Licence explanations

Hello, I'd like to buy licence, but I'm not shure which licence I need.

So if anyone can help me and explain some things I'd be very thankfull. For example, how can Scirra know how much revenue I made with my games? Is it "play fair" policy? I mean if I make more than 5K I wouldn't blink before buying the bussines licence, but how can Scirra actually know how much money I make selling my games or through advertising?

Scenario a)

I have a personal licence, and I make a game for a client on a contract and I give him exported files, I charge him 1000$, thus I don't need bussines licence. So the game is not mine any more, but the client makes 10 000$ from advertising in this game I made, or he resells the game for 10 000$. Do I need to buy bussines licence although he made 10K and not me?

Scenario b)

I'm a poor indy game developer , and I spent my last 129$ for Personal licence. I can't afford paying fees to publish on AppStore or Google Play, so I let a friend of mine sell the game through his accounts, and agree with him on revenue share. Am I allowed to do that? If he pays me in cash "under the table", how could Scirra know how much money I made?

If I understand correctly "Personal Edition Licenses are permitted for use by one named individual." means that only I am allowed to use the Construct software, but once I export the game for, lets say, android, I can do with it what ever I like, as long as I don't make more than 5K $, right?

I doubt that Scirra are going to discuss the security implications and procedures regarding how they check licensing, and as users, we are hardly going to know the answer.

IMO just asking the question is dodgy.

Also, all licensing queries would be better off being directed to . That way, Tom can deal with any unusual queries you may have in a much more professional and less subjective way than you would receive here.

Like I said, as soon as I make 5K I'll buy 2 bussines licences, just in case I loose one. I'd just like to get some things straight, like If I create games for others, and I sell 4 games for 1000$, but then my clients make more money than 5K on the games, am I obliged to buy bussines licence since I earned only 4000$.

I think it's a legit qestion, and I don't see anything dodgy about it. Let's say my contract with the client has a "privacy clause" and I'm not allowed to communicate financial aspect of the deal, do I say to the client: "sorry, but If you want me to make the game, I have to send a copy of this contract to Scirra, so they could check if I made more than 5k $ or not".

And I don't understand am I allowed to create games using personal licence (only I would use the Construct 2), but sell it on other's accounts once I export them (like GooglePlay, or AppStore accounts my friend has) since I don't have accounts of my own.

Is this "only one person" binding for C2 only? Or does it apply to 3rd party accounts too (like if I have Personal licence, only I am allowed to use C2 and only I am allowed to sell these games through only mine Apple developer account, only mine Admob account can be used for advertising, etc...)

[quote:2r9wq9kc]how can Scirra know how much revenue I made with my games?

Divine epiphany.

I've contacted support and am waiting for reply. Will share my insights on this to hopefully help someone else...

I've contacted the suport team, and I'm very happy both with quickness of the reply and with their "customer relationship" I like Scirra more and more, I'll post my findings later...

So pretty much, I found out the following:

1. To use C2, you have to stay within Scirra's terms and conditions -> scirra. com/store/construct-2-personal/personal-license-31

2. Once you want to publish the game you have to comply to terms of the publishing platforms:

Apple -> developer.apple. com/programs/terms/registered_apple_developer_20100301.pdf

Google -> play.google. com/about/developer-content-policy.html

3. To answer my own questions from 1st post:

Scenario a) "I sell the game to a client for 1000$ and later, the client resells the game for 10 000$"

-> I don't need to buy Bussines licence, since I didn't earn more than 5K$, but at the same time, I'm an idiot, and should have sold my game for at least 7K$ (then I would need Business licence)

Scenario b) "I publish the game on friends account, and then share revenue with him"

-> As long as we do not violate publishing platform's terms and conditions, we can publish the game like that, but as soon as I strike 5K$ mark I'm legally and morally obliged to buy Business license

Bottom line, if you make games and plan on making more than 5K$, hire a lawyer and collect all the terms and conditions from all the platforms you plan on using, and give them to your lawyer

Why do you need a lawyer?

If its more than 5K in the bank (for you personally) then get business license. Pretty simple, no?

Why do you need a lawyer?

Well, you don't, but if you plan making a career out of making games, and plan making more than 5K, you want to protect yourself, right?

There is a lot of "fine print" in every single "Terms&Conditions" document on the web, and, be honest, how many of those have you read, and more important, how many of those have you understand.

There is also the whole "Copyright" thing, where, if you do make a big game, would want to protect your assets etc...

If you are making games for a living, spending $500 on a license for an engine that saves you tons of time is a no brainer. Why would you spend tons of money on a lawyer to try to weasel out of a VERY modest license fee?

Please, people, this is not about paying or not paying the C2 licence! Of course that once you make 5K$ paying 500 for a licence is no brainer, like I said, I'd even buy 2 licences, so I can have someone help me

Regarding a lawyer, like I said, (and I know non of you read what I actually wrote, you yust read "bla, bla I'm stingy and want to evade paying for the licence, bla bla bla"), this is something that Scirras support recommended doing if you plan on making a carrear out of game dev.

Once you start earning serious money from your games, of course you need a lawyer! Wouldn't you want to protect your assets (graphics you drew, characters and game mechanics you developed...), and wouldn't you like to be shure that you don't violate anyones copyright? Remeber the whole story about Flappy Bird and Nintendos "Green pipes"? -> applenapps. com/app-store-news/flappy-bird-pulled-from-the-app-store-at-nintendos-request.html#.VQSCROHGr64

Also, this guy was apparently reported by Flappy Bird dev for copyright violation -> toddmoore .com/2014/06/06/flappy-bird-is-flapping-about-copyright-infringement/

So please, please, stop telling me "once you earn, why wouldn't you pay, bla, bla, bla..."! I started the thread with two very speciffic questions, and none of which was "How can I not pay for licence and sell my game for 5K"...

If I wanted to be cheap bstard I'd PBay C2...

0.99 * 400 = 396

Minus 0.30 = 278 towards your upgrade.

"The individual is permitted to make up to $5,000 USD lifetime revenue (or equivalent in other currencies/payments/benefits) from their creations. This includes but is not limited to revenue generated through advertisments, in app purchases, sale of content, licensing of content, contract work.

If you generate more than the above stated revenue you must ugprade your Personal Edition License into a Business Edition license within 14 days regardless of if you intend to continue use of your license or not."