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Are assets in the asset store worth it if other developers are using them?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by dberroa, Aug 26, 2016.

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Are assets in the asset store worth it if other developers are using them?

  1. Yes

    14 vote(s)
    82.4%
  2. No

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  3. Depends on the success of the developer using them

    3 vote(s)
    17.6%
  1. dberroa

    dberroa

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2012
    Posts:
    146
    At the time of this post, the asset store madness pack is going on. I was interested in a simple world asset environment pack:

    https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/43072

    I want to use its city setting and airport setting in a game idea I want to make for VR. I have been playing a lot of VR games and since there are not many, I'm aware of Out of Ammo VR.

    http://store.steampowered.com/app/451840/

    This game uses every asset from the simple military pack in the above assets. This game has had press and a few youtube lets play.

    Does the fact the developer used this pack and had success now render the pack useless for everyone else? If I make a VR game with it now, I'm concerned I will be accused of stealing from out of ammo, even though I'm legally allowed to as it's a purchased asset.

    If the fact the developer used this pack makes it useless for me, I wonder if the asset store is worth it as there is no way for me to keep track of every game out there to know if I'm stepping on an asset someone else already used. I'm a single developer and I do not know how to model, just code, so being able to get these assets would be so helpful for me.

    What do you guys think?
     
  2. Dave-Carlile

    Dave-Carlile

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2012
    Posts:
    967
    Make a fun game that isn't the same as the other game using the assets. Make different levels, different lighting, and so on. If it isn't just a straight up copy of the concept and style of the other game I don't personally see why it would be an issue.
     
  3. neginfinity

    neginfinity

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2013
    Posts:
    13,554
    It took me a while to understand the logic behind the question.
    Here's a similar question:
    "This game draws graphics using triangles. Does that mean that nobody else should be using triangles?"

    I think you worry too much. Assets are tools. Pick the right tools for the job, make a fun game and release it.

    The pack you linked could probably used to make a few hundred different games without a problem. They'll have similar STYLE, of course, but they will be different games.
     
    DonLoquacious, Perrydotto and Kiwasi like this.
  4. dogzerx2

    dogzerx2

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2009
    Posts:
    3,964
    100% worth it. When using stock assets for the final release game, it's usually people's first games, not big production games. Because of that, even if other games may share some of your assets unchanged, most people, who are non-Unity developers, wont recognize the asset.
    I wonder how often you find familiar some asset, in in a indie game.. but you can't recall where else you've seen that weapon or crate or heard that music, so you decide it's probably original art anyway.
     
  5. FreeFly90

    FreeFly90

    Joined:
    May 28, 2016
    Posts:
    177
    Downloading assets doesn't even mean you have to use them in production. Some days ago I needed to create a measurement tool, but I couldn't find the right inspiration and I didn't know where to start. I found on the store a similar free package that I could use instead. I downloaded it, but it wasn't actually exactly what I was looking for, nevertheless it gave me the right input to start developing my own tool. Same thing when I was modelling a 3d character. It was lacking proportions, it was just bad. I downloaded a similar one to compare them, and it helped me a lot fixing my own one.
     
    theANMATOR2b and Perrydotto like this.
  6. dberroa

    dberroa

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2012
    Posts:
    146
    Maybe I'm thinking into it too much but in this case I feel the style would be so similar it would be almost stealing from the other developer. What if we both got noticed by IGN and they were like, these games play differently and they are about different things, but they look EXACTLY the same?

    Personally I want to use the city and airport, but what if I wanted to use the military? Out of ammo is purely just the military pack, no assets besides that.

    I do feel a little better though that it seems you guys think its ok. Between copyright laws and suing I get a little nervous about what I can and can't do.
     
  7. TonyLi

    TonyLi

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2012
    Posts:
    12,670
    Big budget movies (not just small indie movies) reuse "assets" (sets and locations) all the time -- including famous mansions, diners, and streets around Los Angeles. Viewers rarely notice or care because each movie has its own lighting, angles, camera filters, etc., that make it look unique.

    No reason games can't do the same. While I wouldn't reuse a very distinctive character model for the protagonist, it's fine to judiciously reuse set pieces, skyboxes, and the like.
     
  8. neginfinity

    neginfinity

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2013
    Posts:
    13,554
    It would be very difficult for you to make the game look the same unless you actually steal other developer's files.The asset gives you building blocks. Most likely you and the "other developer" will place them differently.

    Also, there are RPG maker games, some of them good.

    Not to mention sound effects:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_scream
     
    Kiwasi likes this.
  9. Dreamaster

    Dreamaster

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2014
    Posts:
    148
    Tony you'll get a kick out of this:
     
    TonyLi likes this.
  10. dberroa

    dberroa

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2012
    Posts:
    146
    Boba Fett?
     
  11. Dreamaster

    Dreamaster

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2014
    Posts:
    148
    He's a sci-fi soldier model, ripped right out of Tony's Dialogue System for Unity asset. :) For a time in my life I was building "Winter Solstice" as a multiplayer game and in looking over my screenshots, I'm kind of hoping I come back to it again soon.
     
  12. TonyLi

    TonyLi

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2012
    Posts:
    12,670
    He looks good in the snow! :) I'm so used to seeing him only in the demo scene's interior environment. I hope you decide to resume work on Winter Solstice, too. BTW, that model is provided royalty free with the Dialogue System by arrangement with Arteria3D (@arteria). You can find plenty more of the same style, as well as fantasy, horror, etc., on their website.
     
    Kiwasi and Dreamaster like this.
  13. lemonrays

    lemonrays

    Joined:
    May 7, 2015
    Posts:
    48
    My take on it:
    Is it a character (person/enemy/creature)? No, I wouldn't recommend it. It's kinda cheap imo, if the leading star of your game is also in 3 other games. People will eventually notice, and they'll think it's cheap. You should, at the very least, put in some effort to make it a palette swap lol.
    Is it a background asset? Yes, because not many people will notice. Even if they do notice, if your game is unique in some way, they won't care about it very much if they've seen a tree before.
    So, if you're going to make a blocky game, I would recommend that you at least reskin the people in the game, because I already recognize them and have seen them before.
     
    theANMATOR2b and goat like this.