Freesound Forums
Use in a Video Game?
Started September 27th, 2009 · 11 replies · Latest reply by hyderpotter 14 years, 8 months ago
Can I use these sounds in my First Person Shooter PC Video game I am making? I don't think It will be for profit but can anyone tell me what me limits are for these sound effects?
You can read the terms under which the sounds are via a link which is on each sound description page: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/sampling+/1.0/
Please read this description and maybe also the full license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/sampling+/1.0/legalcode and let us know if you still have questions.
Thanks
I did read that, But the owner who upload the file said I could not use the file in my game I was using.
Sampling Plus 1.0 license prohibits direct usage in video games, unless sounds are fully modified, as well in movies, etc.
Actually, I doubt any of sounds from this site can be used commercially in real world, SP+1.0 license itself is too undetermined. Every commercial project currently uses freesound.org content on it's own risk.
juskrey
Sampling Plus 1.0 license prohibits direct usage in video games, unless sounds are fully modified
Where does it say that? I just had a look at the legal code, which states:
Creative Commons Sampling + 1.0 Legal Code Stuff
"if You choose to use the original Work as a whole, You must either use the Work as an insubstantial portion of Your Derivative Work(s) or transform it into something substantially different from the original Work."
I interpret that as permission to use freesound samples in their original form as long as they themselves comprise only a small part of the new work. How does that restrict their use in video games?
Well, there is no definition of "an insubstantial portion", and that is a key argument against this license, in my opinion.
E.g. is ambient sound, that is played all over the whole game, a small part? How do we count? Per second, per megabyte?? Is 1% a really small part? And 10%, and 20%, or even 49%??
juskrey
Well, there is no definition of "an insubstantial portion", and that is a key argument against this license, in my opinion.
E.g. is ambient sound, that is played all over the whole game, a small part? How do we count?
I agree that the license terms are insufficiently defined and could be better. I also agree that the absence of specific limitations for the term 'insubstantial' does lead to difficulties respecting the terms of the license for video game use of samples under this license.
Having said that, I disagree that video game usage for unmodified samples is specifically prohibited under this license, I think it's just rather awkward, inconvenient and difficult.
I mean, I just got a private message today informing me that one of my "saddest violin" sounds has been used unmodified in an app which was more or less named after it, and my sound is probably the largest single component of that work. Combined with the absence of proper attribution, more than one of the terms of the Sampling + 1.0 license have certainly been transgressed.
But I don't think that means that the Sampling + 1.0 license prohibits use of unmodified sounds in computer applications, I think it just makes respecting the terms of the license a bit more awkward.
juskrey
Yes, I agree that "prohibits" is not a suitable word, but, anyway, theoretically, respecting license is rather not awkward, but deterministically impossible.
Well, I disagree that respecting the terms of the license is impossible. Since 'insubstantial' is undefined, proof against it is also undefined, making it possible to respect the terms of the license.
Heh, this is fun. 
my opinion is that the problem is reversed (sorry for my poor english).
this is the actual situation:
you build a game and, instead of buying samples or paying a production to produce those sounds, you download what you need from Freesound. in this way you save money, and time, which again means money.
Freesound ask you to quote the author and to not use samples in a commercial way (but you always have the chance to ask for extra permission to the authors).
now, if you say that respecting the CClicense is impossible, I answer that to build a game without a budget is impossible (an indie gamebuilder actually invests his own time, thus he's paying the production with his precious time).
being logical, what comes first?
the impossibility of building a game without sounds or the "impossibility" to respect a license?
you need sounds to build a game! this comes first 
all the "troubles" in respecting a CClicense are a consequence of the need for samples that brought you to download from Freesound.
a non-commercial game bring no trouble in respecting CClicenses.
a commercial game (or "may be" commercial)... I think it's clear: you want to build a game without spending money - excellent, indie productions are precious - but you also protest against CClicense' bureaucracy... aren't you asking too much? 
last but not least, Freesound is not just a database of sounds but a living and generous community
juskrey
Sampling Plus 1.0 license prohibits direct usage in video games, unless sounds are fully modified, as well in movies, etc.Actually, I doubt any of sounds from this site can be used commercially in real world, SP+1.0 license itself is too undetermined. Every commercial project currently uses freesound.org content on it's own risk.
I looked at the Sampling Plus 1.0 license and I could not see anything about prohibits direct usage in video games.