Commercial Questions

Can I sell my game if all of my sprites, music, and programming are homemade and original? If so, do I need a license like a business license or a resale license? Also, can people copy my game without my permission unless I get a copyright? Or do my intellectual property rights cover that. Also, Ashley can you please help me?? For some reason I am not able to save my .capx as a .apk it says error: debug certificate is not valid for over 50 years. WHY?? how do i fix it?

Be aware that laws vary country by country, and that legal advice over the internet is difficult and, in most cases, downright dangerous.

In addition, it is useful to create a new thread for each topic, if the topics are unrelated - for instance, you'd create one for your legal questions and one for your capx problem. This helps people with similar questions find what they're looking for without having to create a topic.

In relation to your questions:

• You can sell your game if all of my sprites, music, and programming are homemade and original. You could even include third party assets if you have written, explicit permission from the copyright owner (usually the author, but in some cases the publisher) or if the item's license explicitly allows it - for instance, all of my plugins/behaviors (as of this post) are free, including for commercial use - though I appreciate being mentioned in the credits. Keep in mind, however, that some things are protected, such certain names and drawings - you cannot make a megaman clone with the exact same characters, names and setting, even if you draw and program them yourself - though you can create a megaman clone, with the same visual/audio style and mechanics, as long as you name it something like HyperMaxiMan - though this practice is frowned upon by everyone, and you likely won't get many sales (there are exceptions to this rule, but you must fully understand what you are doing and for what purpose before you consciously make the decision to break the rule).
• You do not need a Construct 2 business license to sell your games, and there is no such thing as a "resale" license, AFAIK. You only need a business license if you're running a "for profit" organization or if you make more than $5000 in profits using c2
• You don't "get" a copyright. Again, this varies from country to country, but in most places there is no actual paperwork involved in copyrighting something. You just include some text somewhere like "copyright [yourname] [year the thing was first released], all rights reserved". This is enough to protect you from most thieves, but you might want some extended legal protection if you're creating the next angry birds, in which case consult with a lawyer.

Fimbul, for the most part you are correct but you can not just make 5000 dollars with the free edition you must get a personal license which is about 200$ canadian/u.s and that only allows you to make up to 5000 dollars no more no less, which i am guessing that the no money for the free edition would include no money from any advertisements because you'd still be making money off the game, you may also actually want to just find a website or store/government branch depending on where you live and getting the game's name and properties e.i characters, backrounds, etc. copyrighted because in a lot of places you do have to pay for copyright, i think, and for you to commercially sell it, since it would be digital download you would be catering to all or most of the worlds countries and continents meaning you'd have to get it copyrighted in every country well im pretty sure but im not quite sure, either way the best way to do this is to just post it on the scirra arcade as a free to play game or find a place/website that would cover all the copyright issues and or charges if they apply. Either way you can not make a prophet with the free edition,not only would you be sued you would be frowned upon by many considering that your making money and not giving any to scirra. If you wanted to its not illegal to purpose to scirra an offer of which you dont buy the license but can sell games and they would get some of the prophet, of course it probable wouldn't happen since scirra's construct 2 is going like wildfire for indie publishers and is basically mainstream for most 2d game makers, publishers or not.

you can not just make 5000 dollars with the free edition you must get a personal license which is about 200$ canadian/u.se meant the Personal License but just didn't say it, and in the United States it's $120. $200 in Canada.

i am guessing that the no money for the free edition would include no money from any advertisements because you'd still be making money off the gameot necessarily. Perhaps advertisements in the same page in which your game is embedded, but just because your game is on your website doesn't mean you can't continue to make money off of advertisements, it just means don't put the advertisements on the page with the game itself.

This can be argued, I'm sure, but that's my understanding.

you may also actually want to just find a website or store/government branch depending on where you live and getting the game's name and properties e.i characters, backrounds, etc. copyrighted because in a lot of places you do have to pay for copyrightgain, not necessarily. Fimbul is right, all you would need to do for the most basic of legal protection is what he suggested. You may be thinking of trademarking.

and [a copyright] for you to commercially sell it, since it would be digital download you would be catering to all or most of the worlds countries and continents meaning you'd have to get it copyrighted in every country.. No. But it helps if you go through the process of properly legally protecting your assets.

the best way to do this is to just post it on the scirra arcade as a free to play game or find a place/website that would cover all the copyright issues and or charges if they apply... No.

not only would you be sued you would be frowned upon by many considering that your making money and not giving any to scirra. If you wanted to its not illegal to purpose to scirra an offer of which you dont buy the license but can sell games and they would get some of the prophet, of course it probable wouldn't happen since scirra's construct 2 is going like wildfire for indie publishers and is basically mainstream for most 2d game makers, publishers or not... No. It wouldn't be a heinous crime if he sold a game using the free version, but he probably wouldn't get very far with the event and effects limits.

TRANDO101 DatapawWolf : notice this thread is one year old. Pay attention when searching topics and deciding to answer it.

Indeed, advertisement in/on the same page of your game is considered as revenue making, and according to Scirra's license of utilisation you shouldn't have a game made with the free version and make any revenue of it.

Doing otherwise would allow Scirra to sue you.

If other people are wondering about the issue be sure to check how licenses work and if you still have questions, send a mail to licensehelpegm@scirra.com

Kyatric, yeah, I knew. :P But I figure if someone necros with... text... the thread's fair game. Especially since others that find a thread like this probably won't read just the OP's post.

I'm glad I pretty much hit the nail for the page adverts are restricted from with the free version.