Legal Fonts to use?

[Monchan]

Hey there,

I'm currently developing a mobile game, and I was using one of the fonts in the game maker sprite editor for the logo of the game. Someone brought to my attention that certain fonts may actually be illegal to use?

The one I'm using is Showcard Gothic. I've edited the words quite a bit, coloring it in, outlining it, etc. Does that affect its legality?


Any and all info is appreciated. Thank you!

 

[YellowAfterlife]

Sprite editor shows the fonts you have installed on your computer.

For this particular font, apparently licensing starts at $160 per app per year to $800 per app non-expiring

Type Network

Type Network offers a curated selection of typefaces from quality foundries for use across desktop, web, apps, and more.

store.typenetwork.com

 

[chamaeleon]

If the font is not set "Copy to project" perhaps the Desktop option is sufficient.

A desktop license allows you to download a font and install it on your computer and use it in any desktop application that contains a font menu, such as Word or Photoshop. You may create and print documents using the font and use it in static images.

Key aspect being "use it in static images", which the GMS font bitmap resource included in a game is. Of course the "Other" license category (not shown as an option for adding to cart, but you're supposed to contact them) includes "Video Games". So who can tell what is most applicable.

IANAL, etc.

 

[flyinian]

A good way to avoid all/most legal issues is to make your own resources.

Here is a video on how to do custom fonts.

 

[dannyjenn]

I cannot guarantee that what I've heard is correct, but I've heard that rasterized fonts aren't protected by copyright law. (I think this is on the basis that the letterforms are still just letterforms, no matter how fancy the designer makes them look. As such, the content doesn't reach a high enough level of creativity/originality to constitute a copyrightable work. A dingbat font would be the exception. And vector fonts (*.ttf files, etc.) are protected by copyright law, though the copyright there protects only the file, not the letterforms. So once you rasterize a non-dingbat font, it's anything goes. Again, I don't know if any of this is true. But I think it's what I've heard, and it seems to make sense.)

Of course, the safe thing to do would probably just be to go back and redraw the logo from scratch. Especially if it's just one logo, not an entire game's worth of assets.

 

[chamaeleon]

I cannot guarantee that what I've heard is correct, but I've heard that rasterized fonts aren't protected by copyright law. (I think this is on the basis that the letterforms are still just letterforms, no matter how fancy the designer makes them look. As such, the content doesn't reach a high enough level of creativity/originality to constitute a copyrightable work. A dingbat font would be the exception. And vector fonts (*.ttf files, etc.) are protected by copyright law, though the copyright there protects only the file, not the letterforms. So once you rasterize a non-dingbat font, it's anything goes. Again, I don't know if any of this is true. But I think it's what I've heard, and it seems to make sense.)

Of course, the safe thing to do would probably just be to go back and redraw the logo from scratch. Especially if it's just one logo, not an entire game's worth of assets.

It has typically been my understanding as well. However, from https://glarts.org/font-and-typeface-legal-tip-sheet/ (while reiterating I know very little about law)

That court also held that typefaces are ineligible for copyright registration, but are eligible for patent protection through a design patent. The first-ever design patent was actually granted for a typeface.

 

[gkri]

Sprite editor shows the fonts you have installed on your computer.

For this particular font, apparently licensing starts at $160 per app per year to $800 per app non-expiring

Type Network

Type Network offers a curated selection of typefaces from quality foundries for use across desktop, web, apps, and more.

store.typenetwork.com

@YellowAfterlife showed you the original source of the font. But what is you are not leery of the current font situation? You can find it (and almost any font) by several font sites that they offer them for free and they can do that legally assuming personal use. They may distribute it without attaching any license or even more information about the creators of the font. Example : https://fontzone.net/font-details/showcard-gothic

And even if those sites are claiming that the 3rd party's font they are offering for free, you can use it for the reasons you want, you STILL need to find the creators' site and CROSSCHECK it.

 

[chance]

If the font is not set "Copy to project" perhaps the Desktop option is sufficient.

Good point. This is generally true for pre-installed fonts in Microsoft Windows. Since you aren't redistributing the font by "embedding" it in the game, you don't need to purchase a license.

There's some useful FAQs on this Microsoft Docs page about font distribution.
Below are some relevant examples, but it's worth reading the entire thing.

Can I include graphic files (eg. GIFs, PNGs or JPEGs) I create using the fonts in my game or apps, say for a logo or banner?
Yes, you can (provided you're using a product that is not specifically licensed for home, student or non-commercial use). The graphic file must be an image of a word, phrase or passage of text.

Can I embed the fonts into a game, application or device I’m developing based on the document font embedding permissions?
No, document font embedding permissions relate to embedding fonts in documents only, not embedding fonts in games, apps and devices.

If I convert the font into a bitmap font can I include that in my game or app?
No, converting Windows fonts to other formats does not change the rules around embedding or redistribution, and format conversion itself is not allowed.

EDIT: facepalm... I left out the word "don't" in my first paragraph. Changes the entire meaning. Sorry.

 

[chamaeleon]

@chance Thanks for finding that nugget of information!