I'm developing something similar to Minecraft. I would like to use MC's textures and make it very easy to convert their Resource Packs to my format. I plan to make an importer which does just that. Assuming that I will get an email-based permission from the original Resource Pack makers, can I include their imported textures in my public builds?

Assuming that I will get an email-based permission from the original Resource Pack makers, can I include their imported textures in my public builds?

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if you get permission then yes you can use them. I'm guessing Microsoft owns all those textures now though and not likely to allow you to use them. It doesn't hurt to ask though!

Assuming that I will get an email-based permission from the original Resource Pack makers, can I include their imported textures in my public builds?

Assuming the texture pack makers give you permission

And assuming you get permission from any texture packs they may have modified

e.g. if TexturePackA is (noticably) derivative of TexturePackB which is (noticably) derivative of TexturePackC, you'll need permission of the entire chain of source material. Or rather, the entire chain UP TO the first non-noticeable source.

If their source material was Minecraft's itself (i.e. they directly modified Minecraft's textures), then you're out of luck.

However, that's only for shipping those packs with your public builds. If your game includes an import mechanism, and users do the importing, and you yourself aren't doing the distributing of the copyrighted material, you're mostly in the clear. Even if you accidentally distribute, because a user uploaded it to your server claiming it was original work, you're also mostly in the clear (look up "DMCA safe harbor" laws).

You do need to take down any materials that are flagged as copyrighted (and should provide a mechanism so copyright owners can flag infringing works - because it'd be a helpful defense if it ever came to court).

And you shouldn't encourage users to upload copyrighted material, because any explicit encouragement could be used against you if it ever came to court.

You also should make a good faith effort to remove any works you yourself recognize as copyrighted, but I don't think the law requires that (because all someone would have to do is claim they didn't "recognize" it) - but that's my morals talking, not the law.

In general though, you're unlikely to be sued over any of this, and if you take the basic precautions I mentioned, you're mostly in the clear.

The answer is "yes, but probably no".

Assuming that I will get an email-based permission

If you get permission for the rights you need from the current owners, then yes.

Email trails are legally binding for most contracts, although they are not as strong as signed paper documents or digitally-signed documents. Most locations in the world have laws enabling electronic communications treated as written communications, and for electronic signatures to be fully binding.

Be certain you get the actual set of rights you need, a lawyer can help with that.

Minecraft

Who owns Resource Packs for Minecraft in terms of copyright? Obviously Microsoft/Mojang doesn't make them, so can they simply CLAIM that they own all the (C) for them because it's for their game? I heard that for some games ALL mods are legally owned by the game makers. I know that there are two types of IP: personal/authorship and financial. Can a legal entity simply strip you of your financial rights for your IP without your consent? I mean if I made that Resource Pack from scratch, then I could theoretically sell it for profit.

All that said, you are talking about Minecraft, currently owned by Microsoft. The odds of you actually getting permission from the current owners is slim to none.

if you get permission then yes you can use them. I'm guessing Microsoft owns all those textures now though and not likely to allow you to use them. It doesn't hurt to ask though!

Unless I'm misunderstanding, we're about 3rd party users making texture packs that work with Minecraft, not Minecraft's official textures.

Who owns Resource Packs for Minecraft in terms of copyright?

Mojang/Microsoft owns the textures Mojang/Microsoft made.

The 3rd party modders own the textures they made.

If they (substantially/noticeably) based their textures off of Mojang's/Microsoft's textures, that makes it a 'derivative' work, and each own part of the work, making neither able to use it without the other's permission, and making you unable to use it without both their permission.

Can a legal entity simply strip you of your financial rights for your IP without your consent?

Only with consent. That 'consent' might be hidden in the EULA that gamers never read, though.

I doubt this is the situation in Minecraft's case, but who knows. You can go read the EULA if you like.