I'm using RPG Maker to make a game. I was wondering - if I ask for donations for my game (not requiring them, but optional donations), is that legal? I'm using some of my own sprites, but some of the backgrounds and sounds came standard with RPG maker.

Accepting money would make it a commercial venture. I don't know what the license agreement for RPG maker says about commercial games but if it states that you can only use it for non-commercial games then you can't accept money.

Quote: Original post by Obscure
Accepting money would make it a commercial venture. I don't know what the license agreement for RPG maker says about commercial games but if it states that you can only use it for non-commercial games then you can't accept money.

I would think as long as the money stayed in an account "for" the game only if it were for servers then it wouldn't be illegal or against the rules, seeing as how its not a profit and basically you're asking people to pay for the server usage and not the game.

Also if its a single player one, I would think 'donations' are ok... because you are not requiring payment of any sort so you're not selling. It is someone giving you money for your work and time put into it. I would think it silly that because you played X RPG you can't ever donate money to that person because it would be considered payment.

Then again, I don't know about the laws or loopholes in this situation, so don't go by what I say. Though, in my opinion as long as you aren't like getting rich or something, and its people deciding to give you small amounts of money because they feel you deserve it, not because you demand it... then I would say it isn't wrong.

I believe that with RPG Maker XP, the EULA allows for selling/licensing of games made with the RPG Maker XP engine. However, the resources and code created and provided by Enterbrain still belong to them, and you cannot distribute RTP resources seperately (if you use the RTP, you have to point users to its download from Eb, or pass along a copy of the RTP redistributable).

IANAL, though. Perhaps a check at RMXP.net might provide stronger details.

I'm using RPG Maker 2003. I can't seem to find the license on my computer, and I definitely didn't read it when i clicked "I Agree".

Coldacid, I'm a bit confused about what you said: I can sell the game, but not the resources separatly? As in, I can sell the game that uses the resources, but not the resources with out the game. Just trying to clarify.

Here's what you can do: put up a PayPall donation link, and say, "Hey, I spend a lot of time putting this together, want to drop a buck or two for the hours of enjoyment you got for the weeks of work I put into it?"

As long as you are not charging for the software, you are not technically selling it.