UE4 licensing for integration with a media server

Development Getting Started & Setup
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1

Hi,

We work with public art installations where we are considering using UE4 as an interactive renderer that would act in conjunction with a media server. UE4 would take in variables from a media server and send the rendered texture back (via Spout for example). The media server then sends this texture to screens, projectors or lights.

My question is this:

  • on what part of the overall fee do we need to pay the 5% royalty? Am I right to assume that on the part of the fee which goes to content creation inside UE4 and not for the hardware (media servers, lights, projectors etc.) or for the programming of that hardware (projection mapping etc.)
  • also, where do we need to put the UE4 credits?

Thank you very much in advance.

2

The initial question is about revenue - it’s not clear from your comments what kind of revenue you would have, if any. How would that work?

For your second question, you don’t have to put in credits if you don’t already have credits otherwise.

3

Thank you for your quick reply.

These installations are usually created for a one-time fee. The fee are for:

  1. hardware and programming.
  2. content creation. For this part, we would like to use UE4 (instead of coding the visuals ourselves with, for example, Cinder or Open Frameworks).

Often part 1 and part 2 is done by different companies/providers. Think of it as this: an av rental company would take care of point 1 and a production studio would take care of point 2.

I hope this makes it clearer. If you need more info, just ask.

Looking forward to your reply.

4

Assuming the work is unique for a single client, those work-for-hire fees are royalty free. But does the client monetize the work afterwards? If so, how?

5

They usually don’t as a matter of fact. These installations can be, for example, a permanent interactive projection in a shopping mall, or an interactive video wall in a hotel lobby or things like that.

So I understand the key question is whether this work/content is monetized afterward in any way?

Thanks!

6

If it’s monetized afterwards, we need a further conversation.

7

Looking at UE EULA it seems the closest description would be:

Revenue from interactive amusement park rides which use the Licensed Technology.

8

Yeah that’s probably going to be the case

9

Great. Thank you very much.

Just in case we’d have a question about a specific installation: should we post it here or is there an email address for these things?

10

You can certainly post non-confidential questions here.

11

thank you!