make it ON-TOPIC:
OP's friend seemed to have considered the blender-switch already which seems to me there's not a discussion of lengthy experience with any of them currently, but if he doesn't want to worry too much and have lengthy experience in maya: do the work in maya but officially do the work in blender
And if he doesn't have much experience to begin with: go with blender, it has the tools needed to export a full functional dota 2 item, and he'll avoid the licensing issues.
If anything, your promoting their software over their competitors. They make the bulk of their money from companies using their software and in order for a company to use their software they need to hire people proficient enough to use it....and the only way your going to get proficient at that software (without already working in the industry) is to use it in your spare time.
The more individuals/students/hobbiests use their software, the better coverage that software gets within the community and that spreads to the industry which means more money for them.
Personally, I see no problem with it.
They want you to be successful because you're showing off their product, and because the more successful you are the higher chances of you getting hired and becoming an additional seat that company will have to purchase a license for.