Guys – if any of you use Blendswap, don’t use CGTextures. In fact, don’t use CGTextures at all. They are being pricks. See:
http://www.blendswap.com/3D-models/news/blend-swap-conduct/
It is ridiculous for them to make a free texture website that states it can be used for 3D models, sold as a package, except for Blendswap.
There are alternatives:
It is ridiculous for them to make a free texture website that states it can be used for 3D models, sold as a package, except for Blendswap.
Where do they say this. Everyone has to comply with the texture license whether it is you, blendswap or anyone else. Just because the textures are free to use commercially doesn’t give you the right to remove CGtextures copyright by releasing their work as CC (such as the licenses used for blendswap models)
I will comply with their texture license. This does not mean I have to use them. I could model a character and texture it. Sell it on Turbosuid with all the textures included, making no mention of the source or anything, and that would be fine. But I cant’ model a character and give him away. I understand that they don’t want their textures redistributed, but on Blendswap, no one goes to get textures, they go to get models. I don’t see how this hurts CGTextures, when I could go and get there textures for free anyway.
It seems that they have ads on CGTextures, which means that they probably make revenue from the ads. If people can get their textures from other websites, then they might lose ad revenue.
What I mean is I could go to CGTextures and get their textures for free. Thus being subjected to their ads (which is fine)
they do have a “Premium members” maybe they are worried those textures will be redistributed. But I don’t think that is a problem in 99.5% of the cases (and therefore, handle personally the 0.5% that it is a problem)
Apparently what is not allowed is distributing as part of the package an -unmodified- texture coming from CGTexture, so if you have modified the image you downloaded from CGTexture (resize, rework, etc…) this should not affect your blendswap upload :
As in the CGTexture license
Use of the Textures is only allowed under the following conditions:
- Private or commercial use
- Use in 2D or 3D computer graphics, movies and printed media
- Incorporation in computer games, 3D models
- Selling 3D models bundled with modified versions of the textures, when the texture is customized for the 3D model
It is NOT permitted to:
- Sell or distribute any of these textures in an unmodified form, or where the derived product you are selling or distributing is a Texture or a collection of Textures. IN OTHER WORDS: Do not sell or distribute any of these textures (modified or not) by itself or in a texture, material, clipart, website theme or scrapbooking pack!
But from the CGTextures the FAQ, you need to add something to credit CGTextures when you use a texture that is a modification of an image found on their website.
When selling or redistributing a 3D model bundled with textures from CGTextures please add the following text in the documentation accompanying the model:
“One or more textures on this 3D model have been created with images from CGTextures.com. These images may not be redistributed by default, please visit www.cgtextures.com for more information.”
So as long as :
-your texture is packed in the .blend, so it’s not considered as distributing the texture standalone
-your texture is a modified version of the original CGTextures image you downloade
-you are creditting CGTextures according to what they mention
You and Blendswap should have no problem.
@ Robsoie : This is not true. Also from their FAQ:
<b>May I use these textures in my Open Source (Creative Commons, GPL, etc) project?</b> No. These textures may not be used in Open-Source projects. The licenses are not compatible. Almost all Open-Source licenses allow redistribution of the materials, and redistribution is not allowed for these textures.
Matthew from Blendswap has contacted CGTextures to understand the fine details. Summing it up simply, the textures from CGTextures can not be used to produce CC content.
Hence the confusion. They seem to have contradictory licensing. I guess I would like to know their market scheme – what are they trying to prevent? Does banning textures from 3D models under CC-0 threaten that strategy?
well you can produce CG content but when it comes to textures simply reference to CGtextures to get them from there
and no include them in your blend file
the problem is – generally I modify the textures to fit, chop them to UV space, overlay an AO bake, etc, so that makes it unusable.
Then you will have to include instructions.
It seems the problem is copyright. cgtextures own the copyright. You can’t GPL copyrighted material.
If it is a problem for you, you should not use cgtextures material. Personally, I don’t have a problem with that, and will continue to use them.
I missed that part, thanks for mentionning it.
Though i can see now why it’s then incompatible with Blendswap (as the .blend are basically source files) i don’t see how CGTextures are incompatible with CC license ?
As unlike GPL, CC does not mean open source.
edit : my bad, i thought there was one, but i don’t see a CC license that forbid to share/distribute/transmit, even the most restrictive ( cc by nc nd ) does not forbid that, and is then not compatible with the “no redistribution” of CGTextures.
Aye, I already had that thought too and it would work just fine. The only real problem I see with that however is it blocks the end user. Specifically what I mean is let’s say that I create a CC game model (weapon for example) and some open source or CC game makers want to use it, well, they really can’t. They would effectively go download the CGTextures to plug into the CC .blend and now it’s no long CC. So it would be imposed on the end user of the model to either retexture the model for their use or not use a CC model for open purposes.
In the end, I have concluded I will not be taking this approach for my future models I release.
this is another reason why next to blender we should have a GPL texture library people upload their own created textures
so we do not have any license issues.
A texture dedicaced website similar to what Blendswap does for the models would be a very good idea, this way people could share their texture under the license they prefer if they don’t want to allow commercial use by a 3rd party or are not bothered by it.
That’s essentially what http://www.goodtextures.com/ is. Ready more here http://www.goodtextures.com/about.html As a result of needing to rework my models and not end up back where I was, I emailed Simon and he’s very nice. At any rate, I also suggested I will at some time take my Cannon out and get some photos as well, and he confirmed, that’s the point.
Thank you for the link as i didn’t have this website in my various ressources bookmark.
They’re indeed compatible with Blendswap and the various CC licenses, very good alternative to CGTextures then.
May I use these textures in my Open Source (Creative Commons, GPL, etc) project?
Yes. These textures may be used in Open-Source projects. In that case, you are allowed to bundle them and distribute them as a package. Please add the following text to the documentation of the map:“One or more textures on this map have been created with images from Goodtextures.com. These images may not be redistributed by default. Please visit www.goodtextures.com for more information.”
http://www.texturemate.com/ is a pretty good site as well as the textures from Yo Frankie! http://www.crystalspace3d.org/CreativeCommonsTextures/
Someone better at understanding licenses then me would need to make sure they are able to be used though.
I honestly can’t believe what I’m reading.
For years now CGTextures have provided quality textures for FREE. Just because they won’t let you use them under a CC license does not mean they are being “pricks”. It means they are protecting their intellectual property.
I completely side with CGTextures.com. They are doing a great service to the 3d community and they have every right to be protective of their work.
I don’t think CGtextures is being mean, but I’d rather not have to worry about legal issues when I want to give away the source to my projects under a CC license.
I quite like the idea of a public domain texture repository maintained by Blender users. It could even be accessible directly through Blender with an addon!