Heya!

Working on a project here and in need of "platform" movement kit. Tried to write one myself, but i think i broke something in my brain, and desided to try some kits in the end.

What i liked was the "Platformer Starter Kit" in Visual Studio.

What if i use the code in that kit, extend it with my own (say, menues, sound, logic etc, but keep the movement system) and sell the final product on, lets say, my personal website or by finding a customer, how would that work copyright-wise?

I can't find anything about license about this kit, EULA confused a big jesus outa me, and im not sure wether MPL applies here.

Any of you kind folks got any idea how this works?

Thanks in advance.

We can't offer legal advice on the forums, its against the rules. Your best bet if you cant understand the EULA yourself would be to sit down with a lawyer

ah, very sorry then :)

If I remember right, the platformer kit is covered by the Microsoft Permissive License. It's actually written in reasonably plain English, and grants a number of privileges to the users of the code. I suggest you read it, and base your decision based on that, and ask for legal help if there is something you don't understand. Personally, I wouldn't have any problems putting Microsoft Permissive License code into my own commercial code, but your situation may be different.

I asked a similar question in another thread, and posted my understanding of the MS-PL:
http://forums.xna.com/forums/t/25200.aspx

I understand that I can distribute an XNA game using the MS-PL license, as long as I distribute it using the same license.

But then again, this website refuses to answer legal questions, and won't give a straight answer, or verify whether my interpretation is correct or not.

IMO, I think it's ridiculous that Microsoft refuses to answer the simple question: "Can I sell my game?" and forcing hobbyists to talk to a lawyer.

Why not say "yes" or "no" or at least "yes, but... blah blah blah"

It reminds me of students in class or colleagues at work who refuse to answer a question as simply as possible, claiming that the only way to answer the question is a very complicated way, so they won't answer the question at all.

Why provide all these wonderful tools and documentation, but neglect to answer the most important final question? What hobbyist will go seek a lawyer as their first option?

I welcome a civilized response to my post, if you disagree with me. (Better yet, please respond if you DO agree with me! :) )

MajorSc:

But then again, this website refuses to answer legal questions, and won't give a straight answer, or verify whether my interpretation is correct or not.

IMO, I think it's ridiculous that Microsoft refuses to answer the simple question: "Can I sell my game?" and forcing hobbyists to talk to a lawyer.

Why not say "yes" or "no" or at least "yes, but... blah blah blah"

They already have done that for you. It's called the EULA. It tells you exactly what you can and cannot do with the software including what the terms are involving selling games.

thanks again, Nick.... your response in the other thread already explains things very clearly. :)

it's late (or is that early?) on the East Coast here.... *yawn*

Where is the licence (EULA) for the Platformer Starter Kit?

Microsoft usually displays their EULA during installation, so maybe you can look for it if you attempt a clean install (or reinstall) of the starter kit on a spare machine?

The MS-PL license is described in the URL that I posted earlier in this thread.

~MajorSc
.

I don't remember installing the Platformer Starter Kit. Wasn't it just available after installing XNA 3.0 into Visual C# 2008 Express?

actually, you're right... I had installed a bunch of other starter kits, so I forgot that this was already included...

Cool, thanks. So any idea where the licence for it is?

sorry no, i don't know... maybe the Ms-PL is the alternative to the EULA?

When you start a new project it will expand the license file into the project directory. You can read the MS-PL here though http://www.opensource.org/licenses/ms-pl.html

Hate to necropost here, but I'm confused about one part of the MS-Pl that I was wondering if someone could clarify.

"If you distribute any portion of the software in compiled or object code form, you may only do so under a license that complies with this license."

Does this mean that if you use any portion of code under the MS-Pl liscense, however modified, derived, etc., and then plan to release your game, you must also release your game as open source?

Read the first reply in this thread again.