Inquiry Regarding Use of Maptool for Fundraiser Event

Tell us how you are using our gaming tools and how your sessions are going.

Moderator: Azhrei

Post Reply
User avatar
VileTerror
Kobold
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2016 7:20 pm
Location: Under the lithosphere.
Contact:

Inquiry Regarding Use of Maptool for Fundraiser Event

Post by VileTerror »

I hope this is the appropriate place to ask this, and I apologize if I've made an error in that regard.

I have been invited to GM as part of a live-streamed fundraising event, and I would like to utilize your Maptool software to provide a play-space for the players and visual component for audience members. Would it be permissible for us to use Maptool for these purposes in this context, and if so are there any declarations or statements you would ask us to make in this regard during the stream?

Thank you for your time.

User avatar
Full Bleed
Demigod
Posts: 4736
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 11:53 am
Location: FL

Re: Inquiry Regarding Use of Maptool for Fundraiser Event

Post by Full Bleed »

VileTerror wrote:I hope this is the appropriate place to ask this, and I apologize if I've made an error in that regard.

I have been invited to GM as part of a live-streamed fundraising event, and I would like to utilize your Maptool software to provide a play-space for the players and visual component for audience members. Would it be permissible for us to use Maptool for these purposes in this context, and if so are there any declarations or statements you would ask us to make in this regard during the stream?
Go for it!

A mention and link to the site would be nice... but not required.

I would, however, suggest that you spend some time play-testing your event well before the big day if you're not super familiar with the software. That way if you run into any issues you can get some advice and suggestions here on the forums that will help it all go more smoothly during your event.

Good luck!
Maptool is the Millennium Falcon of VTT's -- "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts."

User avatar
VileTerror
Kobold
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2016 7:20 pm
Location: Under the lithosphere.
Contact:

A good start.

Post by VileTerror »

Thank you.

I feel fairly confident and comfortable with Maptool software, particularly for the limited purposes I intend. I believe I have been using Maptool for at least 4 or 5 years now. I can't remember exactly, but it was definitely before I got my present set of roleplayers which I've been playing with for at least more than 3 years. Granted, I only started playing with macros last year for my City of Heroes game, but I don't intend to use any for the live-stream session(s).
Still, your advice is solid. I'll definitely want to sit down and speak with the players and do a test-run to make sure everything is running smoothly before anyone calls "ACTION" and starts the webcams.

And, for the sake of due diligence on my part, I would like to verify that you have authority to provide me with those permissions, Full Bleed. Are you the sole software developer to provide such allowances, or have the other developers all agreed to mutual absolute authority for this sort of thing?
I hope I don't offend. I just want to make sure I'm doing my best to respect the wishes of all parties whose intellectual property may be affected.

User avatar
Full Bleed
Demigod
Posts: 4736
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 11:53 am
Location: FL

Re: A good start.

Post by Full Bleed »

VileTerror wrote:And, for the sake of due diligence on my part, I would like to verify that you have authority to provide me with those permissions, Full Bleed. Are you the sole software developer to provide such allowances, or have the other developers all agreed to mutual absolute authority for this sort of thing?
I hope I don't offend. I just want to make sure I'm doing my best to respect the wishes of all parties whose intellectual property may be affected.
I have no particular authority or ownership of the IP in question... but neither does anyone else (which is why I chimed in, else you may not have gotten a response at all!)

Maptool is a truly open source project. There is no restriction on using it in the manner that you've indicated.
Maptool is the Millennium Falcon of VTT's -- "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts."

User avatar
aliasmask
RPTools Team
Posts: 9023
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 6:11 pm
Location: Bay Area

Re: Inquiry Regarding Use of Maptool for Fundraiser Event

Post by aliasmask »

Yeah, I think the only limits for use/redistribution is Apache licensing, but you're not trying to resell the product. I know any advertising for MapTool is appreciated.

User avatar
wolph42
Winter Wolph
Posts: 9999
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:40 am
Location: Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Inquiry Regarding Use of Maptool for Fundraiser Event

Post by wolph42 »

ive informed azhrei and craig of your 'request' Azh is quite familiar with licensing stuff and craig is one of the original devs. Either they respond here directly or ill let you know what they say concerning this.

AFAI'm concerned: I agree with the above, you're free to do with maptool as you wish as its fully open source, take MOTE as an example who took the maptool code and turned it into a commercial product. Given that i would guess your pretty save to use maptool for a fundraiser.

(and indeed any promotional activity concerning maptool will be appreciated).

User avatar
JamzTheMan
Great Wyrm
Posts: 1872
Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 12:59 pm
Location: Chicagoland
Contact:

Re: Inquiry Regarding Use of Maptool for Fundraiser Event

Post by JamzTheMan »

wolph42 wrote:...take MOTE as an example who took the maptool code and turned it into a commercial product. Given that i would guess your pretty save to use maptool for a fundraiser.

(and indeed any promotional activity concerning maptool will be appreciated).
Just FYI: MapTool is Open Source BUT you can not take the code and make a commercial product from it (ie sell it). Any use of the code downstream must remain Open Source. You can refer to the license and links within for more information.

Mote is still free and not a commercial product however. (They plan to have it integrate *into* some commercial product in the future) and thus not in violation of the licenses.

As for your question, AFAIK, using MapTool in this way doesn't break any of the license agreements. You would only be in violation if you tried to distribute/sell MapTool for profit/fundraising.

As others have said, no one here can specifically give you permission as no one here specifically owns the product. Once we submit our "code" we surrender it for use under said licenses. We can only give our interpretation of those licenses.
-Jamz
____________________
Custom MapTool 1.4.x.x Fork: maptool.nerps.net
Custom TokenTool 2.0 Fork: tokentool.nerps.net
More information here: MapTool Nerps! Fork

User avatar
Azhrei
Site Admin
Posts: 12086
Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2006 1:20 pm
Location: Tampa, FL

Re: Inquiry Regarding Use of Maptool for Fundraiser Event

Post by Azhrei »

It would be completely within the original intentions of Trevor, Bill, and the rest of the founders that this sort of thing should not only be allowed, but enabled and encouraged.

We want you to have fun gaming and part of that fun is sharing your experience with others. (Heck, I will sometimes do a 30-second MapTool demo when I'm teaching a Java class and networking or threading is one of the topics. :))

I say "go for it!" and have fun!

(Right now, I think myself, Craig, or dorpond are about as official as you can get on a statement for something like this.)

User avatar
Full Bleed
Demigod
Posts: 4736
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 11:53 am
Location: FL

Re: Inquiry Regarding Use of Maptool for Fundraiser Event

Post by Full Bleed »

https://opensource.org/faq wrote:Can I restrict how people use an Open Source licensed program?

No. The freedom to use the program for any purpose is part of the Open Source Definition. Open source licenses do not discriminate against fields of endeavor.
And, if you're bored:

https://opensource.org/faq

In short, there is definitely no one on the Maptool team--past, present, or future--with any particular authority to pursue any sort of action against someone using the software for a commercial endeavor... let alone a fundraiser or other non-profit public use. Not only would it go against the spirit of all the work they've done for the project, it's just not feasible. That said, the full scope of the licensing restrictions on some core components (Apache, Swing, etc.) might have other recourse or usage restrictions that aren't quite as transparent... But, again, what's been requested here is well within the expected usage of Open Source software.
Maptool is the Millennium Falcon of VTT's -- "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts."

User avatar
VileTerror
Kobold
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2016 7:20 pm
Location: Under the lithosphere.
Contact:

Great news!

Post by VileTerror »

Thank you all very much for your replies, and your encouragement! I'm very glad to hear it.

I just got word from the fundraiser organizer, and he's made a call-to-action Youtube video.
If any of you are interested, here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqnQwPAYeH0

User avatar
VileTerror
Kobold
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2016 7:20 pm
Location: Under the lithosphere.
Contact:

Fundraiser URLs

Post by VileTerror »

The event organizer finally got the URL of the stream to me.
If anyone is interested: https://twitch.tv/artimage84
Things kick off at 9am Eastern American Time Zone on Saturday October 28th, and close at 1am on Sunday the 29th.

Post Reply

Return to “Session Report-Back”