Can I make a kickstarter to develop a MOD for Arma 3?

[netsend 10]

What do I need to do to make sure it is legal and stays within the license terms? Do I need to only ask for donations for support and then release the MOD open sourced once it is ready?

[granQ 293]

What do I need to do to make sure it is legal and stays within the license terms? Do I need to only ask for donations for support and then release the MOD open sourced once it is ready?

personally i would say thats very grey area.. its like selling a pen for 50 euro but "you get the mod for free".. if you use the standard bis tools.

But if you first comes with terms with BIS to get a commerical licenses..

but its getting there sooner or later, sometimes (not always) but sometimes i feel bad that people are making serious cash showing off addons on youtube while the addon maker that spent weeks on making it gets zero.. but thats a different discussion.

[max power 21]

According to the tools license you may not receive money for the work you do.

[netsend 10]

Can anyone quote the part of the license that says this?

Who can I contact at BIS to understand what I need to do to comply?

[tonygrunt 10]

End User License Agreement for BI's Tools, last updated 2008, might not be the latest.

Arma 3 Modding License

License

To use any samples or tools provided by Bohemia Interactive to mod Arma 3, you must agree to the following conditions of use:

1. Bohemia Interactive grants to you a personal, non-exclusive license to open and modify the samples and use the tools for the purpose of designing, developing, testing, and producing non-commercial game content for PC game Arma 3.

2. You acknowledge and agree that Bohemia Interactive is providing you the samples and tools free of charge in order to allow you creation of non-commercial game content for Arma 3 only and you agree to not commercially exploit any game content you may create using the samples or tools without Bohemia Interactive prior written permission.

3. Bohemia Interactive doesn't give you permission to exploit the samples and models in any other way, especially not to convert them for use in any other game or engine than Arma 3.

[netsend 10]

Thank you sir.

Who can I ask for permission?

[PuFu 4600]

permission for what?

[netsend 10]

Thank you for the information everyone, it has been helpful.

[.kju 3245]

You can sell addons to end users if you do not use the official tools or source models released by BI.

Config tweaks, missions, campaigns, sound replacements, animations are essentially no problem.

New models are somewhat difficulty as people say you need to use O2, yet probably for some things one can without too.

New terrains are basically impossible as you need visitor. Also binarize is basically needed for models and terrains.

Of course you need to have the license for 3rd party work to (re)sell it and everything else needs to be your own work.

[jacknorrisuk 146]

Interesting.

But wasn't there a BI announcement recently that hinted at opening up modding etc. licences a bit to allow some kind of revenue sharing? Who knows, this might develop into a successful extension of Arma3.

The Kickstarter model has proven very successful, and I for one would lay down some cash to a mod project that looks like it's going to be awesome (and actually deliver).

[smokedog3para 365]

What about donations do these count as profit as it has been mentioned before for being the best way to support an addon maker.

[mistyronin 1181]

What about donations do these count as profit as it has been mentioned before for being the best way to support an addon maker.

I understand that it doesn't count as profit, as it's a voluntary act without expecting anything in return, not a trade.

[chortles 263]

Interesting.

But wasn't there a BI announcement recently that hinted at opening up modding etc. licences a bit to allow some kind of revenue sharing? Who knows, this might develop into a successful extension of Arma3.

The Kickstarter model has proven very successful, and I for one would lay down some cash to a mod project that looks like it's going to be awesome (and actually deliver).

Until there's concrete details of just what Maruk had in mind, I wouldn't take anything in that interview as definitive indication of upcoming change in the modding license.

[memphisbelle 99]

there are mods around that are for free and they are gamechanging...ACE, ACRE...to only name 2 of them...what are you about to realize that you want to start a croudfounding project? That must be such an awesome thing that A) People are willing to pay for in order to support you and your work and B) which is inside the license agreement...If you want to make a mod...just start and ask people for help...If you want to create a DLC for ArmA, so talk to BIS and ask for an employment....good luck

[netsend 10]

there are mods around that are for free and they are gamechanging...ACE, ACRE...to only name 2 of them...what are you about to realize that you want to start a croudfounding project? That must be such an awesome thing that A) People are willing to pay for in order to support you and your work and B) which is inside the license agreement...If you want to make a mod...just start and ask people for help...If you want to create a DLC for ArmA, so talk to BIS and ask for an employment....good luck

(A) is not a problem

(B) is , hence the thread dude!

---------- Post added at 12:45 ---------- Previous post was at 12:44 ----------

I understand that it doesn't count as profit, as it's a voluntary act without expecting anything in return, not a trade.

Is this correct? So I can consider doing a Kickstarter? Can someone from BIS confirm this?

[[frl]myke 14]

Is this correct? So I can consider doing a Kickstarter? Can someone from BIS confirm this?

Nope. Kickstarter is basically "pay me so i can make it and you get one once i'm done". A donation on the other hand is "here i made this, if you like it please send me a few bucks but you can have it for free anyway". Not quite the same.

[John Kozak 14]

Myke;2522341']Nope. Kickstarter is basically "pay me so i can make it and you get one once i'm done". A donation on the other hand is "here i made this' date=' if you like it please send me a few bucks but you can have it for free anyway". Not quite the same.[/quote']

Well, that's a bit arguable. What if I create a kickstarter campaign with no practical gift? Say, the only thing I give in return is mentioning first 100 backers in credits. When my addon/mod/whatever is completed, I just distribute it freely - without checking whether the person bought it or not. That pretty much falls under the definition of "donation".

What matters is the legal definition - and this part will be really tricky, because Kickstarter is US only, and BIS is Chezh republic resident (guess).

[Placebo 29]

No you cannot create a kickstarter to develop a mod.

You're welcome to create a kickstarter to pay for my PS4 though ;)