Legality of using content from other source games in your mod - Developers

I wonder if it's okay to use, say, L4D2 models in your HL2 mod? The general opinion is that it would be illegal, yet I don't recall Valve ever taking down a mod or even giving a warning just for that.

[url]http://gamebanana.com/threads/163218[/url]

[url]http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=93049407[/url] This mod for example is using tons of "illegal" content, yet it was greenlit on steam... so the aforementioned rules don't strictly apply.

They pretty much never apply. Using such content won't really cause any damage to valve.

Valve pretty much doesn't care in regards to their own stuff as long as it's non commercial.

[QUOTE=Kuro.;39536997]Valve pretty much doesn't care in regards to their own stuff as long as it's non commercial.[/QUOTE] Hell, even some commercial stuff (remember that TF2 ripoff?) they don't care about.

[QUOTE=glitchvid;39537362]Hell, even some commercial stuff (remember that TF2 ripoff?) they don't care about.[/QUOTE] There was a TF2 ripoff that actually used assets made by valve that actually cost money/had micro-transactions? because [I]that[/I] I think Valve would care about. You sure they didn't just rip off the idea and made everything themselves? Because I can think of a number of TF2 and CS clones. Let's not forget that atrocious L4d2 clone done by DarkARTZ.

[QUOTE=Framperton;39541580]There was a TF2 ripoff that actually used assets made by valve that actually cost money/had micro-transactions? because [I]that[/I] I think Valve would care about. You sure they didn't just rip off the idea and made everything themselves? Because I can think of a number of TF2 and CS clones. Let's not forget that atrocious L4d2 clone done by DarkARTZ.[/QUOTE] As I recall they used a bunch of the sounds from TF2 / source (Although many source sounds are stock.) [video=youtube;2pBbOLPCjaU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pBbOLPCjaU[/video]

Valve stated years ago that you're allowed to cross-port content between Source games, but you aren't allowed to backport from Source to HL1 (some people did this anyway) or port from Source to other games.

[QUOTE=bohb;39547767]Valve stated years ago that you're allowed to cross-port content between Source games.[/QUOTE] any links to the source? I'd love to have this confirmed.

[QUOTE=bohb;39547767]Valve stated years ago that you're allowed to cross-port content between Source games, but you aren't allowed to backport from Source to HL1 (some people did this anyway) or port from Source to other games.[/QUOTE] That seems a bit odd, about backporting. What was their reason for it? I've seen quite a few Source models in Goldsource games.

[QUOTE=CorporalCupCake;39548134]That seems a bit odd, about backporting. What was their reason for it? I've seen quite a few Source models in Goldsource games.[/QUOTE] Valve wanted people to move on to the Source engine and not stay with the old HL engine that wasn't making them any money. Despite this, HL engine games stayed popular right up until about 2008. There's still a small following for mods on the HL engine (like Sven Coop.)

Valve probably won't care if you use their content in another one of their games but I wouldn't use someone else's content in your mod/map without consulting them first, especially if you are doing it for some kind of financial gain in anyway(including donations).

[QUOTE=bohb;39551786]There's still a small following for mods on the HL engine (like Sven Coop.)[/QUOTE] CS 1.6 is still [I]really[/I] popular too.