"DID I ACCIDENTALLY JUST GO COMMERCIAL?" (A PATREON CONUNDRUM)

author=Sooz

author=Merlandese
I'm showing sympathy to a laborer who might feel that they aren't getting their fair due because the term "non-commercial only" isn't as clean cut as they thought. Just sympathy. I had to get clarity on if a Free to Play game was commercial, so I understand why it's not clear to everyone. I'm not on saying any person using "non-commercial only" assets is in the wrong.

As a creator myself, if you don't bother to understand the nature of commercial vs noncommercial work, you only have yourself to blame. It's pretty simple.

But, like, what's the deal here with that statement? I'm totally on board. Why does it feel like I'm being accused of being stupid? XD

The complexity of creator businessman-ness is kind of a different can of worms. Not immediately learning every facet of how legal definitions apply to globally newer business concepts isn't what I'd use as a qualifier for being a creator, nor would I ever consider it a "simple" subject.

But look, that's just me here, apparently. Maybe I'm not bright, and I'll pay for the mistakes. But if someone else makes these mistakes I can see where they're coming from. To me, the answer is clearer now that we've discussed, but it wasn't when I came in, so I totally get why a person would have questioned this from the outset when Patreon--something they may have never expected--got involved.

It's a retroactive suffering.

uni it's not confusing at all: they're not buying games. they're helping you have time to dedicate to your hobby. that's not a purchase, it's not directly related to your games or anything.

don't worry about it. just do your thing! as long as you're not making your games patron-exclusive, you're fine! If someone isn't happy with their resources being used on patreon, that's not a legal matter. That's just they aren't happy. So they'll come to you and say "I'm sorry but I'm not happy with my resources being used in games whose author receives donations", and add to their readme: "free for use for non-commercial games, except in circumstances where authors receive donations". :P

This falls into a gray enough area that you're probably justified in continuing what you're doing. If one of the creators of the resources you used asks you to take them down, then sure, think about finding some way to replace those resources or take the game down if you can't. But otherwise, no one sane is going to give you grief over what's essentially donations.

author=unity
I'm clearly worrying too much XD;;;

This never happens ever.

author=Sooz

author=unity
I'm clearly worrying too much XD;;;

This never happens ever.

*HUGS UNI*

To be fair to the RMW peeps, there are people on Patreon who make a game that is deliberately funded by people on the site (as in, they are paying for a specific game to be made). This would probably count as commercial and is probably what they were thinking of (because I know some of the staff over there do use Patreon for purposes like that when it comes to resources and art).

It's just that in this case that is not what you're doing so you're fine.