Indie-Resource.com

Has anyone messed around with this engine lately? Is it worth the 150 for the personal edition?

Would it be a good idea to apply for Hero Cloud, which as far as I can see is free until you launch your game and make money off it, if the game I'm developing is a fan made game?

I have no messed with it or heard with it in a while. Last I heard of it wasn't stacking up very well with Torque and Unity, and people kind of quit talking about it. No idea how it is now, though.

I see that their forums ar active. But I'm thinking of just sticking with unity and using Smart Server Fox or Photon as a server middleware..

added question to main post aslo!
Would it be a good idea to apply for Hero Cloud, which as far as I can see is free until you launch your game and make money off it, if the game I'm developing is a fan made game?

They won't give a license for a fan game. You must either own or have a license for the IP for your game.

Thats what I thought. But it also brings up another question. How does one officially obtain a license for the video game?

You have to contact the IP (intellectual property) holder and enter formal negotiations. Depending on what the IP is, it could carry serious clout and you could have to pay top dollar for it. For example, if you wanted a license for a Naruto or Harry Potter MMORPG, those would come with some very serious stipulations, and you would basically have to have multi-million dollar funding to do the IP right before they will talk, because those are serious world-wide cash cows. If you are looking at making a game based on a lesser-known fantasy book by an author who has only sold a few thousand copies, they will have to be much more lenient. They may even give an indie team the rights up front for free provided you offer them some royalties.

It all just depends on what you are after and their stance on licensing. Some IP owners won't talk to anyone because they simply don't want products made featuring their property (like Alan Moore, the creator of Watchman, who didn't even want a movie made of his comics, but rashly signed a contract years ago for it. He would never let a game be made if it is in his control, no matter who the developer was or how much funding they have).

It can never hurt to try, but keep distance with the request and yourself in case you do end up making an unlicensed fan game. You don't want to end up on their radar by asking.

Thats why I've stuck a small scale 2d version. I'm tired of the 2d version getting re done. I would to actually see a 3d version of the game done. But like I've asked it seems that it gets into some legal issues. Oh well. I guess, I'll stick with 2-d and just continue work on my GDD for my own 3d game.

I really don't know if 3D/2D matters. It is the same legal issue regardless. It is more about how big and noticeable a game gets. 9 times out of 10 an IP owner will send a cease and desist letter to you and shut down your game if they ever notice you. But look around the internet. There are literally thousands of fan games! So most IP owners have universally decided not to worry about small-scale indie and hobbyist fan games. They just aren't worth the lawyer fees. If your game starts blowing up, shut down registration and/or download until they go away basically lol. And although making money vs. not making money is of almost no interest to the law, some IP owners will let it slide even if you do come up on their radar provided you aren't making anything simply because making money off of their IP is a slap in their face and virtually guarantees a C&D letter.

So in summary, stay small and don't make a cent, and it likely won't matter if your game is 2D or 3D.

There is another group of people making a 3d game of the same IP as my 2d game. I'm going to see how that plays out. I stuck to 2d because a lot of people don't like it nor does it get to big to be noticed. Thanks for the help jackolantern.

2D is also a crapload easier to develop, and you can't overlook that!