Sony Snatching LittleBigPlanet User Content

[Jumplion]

I'm going to go on the boat that says "Legal Mumbo Jumbo to cover our asses".

Media Molecule have said that they are going to distribute DLC for free, so I highly doubt they would take someone's level and sell it without their consent. Probably just use it in a commercial or advertising or something, like ckeymel said, there are plenty of things like this with his Art College example.

I'm not sure, but I think some channels on the Wii have pretty much the exact same wording as this, something like "If you transmit a Mii/Question/News report to Nintendo, we have full rights to it" or something like that.

That and I highly doubt that my levels would be good enough to even put a blip on their radar.

This does not change the fact, however, that I absolutely hate them, Media Molecule, the Muslims, and the otehr developers making games around this time, for LBP's delay.

I'll go and cry now.

*sobs in the corner*

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

So effectivly, no, you do not own anything you have and your never going to make money off LBP.

The dream takes another hit.

It's like pretend owning something. You can spend hours upon hours making something and distributing it, but Sony can step in at anytime and say, "By the way, that's mine."

 

[SinisterDeath]

Uhh, all I can say is...
So what?
Isn't Counter-Strike an example of a mod created by players, that got aquired, by Valve and valve sold it?
(Doing a Quick Wiki shows that the team that created CS, released some beta versions, and about a year and 2 months later, Valve and the CS team... Teamed up to make/finish the game, and sold it.)
I believe there have been a few mods that Valve has aquired through questionable means, and sold as there own, becuase as far as they are concerned, everything made for there game, is owned by them. >_>

 

[unangbangkay]

So effectivly, no, you do not own anything you have and your never going to make money off LBP.

The dream takes another hit.

It's like pretend owning something. You can spend hours upon hours making something and distributing it, but Sony can step in at anytime and say, "By the way, that's mine."

Mind you, this is the age where we buy licenses to play games and not the content themselves.

That doesn't make it any less disappointing, but when you give it thought it was almost inevitable on a closed platform like the PS3, that Sony would maintain control over the product.

I gave it some thought, and assuming that Sony openly intends to commercially use user-generated content in a commercial fashion, the most likely thing that I take away from this is:

Sony reserves the right to copy-paste assets you create using the game tools to use in future commercial DLC or staff-installed levels.

I doubt they'd fully copy-paste user levels into DLC packs without notification or express permission (some front-page recognition by the masters IS a selling point), but say you create an awesome rocket-powered skateboard, they might feature that in a new "official" level.

That's reasonably fair, as since LBP is a closed game without any way to directly import outside assets (say, a texture you created using another other program ala Second Life), and Sony owns everything in LBP, including the ways you twist and turn the wood to make a Penisaurus Dix or whatever.

I imagine that Sony and MM would absolutely LOVE an opportunity to use the difference engine or FFX Theme idea in their own official levels sometime soon. User creativity has jumped LEAPS and BOUNDS beyond anything Media Molecule could have anticipated, they've said so themselves. If I were Sony I'd certainly move to consider doing so myself, though of course I'd try to word it less imperiously.

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

That's reasonably fair, as since LBP is a closed game without any way to directly import outside assets (say, a texture you created using another other program ala Second Life), and Sony owns everything in LBP, including the ways you twist and turn the wood to make a Penisaurus Dix or whatever.

I imagine that Sony and MM would absolutely LOVE an opportunity to use the difference engine or FFX Theme idea in their own official levels sometime soon. User creativity has jumped LEAPS and BOUNDS beyond anything Media Molecule could have anticipated, they've said so themselves. If I were Sony I'd certainly move to consider doing so myself, though of course I'd try to word it less imperiously.

Anytime you have a large group of people improving the value of something for no compensation and with no additional rights or ownership granted with that improved value, there are going to be problems.

It isn't a question of fairness, it's Sony's game and they have declared they have all legal rights to the content. It's a question of incentive. Why would you keep providing good levels and art assets for a company who does nothing except take all your hard work away? This isn't about greed or profits, it's about creating an environment that encourages creativity which means better levels and fun for everyone. When you don't give the artist any rights to their work, you inhibit that creativity.

 

[unangbangkay]

Anytime you have a large group of people improving the value of something for no compensation and with no additional rights or ownership granted with that improved value, there are going to be problems....This isn't about greed or profits, it's about creating an environment that encourages creativity which means better levels and fun for everyone. When you don't give the artist any rights to their work, you inhibit that creativity.

True, that is. This certainly deflates any hope of "LBP millionaires", and undoubtedly this will discourage at least some of the potential creativity. All we can do at this point is complain, hope they decide to allow players that small mercy, and keep faith that LBP is great enough for people to want to contribute regardless.

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

See, I thought this was a great idea in theory but how in the hell are they going to get anyone to buy levels that we can already make ourselves?!

 

[TheBluesader]

This isn't a situation where somebody recorded a song or did a painting and Sony is taking it and using it for their own profit. The user-created levels for the game are created by users, but the game itself and all the tools to make the levels are Sony product. They could go the way of Valve and more or less gift the users the right to use their engine and tools as just another tool of creative expression. Or they can retain the rights to everything created with a set of tools they created, that only allows people to express themselves in the context of a game they also created. It's entirely up to them, and users have to accept what they choose to do with their product.

I think the users should appreciate the fact that they've been given the tools by Sony to make a more personal gaming experience. The point here is to be entertained by the product. Sony isn't obligated, legally or ethically, to enable other people to make money off their backs. Linden wanted to do that with SecondLife and Valve seems open to that with their model. But you can't whine about Sony because they won't let you get rich off of something you didn't pay to develop. They will perhaps be making money from your creative output, but you're using their tools, so you have to accept it.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

I would have no problem with Sony taking rights to the creations if the possibility of Little Big Planet Businessmen hadn't been touted. They advertised it like you could've made money off your levels f they were good enough and you could sell them- as far fetched as that is.

 

[ckeymel]

I'm going to go on the boat that says "Legal Mumbo Jumbo to cover our asses".

Media Molecule have said that they are going to distribute DLC for free, so I highly doubt they would take someone's level and sell it without their consent. Probably just use it in a commercial or advertising or something, like ckeymel said, there are plenty of things like this with his Art College example.

I'm a girl

 

[TsunamiWombat]

I'm going to go on the boat that says "Legal Mumbo Jumbo to cover our asses".

Media Molecule have said that they are going to distribute DLC for free, so I highly doubt they would take someone's level and sell it without their consent. Probably just use it in a commercial or advertising or something, like ckeymel said, there are plenty of things like this with his Art College example.

I'm a girl

LIES! No girls on the internets! loloroflbiscuits omgwtfpwned!!!!111one

Ahh but switching to seriousness now. In the end, this is most likly just Sony's way of legally covering it's ass. Still, it's an open door to abuse... and what giant corporation has ever been able to resist abusing it's customers?

 

[Jumplion]

I'm going to go on the boat that says "Legal Mumbo Jumbo to cover our asses".

Media Molecule have said that they are going to distribute DLC for free, so I highly doubt they would take someone's level and sell it without their consent. Probably just use it in a commercial or advertising or something, like ckeymel said, there are plenty of things like this with his Art College example.

I'm a girl

bah, like it changes what I said in the first plac ;O

Sony owns LBP, and you're making stuff on their game. You are playing with something they own the rights to. This is just a bunch of legal stuff to keep themselves from being sued, it's not that big of a deal.

That, and Media Molecule themselves have said they are keeping every DLC they release free or try to keep most free and most I would assume would be new elements, objects, costumes, and stickers.

Most likely, if Sony ever did use a user created level, it would be for advertising or something. It would be stupid to resell it to someone, especially if you can make it yourself like Arab said. Infact, it would be stupid to release level packs "best of" all together.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

yeah i think this is a whole "let's jump on the how evil sony is bandwagon"

if i'm not wrong m$ has a way worse tos for all their products, not just live, where's all the hate for them?

 

[huntedannoyed]

I am hoping that this will all end well. If Sony really wants to recoup losses by plagerizing their customers, then they will have officialy pissed me off.

 

[HyenaThePirate]

I'm going to go on the boat that says "Legal Mumbo Jumbo to cover our asses".

Media Molecule have said that they are going to distribute DLC for free, so I highly doubt they would take someone's level and sell it without their consent. Probably just use it in a commercial or advertising or something, like ckeymel said, there are plenty of things like this with his Art College example.

I'm a girl

And a very pretty one at that

My opinion on this, is that both companies were being less than honest about their "marketplaces" a few years ago during those awesome "E3" presentations (Microsoft AND Sony).
I recall both companies talking about people being able to make tshirts and sell them through market place based on characters created in games etc... and other 'friend's list/social networking' nonsense... you know, back when people thought Second Life was cool and all gaming companies were eying it with the intention on capitalizing on it.

It's no different to me than the current trend of "Free MMO's" that offer free games, but charge real money for fake game items in micro-transactions.

Still it does seem kinda lame that you can spend days designing one of the greatest levels ever for LBP, even better than anything the developers created or conceived of, and Sony can toss it onto PSN or a "Best of" DLC or Gold Edition game and make MILLIONS for free off of YOUR work and creativity while the creator lives in squalor.