How do you sell an AGS game like 'Time Gentlemen, Please!'

[Armageddon]

Hello! I'm new to forums and someone told me that 'Time gentlemen, Please' was made with AGS, so I've been learning it by watching 44 youtube vidoes! I was wondering how they sold 'Time gentlemen, Please' I thought this was a free engine?


-Arma

[GarageGothic]

Just because an engine itself is free doesn't mean the games made with it have to be (here's an almost complete list of commercial games made with AGS). Actually a lot of commercial games these days are using open source or free technology, not just AGS - the Ankh games used Ogre3D for its graphics, and A Vampyre Story uses the Panda3D engine.

The only restriction on using AGS commercially is that you can't use mp3 audio files (ogg is better anyway, so not really an issue) without paying a license fee to Frauenhofer who developed the mp3 codec.

Edit: Wrong forum to post this in btw since it's hardly a technical question. But I'm sure the friendly moderators will move it somewhere more appropriate.

[Armageddon]

I'm sorry I thought this was the best forum to post it in. So I could make a game with AGS and just sell it? All I have to do is give some credit to Chris Jones?

[Ryan Timothy B]

That and you also have to mail him a gift certificate for golden crispy onion rings.  Mmmm.     

[Armageddon]

I guess if you sell it you can't use any modules? Even if they are hidden deep in a german/dutch site and you have to fix half the code? :

[Dualnames]

You can use the engine FREELY as long as you credit certain things, Chris Jones can inform you on that.
Now, you can use modules and sell the game as long as you follow whatever license the module have. Most modules usually go with a credit me or die thing. And I can't recall a plugin or a module that requires money.

[Armageddon]

Well I can't read German to see the credits on this, could anybody take a look at it?

http://www.maniac-mansion-mania.com/index.php?option=com_contentask=view&id=93&Itemid=76

[Dualnames]

Contains everything you need to use the Adventure Engine Adventure Game Studio Adventure to manufacture its own.

The SCUMM interface, background from episode 1, as well as auxiliary background (cellar, storage, attic, garage - inserted of Darth Conan) from various episodes, animations of the main characters as well as a number of sounds and music pieces is contained.

Included are the SCUMM interface, backgrounds of Episode 1, as well as additional background information (Keller, closet, attic, garage - built by Darth Conan) from different episodes, animations of the main characters and a number of sounds and musical pieces.

Autor: Lucasfan - nachbearbeitet: Darth Conan, Rocco Author: Lucasfan - reworked: Darth Conan, Rocco

[Armageddon]

I can't get any of these SCUMM GUIs to work, it's not showing up in the pick a template thing.

http://www.americangirlscouts.org/agsresources/Templates.html

[Dualnames]

I can't get any of these SCUMM GUIs to work, it's not showing up in the pick a template thing.

http://www.americangirlscouts.org/agsresources/Templates.html

It's not a template. They are game files.

[Armageddon]

I was trying to use the 'Standard SCUMM GUI'.

[Dualnames]

Then I may direct you elsewhere:

http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=38874.0

[m0ds]

The only restriction on using AGS commercially is that you can't use mp3 audio files (ogg is better anyway, so not really an issue) without paying a license fee to Frauenhofer who developed the mp3 codec.

When I looked into this a while ago it suggested you can sell up to 5000 copies before you need to pay for the mp3 license.

[NsMn]

I also doubt the guys at Maniac-Mansion-Mania.com would be very pleased with someone using their pack commercially...
It wouldn't be very, well, benefitial if someone directed Lucasarts to them, let alone over something commercial.

[Armageddon]

Yeah I think so, do you think that guy would mind me using his 9-verb template to make a game with?

[NsMn]

Doubtfully, for it was made by Lucasfan - who was more or less famous in the fan adventure scene, until he disappeared a few years ago. Also, many people reckon that it has something to do with Lucasarts stopping his Indy 1 project.

[Dualnames]

Yeah I think so, do you think that guy would mind me using his 9-verb template to make a game with?

NsMn, he refers to Abstauber. No, I don't think Abstauber disallows its use.

[SSH]

If you gave away the AGS *engine* free but just sold the game files, would that require an MP3 licecen, I wonder? 

[abstauber]

I assume you'll get sued for the cheap try of avoiding the license fee

@Thread
As far as the 9-verb template, mentioned by Dualnames is concerned, of course you can make commercial games with it.
There's a license text inside the script header, which you can read if you're still uncertain.

Using the "technology" is fine, trying to sell a maniac mansion(mania) game on the other hand might bring you in trouble.


@NsMn
Lucasfan used Prosikrito's script as a base too, right?

[m0ds]

http://www.mp3licensing.com/royalty/games.html

This page which seems to encorporate the Fraunhofer codecs definitely states at the bottom you can sell up to 5000 without having to pay for a license.

I've been kind of considering making 6 games with the mp3 encoder and the last one not, then sell the last one and include the others 'free'. It may be avoidance but it's not illegal.

But yes you can always email CJ and request a version of the engine which is OGG only and doesn't include the mp3 codec.