Legal Issues

killer_hamster

<div class="IPBDescription">Can a cyber cafe make a profit from NS?</div>Just a quick question:

I was recently trying to encourage a local cyber cafe to set NS up on their machines, but the owner was unsure if he was legally allowed to, essentially, make a profit from the game. And I realised I had absolutely no idea what legal issues may exist in this situation, up until now I have only ever been a 'general public user'.

I had a quick search around the NS website, the forums and the web in general and could find very little information on what legal restrictions are placed on the users of NS and MODs in general.

It occurs to me that the licence of the 'parent' game should cover the mod, is this the case?

Nemesis_Zero

Of course. Why would we try to reduce the NS playerbase?

Isamil

I think if they're in the Valve cybercafe program they can run any mods.

Zunni

My question is would they charge a flat fee to use the machines or a specific fee to play NS?

Traken

If you are just doing it by yourself it is illegal (and stupid. People will take your accounts.)

If you are doing the VALVe CyberCafe program than it's all right (as long as you are licensed to run HL you can run any of the mods).

Note: This doesn't take into account the NS team. But you've already asked. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->

killer_hamster

To clarify, the cyber cafe in question has a full set of steam licences and charges per the hour as normal.

My question was really refering to MODs in general, I looking for some vaugly difinitive evidence that there should be no legal issues when installing MODs for games that the owner allready owned the licences for, that I could present to him.

I was also wondering how much of this legal stuff falls to the mod dev team and how much is dicated by the original game dev company. I understand that the mod developers wouldent do anything to intentionally restrict their playerbase.

Traken

The best thing to do would be getting your boss (or yourself) to submit a question to VALVe <a href='http://steampowered.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/steampowered.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?p_sid=EtgBawzh' target='_blank'>here</a>

Nemesis_Zero

Well, speaking as NS' project manager, I can guarantee that you won't be called by our lawyer with the given setup <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->

Taaketa

Whow... Lol I went straight ahead and installed NS at my gaming centre which we earn profit on games there.. Glad you guys arn't gonna sue or anything <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->

KH where is your centre based prehaps we can arrange an NS linkup? Its still kinda of new to most people there.

Swift_Idiot

I have the theory that NS is such a visually exciting game, merely spectating someone else playing it is enough to grab most FPS gamers after five minutes. I had a roommate who used to play DoD, then I showed him NS.

After reconfiguring my NS music folder to cycle through a bunch of Decoder, DEI3C, RAM Trilogy, Dieselboy, and Ed Rush & Optical, changing the tracers to green plasma bolts, and finding him a 24 person combat server, he was stuck to my PC like a tick. He'd just rock out and pubnub it practically without concern.

So put NS up on the big screens and turn up the speakers and you'll get more revenue$

digz

In essence, the cafe owner is charging for using his equipment/network/internet connection.