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Is it legal to accept donations for mod development?


100Chihuahuas

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Long story short, I am testing out the feasibility of a mod idea. If it works out, I am interested in making a website for it and finding a small team to help me out. Is it legal to accept donations on a website for mod development? Costs can add up (say for a domain name, finding outside help, extra labor, ect), but I would hate to have Bethesda on my case for doing so.

 

Thanks for any advice

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Someone a few months back tried to use Kickstarter to raise money for the sort of mod-making costs you're talking about; Bethesda told them to take it down. On the other hand, Bethesda is okay with mod-makers accepting voluntary donations as tokens of gratitude for already-published mods. What I take from this is that Bethesda, as per the terms and conditions that come with the Creation Kit, will challenge anything that resembles an attempt to commercialize a Skyrim mod or modding endeavor--which includes "if we get money the mod will be made, or will be made better; if we don't get money, it won't."
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Why not do it through the Nexus?

 

You can't make a file placeholder, especially not for donations, you'd get banned. Without that option, it makes more sense to have a thread here and a website elsewhere, rather than just a thread here.

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I would have a thread and be much more active here, but would also have an official site for promotional and blog-ish purposes. If this all works out, it would be a pretty huge project and would need it's own site!

 

Skyrim Online used to have a donation button on their website, but took it down soon after. Not entirely clear on the reason but I would say it would have to do with legality as well.

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I found a great link for this topic: http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/605097-nexus-donation-system-for-users/

 

"It's great to know that Bethesda do not have a problem with mod authors receiving voluntary donations from other users (and they used the analogy of a tip jar) but we need to make sure that's all that donations are used for. Voluntary donations are fine, but let's list some of the things that aren't fine so we're completely clear:

  • Asking for donations in exchange for password protected files or additional content e.g. offering your own kind of DLC for mods in exchange for donations. All mods must remain completely open, and completely free. You cannot offer additional content for donations.
  • Asking for donations in exchange for updates for your uploaded files e.g. saying "for every £10 I receive I will update my mod with new fixes and features".
  • Asking for donations in exchange for help or support e.g. saying you won't help someone to install or fix problems with their mods unless they donate to you.
  • Offering incentives for people who donate to you
  • Anything that isn't just a straight forward, voluntary donation, in exchange for nothing"

 

That helped answersome questions. It seems legal to use a "donate" button on a website as a "tip jar" or sorts, as long as there is no kind of exchange taking place.

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  • 8 months later...

Hey guys, this is slightly off topic, however, I looked around and was unable to fine any information.

 

My question is this. I have a Donate button on my Skyrim Nexus mods. If someone donates to me, how do I know? I really don't remember giving Nexus my PayPal information. I was away for quite a while, and over the past few days I have updated my profile and this Donate thing is bugging my OCD.

 

How does it work? Thanks in advance for any tips and\or information.

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Long story short, I am testing out the feasibility of a mod idea. If it works out, I am interested in making a website for it and finding a small team to help me out. Is it legal to accept donations on a website for mod development? Costs can add up (say for a domain name, finding outside help, extra labor, ect), but I would hate to have Bethesda on my case for doing so.

 

Thanks for any advice

 

You could ask the folk over at Dark Creations to host the site for you. They are already doing this for several mods that are currently in the developemant stage. Saves having to pay for your own site.

 

http://www.darkcreations.org/get-hosted

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