we want to make our current game (Fernbus Coach Simulator) moddable. Currently our preferred way is to share our content files via a free Steam DLC or Tool. We don’t use an customized UE4 version. So users can download the Editor via the Epic Games Launcher.
We have some legal questions:
We used a few marketplace items. Is it possible to ask the creators for a permission to share the items in this way? Is there any disadvantage using this way?
Is there any other disadvantage sharing our content this way?
If the DLC method makes to much problems. What are the requirements to share the modding editor via the Epic Games Launcher? Are there other benefits using this method?
Currently our preferred way is to
share our content files via a free
Steam DLC or Tool. We don’t use an
customized UE4 version. So users can
download the Editor via the Epic Games
Launcher.
So you’d release a project zip via Steam? Also, what version of UE4 is your game running?
We used a few marketplace items. Is it
possible to ask the creators for a
permission to share the items in this
way? Is there any disadvantage using
this way?
You will want to ensure that you have the distribution rights to any content you wish to share that you are licensing for use in your game (such as Marketplace content) before releasing anything to the public. Any content distributed without being cooked first will be able to be exported from Unreal Engine when loaded up, so you’d want to ensure that those that own the content understand this.
While you may find Marketplace vendors that are willing to do this, I feel that it’s probably in the best interest of both parties to not redistribute non-cooked versions of licensed content.
Is there any other disadvantage
sharing our content this way?
From a UX perspective, a downside is having to explain how to acquire every piece of the toolkit to build it altogether.
If the DLC method makes to much
problems. What are the requirements to
share the modding editor via the Epic
Games Launcher? Are there other
benefits using this method?
Releasing a mod editor on the launcher requires a custom agreement with Epic Games. You are, however, able to release everything mentioned here via GitHub including the editor and any content you’re able to distribute. The GitHub route may offer a simpler solution to your modders if you package an editor with the content, giving them one place to grab the toolkit. This also ensures that you’re in better control over which version of the editor your modders are using making it easier for you to support them.
Currently we ported our game to UE 4.13. Our Idea was to share a folder like the “Projects\ShooterGame” folder in the ARK DevKit.
I think GitHub is not a good method because our project is huge. The “Content” folder has currently a size of 22 GB and all uassets are binary data. I think Git/GitHub will be overstrained with this. Maybe I am wrong. Do you know such a big project on GitHub?
Is there any possibility to use cooked data in the editor? I’ve tried this out but it seems not working.
If we using GitHub or potentially the Epic Games Launcher. Do we need the agreement of the Marketplace Creators too?
I think GitHub is not a good method
because our project is huge. The
“Content” folder has currently a size
of 22 GB and all uassets are binary
data. I think Git/GitHub will be
overstrained with this. Maybe I am
wrong. Do you know such a big project
on GitHub?
That is pretty big, It would take a bit of time for someone to pull that down from GitHub. Taking a different approach as originally mentioned would probably fare better for your situation. Though you’ll only want to distribute items that you have approval to redistribute if they’re not cooked
Is there any possibility to use cooked
data in the editor? I’ve tried this
out but it seems not working.
Yes the editor can load up cooked packages, though some functionality will be a little odd or not work as expected. ARK is currently doing this and nothing should hinder modders form being able to work with the content that is shared.
If we using GitHub or potentially the
Epic Games Launcher. Do we need the
agreement of the Marketplace Creators
too?
Any time you’re sharing something that you’ve licensed, you’ll need to ensure that you’re doing so within the bounds of what the license agreement states. Sharing un-cooked content is likely not in many existing licensing agreements from Marketplace vendors, so you’d want to explicitly get that permission regardless of how you distribute.
GitHub / Launcher distribution ensures that any Unreal Engine code that is distributed requires the person that downloads it to agree to the Unreal Engine EULA.
Using coocked packages in editor would be the best approach. I’ve already searched for a method to use this but doesn’t found anything. Are there any resources or documentation doing such things? Also I’ve searched in the ARK DevKit but I found no asset that seems to be cooked. Do you know an example asset that is cooked?