Legal Question: Quake 3 Formats, legal in commercial game?
Author
Hey,
Is it legal to use Quake 3 (Map & Model) formats for a commercial game, or is it illegal?
Just curious as all, I don''t really see why it would be illegal but you never know.
I would guess it would be fine. Email the biz guy at ID software directly (i couldnt find an address) or check the ID software website, they have some licencing info up there.
[edited by - gibber on March 24, 2003 1:47:11 PM]
[edited by - gibber on March 24, 2003 1:47:11 PM]
I believe that I read on id's site (or perhaps elsewhere) that it is perfectly legal to use the model and map formats commercially, but illegal to use the tools which id created (q3vis.exe, q3bsp.exe, etc.) to make your maps. This means that you can use the id Software .bsp file format, but you have to write your own Q3-spec BSP compiler, etc. You can export to the .md3 format from many popular 3D tools, 3DS Max, Milkshape, Maya for example. However, it's also illegal to use any id assets commercially, ie. models, textures, maps, etc...
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[edited by - iNsAn1tY on March 24, 2003 2:07:57 PM]
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[edited by - iNsAn1tY on March 24, 2003 2:07:57 PM]
As far as the BSP partioning method is concerened, iD didn''t invent that particular method of partioning a level, therefore they couldn''t patent it.
they couldn''t patent the BSP technology, but they have patented their BSP FILE FORMAT, and the tools to make/compile/modify ...it
Actually, if you go do patent and trademark searches, you will see that they have not patented the bsp file format, and they own no trademark for the three letter sequence "bsp".
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