So, I started working on a new project, and I’m thinking of how to license it. Specifically, how to make it as copyleft as possible without making it unusable.

By unusable I mean the license blocking the game (or in a more likely case, any later project that reuses the code) from being published on platforms like Steam. I know that steamshim exists, but I’m not sure if that can be a real solution. Linking against the SDK seems completely optional in Steam’s case, but license compatibility is listed as a hard requirement regardless.

The game code consists entirely of a GDExtension written in Rust, so I think I can just neatly LGPL the GDExtension “library” without restricting the game executable itself. It sounds like it should work, but there are some things that I’m not sure of, like hardcoded references to assets.

I really don’t enjoy thinking licenses so I usually slap on either GPL or something permissive and be done with it. Anyone notice any holes in my plan, or am I good to go?

I know I can use my own code however I please, but it gets more difficult once there are multiple people involved; I’ve had one person express vague interest so far.

Thanks.

  • Gladaed@feddit.org
    1·
    2 days ago

    Why make it copy left? I thought Godot’s spirit was being a usable engine you can use to implement your game and sell it, too. How does a copy left extension make anyone’s life easier?

    • sevon@lemmy.kde.socialOP
      3·
      2 days ago

      I think you’re missing the important part that I’m building a game. GDExtension is just the means to use C++/Rust/etc. instead of GDScript for game code.

      Why make it copy left?

      I want to give access to the code, but at the same time I want the same courtesy from anyone who uses it.

        • sevon@lemmy.kde.socialOP
          2·
          2 days ago

          It would mean open source, but the requirements and coverage depend on the license and how the code is used. I made this post to be sure that LGPL doesn’t reach outside the library.

          and free to play, no?

          No such requirement.

    • tabular@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      2 days ago

      Godot’s MIT license certainly let’s you redistribute the engine as part of your proprietary game. However, it equally lets others redistribute their games under the same open source license, or even a copyleft license. So it’s spirit seems equally business, hobbyists or free software moralist.

      Copyleft helps me by making sure my code can’t be included in a proprietary software. My code is there to be copied but if you make changes and redistrubte them then I get access to those changes. Maybe I use them in my software, thus improving it.