Steam Community :: Discussions

Hi all, in the next big update we're going to be adding some legal text around creation of content. When you publish maps and scenarios, they are already covered by Steam's Subscriber Agreement (else Steam won't let you publish) - we're looking to simply some of this text and also add a few extra Ogre-specific bits. We are posting a draft of the text here for comment - which we welcome! Also happy to answer why we may have put in certain bits, as often helps to understand that. We have added (in italics) some notes to explain this...

Thanks,

Auroch Digital

Ogre Legal Rights

Copyright © 1977-2017 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Ogre, the distinctive likeness of the Ogre, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved. The code systems underpinning gameplay within the Ogre video game were created by and are owned by Auroch Digital Ltd (2017) except where they are 3rd party systems such as Unity 3D.

Custom Scenario Editor Terms and Conditions
Auroch Digital Ltd and Steve Jackson Games Incorporated have developed this mode of the Ogre game to allow players to create, share, and play Ogre maps and scenarios. Because we cannot predict how players will use the Custom Scenario Editor, or how the Steam space in which it is hosted will change over time, we may need to update this document to reflect such use and changes. When we update a legal document to cover an updated game, the changes outlined in the document will take effect 30 days after the update. If you don’t like the changes in the usage rules, you can email us at gtn@aurochdigital.com, marking the title of the email “Custom Scenario Editor Terms and Conditions Query,” and we’ll see if we can address them. Alternatively, you may unpublish the maps and scenarios you’ve created. We’d rather you did the former, but it’s your call!<-- So we've got to be able to change things as nothing stays the same, let's say Steam changes their rules and we have to follow. However this gives creators some leeway here we feel!

Custom Scenario Editor Key Rules
Ogre is a key game in the history of gaming. It has a serious pedigree and has been enjoyed by many, many players over the decades. We wish to build on that legacy with this digital version. In order to do so legally, we do have to set a few ground rules:

Be respectful of other people’s intellectual property (IP), copyrights, and trademarks. Just as we want to protect Ogre’s legacy, other IP holders want to protect their creations. We may be legally forced to remove content that breaks this rule and we’d really rather not remove anything!<-- This is in the Steam agreement, we're just making simpler.
Please create respectfully! Be part of the Ogre community by crediting where credit is due, making high-quality maps and scenarios, and not claiming that your creations are official.
We may chose to highlight creations to show the community great content, and we may pick your creations for this honor! By creating and publishing them, we assume that you’re OK with us sharing them. If not, please don’t make them public by publishing them.
All content created is for personal use only and is free for use by players of the Ogre game. Except in “Let’s Play”-type videos and streaming, content you’ve created cannot be used for commercial purposes.<-- We want you to made videos etc! Any other fair use cases you think should be in here?
Do not hack, cheat, exploit, reverse engineer, disassemble, or seek to cause harm to the Ogre game or the Custom Scenario Editor.
Pay it forward! Other players may take inspiration from your work and innovate on your ideas. We’re fine with this and we hope you are, too. We ask that in the text description of the content, you credit anyone whose work has been so used. If you don’t wish to give proper credit, please don’t make your scenario public!
Auroch Digital and Steve Jackson Games want to be able to highlight and share your amazing work. We will always endeavour to fairly credit players who have made scenarios. In order to do that we need to clarify some legal points: Any maps or scenarios published on Steam or the SJGames forums indicate that as the creator, you hereby grant to Steve Jackson Games an exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free, assignable, sublicensable, and unlimited right to use the Scenarios temporally and geographically for any purpose, and in any way. This granting of rights includes, but is not limited to, the right to reproduce, distribute, and publish the Scenarios and to make the Scenarios available to the public with the possibility of third parties to use, edit, or modify the Scenarios. The right to use the Scenarios includes all types of uses known and unknown at the time of granting the rights. Right is granted for an indefinite period of time and without any territorial restrictions. The right may be assigned or sublicensed to third parties by Steve Jackson Games without any restrictions. This is in addition to the legal acceptance that Steam requires for the use of Steam Workshop.<-- This is in the Steam agreement for Valve, we're wanting to be able to share community work and be transparent about that.
You represent and warrant that neither the content you use to create any Scenarios or maps, nor the compilation, arrangement, or display of such content (collectively, the “User Content'”, infringes or will infringe any copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other intellectual property right of any third party. You further represent and warrant that you will not use or contribute User Content that is unlawful, tortious, defamatory, obscene, or invasive of the privacy of another. If you find a scenario which infringes any of the above, please report it so that we can investigate the posters and take appropriate action.
Auroch Digital and/or Steve Jackson Games reserve the right to remove any content that violates these rules from Steam Workshop at any time and without warning. We retain this right for our own legal protection and to protect the quality of the Ogre game. We don’t want to invoke it, which is why we have clearly stated our rules here. If you have any questions about useage (it wouldn’t be Ogre without edge cases), email us at gtn@aurochdigital.com.<-- This is in the Steam agreement, we're just being clear how we'd work within it.

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Showing 1-6 of 6 comments

GranitePenguin has Ogre

Nov 9, 2017 @ 6:54am

Two things that jump out at me:

"Be respectful of other people’s intellectual property (IP), copyrights, and trademarks. Just as we want to protect Ogre’s legacy, other IP holders want to protect their creations. We may be legally forced to remove content that breaks this rule and we’d really rather not remove anything."

What about the case where official maps/scenarios don't exist?

"We may chose to highlight creations to show the community great content, and we may pick your creations for this honor! By creating and publishing them, we assume that you’re OK with us sharing them. If not, please don’t make them public by publishing them."

What about the case of wanting to share only between friends? As far as I can tell, there's no way to privately publish.

Auroch Digital [developer] Nov 9, 2017 @ 9:33am

Originally posted by GranitePenguin:
Two things that jump out at me:

"Be respectful of other people’s intellectual property (IP), copyrights, and trademarks. Just as we want to protect Ogre’s legacy, other IP holders want to protect their creations. We may be legally forced to remove content that breaks this rule and we’d really rather not remove anything."

What about the case where official maps/scenarios don't exist?

Not sure what you mean? Our thinking was this is intended for say someone publishes a Star Wars mashup themed back and the IP owners say to us - you must remove it! We have to comply and this is there to let people know in advance?

Originally posted by GranitePenguin:
"We may chose to highlight creations to show the community great content, and we may pick your creations for this honor! By creating and publishing them, we assume that you’re OK with us sharing them. If not, please don’t make them public by publishing them."

What about the case of wanting to share only between friends? As far as I can tell, there's no way to privately publish.

There is a way to privately publish to friends only, though it's still covered by Steam's legal agreement. In the 'Custom Scenarios' page, if you go the 'My Scenarios' section and click on 'Publish Scenario' you can publish you scenario there and then set it to Public, Friends Only or Private using the dropdown menu which becomes available.

Thanks for comments :)

Last edited by Auroch Digital; Nov 9, 2017 @ 9:51am

Nov 9, 2017 @ 10:15am

Originally posted by Auroch Digital:
Originally posted by GranitePenguin:
Two things that jump out at me:

What about the case where official maps/scenarios don't exist?

Not sure what you mean? Our thinking was this is intended for say someone publishes a Star Wars mashup themed back and the IP owners say to us - you must remove it! We have to comply and this is there to let people know in advance?

I was thinking more along the lines of publishing Scenarios/maps that are SJG IP. For example, there are no GEV, Shockwave or Battlefields maps or scenarios available, so the only way to play them is for fans to create them. Obviously, the point is to create original scenarios, but with existing content not being represented yet, fans are going to make it (and have already started). Is your wording meant to exclude SJG IP (I'm assuming no, so what does that mean)?

Originally posted by Auroch Digital:
Originally posted by GranitePenguin:

What about the case of wanting to share only between friends? As far as I can tell, there's no way to privately publish.

There is a way to privately publish to friends only, though it's still covered by Steam's legal agreement. In the 'Custom Scenarios' page, if you go the 'My Scenarios' section and click on 'Publish Scenario' you can publish you scenario there and then set it to Public, Friends Only or Private using the dropdown menu which becomes available.

Are the scenarios published as "Friends Only" included or excluded in this clause (i.e., the terms "public" and "publish" are not interchangeable)? When you publish something, what's the definition of public in this context?

gmaxschmidt has Ogre

Nov 9, 2017 @ 12:59pm

I have made and published 4 Maps to date; 1st, I wanted to experiment with the Senario Editor,
2nd, I did try to re-create the original Ogre Map, as best as I could, but it is different in size. We currently cannot re-create the original Ogre Map or the GEV Map, ( would be nice to be able to download them as they are.) Lastly, SJ Games has created the entire world of Ogre and GEV and I would never want to take any credit for any of it.( Nor should I.) I have been enjoying this world of Ogre and GEV since 1978 and wish that this computer version was playable as if I were setting up my table versions of this and creating senarios with ALL the pieces that are available for the table. As I understood, the senario editor was to be used to create new senarios to be shared with other Ogre computer game players, which I have done. Am I in some violation by this? If I am, I shall cease all my endeavors, and erase all of the maps that I have made. Let me know.

Be Seeing You......

Last edited by gmaxschmidt; Nov 9, 2017 @ 11:10pm

Auroch Digital [developer] Nov 12, 2017 @ 12:52am

Originally posted by gmaxschmidt:
I have been enjoying this world of Ogre and GEV since 1978 and wish that this computer version was playable as if I were setting up my table versions of this and creating senarios with ALL the pieces that are available for the table.

There is more content coming in the GEV update soon!

Originally posted by gmaxschmidt:
As I understood, the senario editor was to be used to create new senarios to be shared with other Ogre computer game players, which I have done. Am I in some violation by this? If I am, I shall cease all my endeavors, and erase all of the maps that I have made. Let me know.

Be Seeing You......

Nope, if you've been creating maps and sharing for others to enjoy then that is exactly what we wanted players to do and thanks for that! :)

Nov 12, 2017 @ 6:01am

Thank You. I really enjoy making senarios.

Be Seeing You......

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