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Unity Engine ToS change makes cloud-based SpatialOS games illegal

arstechnica.com

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Re: Unity Engine ToS change makes cloud-based SpatialOS games illegal

#51

Post by jimmaswell »

ezekg wrote: post #37

> You may not directly or indirectly distribute the Unity Software, including the runtime portion of the Unity Software (the “Unity Runtime”), or your Project Content (if it incorporates the Unity Runtime) by means of streaming or broadcasting so that any portion of the Unity Software is primarily executed on or simulated by the cloud or a remote server and transmitted over the Internet or other network to end user d…

That reads to me like you can still have servers, just without them using the Unity runtime. Is using the Unity runtime for servers common? The multiplayer Unity games that I know of don't do that.

Re: Unity Engine ToS change makes cloud-based SpatialOS games illegal

#52

Post by AnIdiotOnTheNet »

vkou wrote: post #47
EamonnMR wrote: post #11

This is why I tend to shy away from proprietary tools like Unity-an event like this is sort of like an asteroid strike, it's improbable but there's no defense against it and if it happens you are wiped out.

Do that, and your game will never ship - because developing your own engine is a beast of a timesink. The open source offerings are toys compared to Unity/Unreal.

Not necessarily. Many developers still write their own engines, they just don't usually make high-end graphical AAA type games. Even then it is possible, as Jonathan Blow proves.

Re: Unity Engine ToS change makes cloud-based SpatialOS games illegal

#53

Post by throwaway2048 »

andrewmcwatters wrote: post #13
hedora wrote: post #10

I’m surprised the developers can’t simply reject the changes to the Unity TOS and keep using an old version of the engine (especially for production games!) Anyone know why that’s not an option?

Because Unity's TOS, like many software agreements, stretch retroactively and proactively across versions. If you use Unity, you agree to Unity Technologies terms, and their discretion to change them, without notice. It's literally in the terms. It's not so much software as it is software as a service.

Its highly unlikely that retroactively changing an agreement like that is actually legal.

Re: Unity Engine ToS change makes cloud-based SpatialOS games illegal

#54

Post by meheleventyone »

jimmaswell wrote: post #51
ezekg wrote: post #37

> You may not directly or indirectly distribute the Unity Software, including the runtime portion of the Unity Software (the “Unity Runtime”), or your Project Content (if it incorporates the Unity Runtime) by means of streaming or broadcasting so that any portion of the Unity Software is primarily executed on or simulated by the cloud or a remote server and transmitted over the Internet or other network to end user d…

That reads to me like you can still have servers, just without them using the Unity runtime. Is using the Unity runtime for servers common? The multiplayer Unity games that I know of don't do that.

I believe Rust does and that’s perhaps the single biggest Unity multiplayer project in terms of concurrent users AFAIK.

Re: Unity Engine ToS change makes cloud-based SpatialOS games illegal

#55

Post by ezekg »

jimmaswell wrote: post #51
ezekg wrote: post #37

> You may not directly or indirectly distribute the Unity Software, including the runtime portion of the Unity Software (the “Unity Runtime”), or your Project Content (if it incorporates the Unity Runtime) by means of streaming or broadcasting so that any portion of the Unity Software is primarily executed on or simulated by the cloud or a remote server and transmitted over the Internet or other network to end user d…

That reads to me like you can still have servers, just without them using the Unity runtime. Is using the Unity runtime for servers common? The multiplayer Unity games that I know of don't do that.

Yes, as far as I know, running a headless version of the game (Unity in "batch mode") is how a lot of (most?) games do dedicated authoritative servers, otherwise your server wouldn't actually be running the same game. Or am I misunderstanding something?

Re: Unity Engine ToS change makes cloud-based SpatialOS games illegal

#57

Post by benj111 »

hesdeadjim wrote: post #14
hedora wrote: post #10

I’m surprised the developers can’t simply reject the changes to the Unity TOS and keep using an old version of the engine (especially for production games!) Anyone know why that’s not an option?

I don’t think Unity is under any obligation to tie their ToS to specific engine versions. Additionally, losing the ability to receive bug fixes, enhancements, and new platform support by sticking to an older engine is a bit of a non-starter for a lot of devs.

Id like to say you're wrong.

Its bad law though, if companies can be held ransom to T&Cs they never agreed to. Especially as it seems no notice was given, what happens if a company never got the new T&Cs?

Re: Unity Engine ToS change makes cloud-based SpatialOS games illegal

#58

Post by jasonlotito »

ezekg wrote: post #37

> You may not directly or indirectly distribute the Unity Software, including the runtime portion of the Unity Software (the “Unity Runtime”), or your Project Content (if it incorporates the Unity Runtime) by means of streaming or broadcasting so that any portion of the Unity Software is primarily executed on or simulated by the cloud or a remote server and transmitted over the Internet or other network to end user d…

This is about streaming games.

There are other providers that do this that are allowed to: https://unity3d.com/legal/terms-of-service/software/authoriz...

Re: Unity Engine ToS change makes cloud-based SpatialOS games illegal

#59

Post by AnIdiotOnTheNet »

baldfat wrote: post #20
bitwize wrote: post #15

This is why I write my own damn engines.

I think using Open Sourced Engines is the proper response to this. Why reinvent the wheel unless you have your own use case.

Or buy a real license to an engine with a real legal contract.

Re: Unity Engine ToS change makes cloud-based SpatialOS games illegal

#60

Post by ncallaway »

ezekg wrote: post #37

> You may not directly or indirectly distribute the Unity Software, including the runtime portion of the Unity Software (the “Unity Runtime”), or your Project Content (if it incorporates the Unity Runtime) by means of streaming or broadcasting so that any portion of the Unity Software is primarily executed on or simulated by the cloud or a remote server and transmitted over the Internet or other network to end user d…

Yeah, unless Unity quickly reverses this, I'm likely going to uninstall it and fully switch over to Unreal.

Those terms seem absolutely insane to me, and I'd never develop on a platform with them.

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