Selling 3d models

Hi

I use Blitz3d and I'm planning to use Blender (or another freeware utility) to produce 3d models and distribute commercially but to do so would need to include .3ds, .x, .md2 models with my 3d engine.

(1) Can I use blender to create my 3d models (in, for example, Quake - .md2, or in Discreet/Studio Max - .3ds, export and either sell independently the models produced or include them unaltered in my commercial application?

(2) Do I need to have a licence with the company who designed the model format itself? For example, if I export my own designed Quake .md2 model from Blender or whatever, would I be able to sell or commercially distribute models in Quake or whatever format?
Or do I need to have a separate commercial arrangement with, for example, Id Software.

(3) Is the .X format non-proprietary - ie if I sell a game do I need to contact Microsoft about the 3d models accompanying my game, or just plain export from Blender?

It would be nice to think that the model format itself can be used by anyone free - but hey that's just me being plain old optimistic!

Cheers

I think the formats are free to use. One exception may be BSP, cause of the compiler. 3ds is no problem.

I think it's more the compression algorithms that are patented in eg. MP3, GIF or JPG that may not be exported by your software without a costy license. But selling such files is off course the content owners business.

So don't worry about it.

You of course can sell them
go to www.3dcafe.com

Dark Ray

There is of course nothing stopping me selling them.

However I wish to sell/distribute independently. Thanks for the 3d cafe site link - I would imagine that site has its own licensing with those companies? I know if I'd set it up I'd want my ass covered.

Problem comes when - for example - Discreet or whoever come knocking on my door asking for retrospective royalties for sale of .3ds models, for example. Also is it not possible they might ask why I didn't fork out $2500 for their own product?

Guarantee me that and great.

I guess the only way I can know for sure is to contact the individual companies themselves.

Unless someone has water-tight legal opinion on this.

Out of interest Mete at Milkshape was incredibly approachable and helpful. If you own a legit, registered copy of Milkshape you're ok to create, sell and reap royalty-free profit with Milkshape models (.ms3d format).

Thanks jfk EO-11110

My opinion

the .3ds format is royalty free and descreet promots the sale of models in that format (They even own a sales website called turbo squid)

On the off chance I'm wrong about this format....

If your not making houndreds of thousands of dollars, I doubt a company like descreet is going to hire a team of lawyers to hunt you down and sue you over not owning 3dsmax slash paying royaltys.

X, B3D, OBJ and some other formats are no problem. I think even 3DS shouldn't be one (you only get trouble with Discreet if you support .max and .gmax in importers / converters), as it is one of the old "standardformats" in 3D which is even supported by nearly all free modellers.