   Can I write a C++ book describing how to display/render another companies art assets?
  Is it legal in the United States to write a C++ programming book about reverse engineering another companies art assets to form your own game? If so, is it also legal to use screenshots of their art assets as rendered by your code inside the book and/or on the cover?The reason I feel this can be important is that many tidbits of game engine design can be learned simply by taking apart a professional companies art assets and rendering them using your own code.   
  Reverse engineering a file format should be fine, as long as there's no patents involved.Posting screens of their art could well be said to be unauthorised duplication (i.e. infringement) though. It would probably be better to get some free assets and convert them into these formats, and then show how to decode them.   ;  Reproducing artwork from a game is copyright infringement; since you're profiting by teaching people how to infringe, you're exposing yourself to being pulled into a suit as a vicarious or contributory infringer (think Napster... facilitating copyright infringement is in many cases as bad or worse than direct infringement). It's not the best idea I've heard today. This also presents a rather fascinating question under the Anti-circumvention provision of the DMCA, if your method involves getting around any kind of encryption or other safety measure (trade secret, proprietary file format, etc.) used to prevent people from doing the very thing you want them to do: 17 U.S.C. 1201(a)(2)"(2) No person shall manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide, or otherwise traffic in any technology, product, service, device, component, or part thereof, that—(A) is primarily designed or produced for the purpose of circumventing a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title;(B) has only limited commercially significant purpose or use other than to circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title; or(C) is marketed by that person or another acting in concert with that person with that person’s knowledge for use in circumventing a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title."17 U.S.C. 1201(b)"(1) No person shall manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide, or otherwise traffic in any technology, product, service, device, component, or part thereof, that—(A) is primarily designed or produced for the purpose of circumventing protection afforded by a technological measure that effectively protects a right of a copyright owner under this title in a work or a portion thereof;(B) has only limited commercially significant purpose or use other than to circumvent protection afforded by a technological measure that effectively protects a right of a copyright owner under this title in a work or a portion thereof; or(C) is marketed by that person or another acting in concert with that person with that person’s knowledge for use in circumventing protection afforded by a technological measure that effectively protects a right of a copyright owner under this title in a work or a portion thereof.";  @Hodgman - thanks for the tip about the free assets - the biggest problem being that free assets are generally *UGLY* assets and probably wouldn't sell books IMHO.@Mona - Why did you cut-n-paste the text for both 17 U.S.C. 1201(a)(2) and 17 U.S.C. 1201(b), they seem to be 100% identical except for the statute number? Were you suggesting I could be sued twice for the same violation?If I can't use the exact meshes and textures...can I use other non-visible parts of the file format like the keyframe animations? The file formats I can currently reverse engineer are not encrypted unless ZLIB compression is considered encryption under the law.Also (as in the case of the NetImmerse/Gamebryo NIF format) - what if the means to perform the reverse engineering is already posted on the internet and I simply advise to download and show how to use those software libraries to take the reverse engineering a step further?A big part of the "selling value" of a book like this are the art resources it brings to the table. What a lot of people don't realize is that game logic, rendering logic and AI are all embedded inside modern art resources along with the more obvious triangles, textures and keyframes.I don't understand how people have been able to profit by reverse engineering Windows operating system constructs and formats - and advertising Windows all over their books and texts but this is somehow illegal when applied to a Game Software?   ;  I recommend you contact an attorney if you want to really monetize this. The below is for academic/educational purposes only and should at least give you an idea of what kinds of questions and possibilities may arise. (a) protects access controls (encryptian, password locking) to the data file;(b) is more general; it protects technological measures that protect the rights in and to the work as opposed to accessing the file or work, so DRM that prohibits copying or otherwise protects specific rights to the work without controlling access to data files or the work is also protected. The problem is that these terms aren't very clearly defined under the act and can be interpreted broadly. There's litigation, but it's still not a well-written law and thus is very open to creating novel legal arguments and grounds for merited suits. This can be costly to developers if they get sucked into this kind of fight, because these fights can be drawn out until you're destitute, emotionally and psychologically bitter and broken, and living with your parents again. I'm a strong believer in open source and making information available to people, but I'm also a lawyer, and one of my jobs is to think like the other party's lawyer; so if you came to my office and asked me:Quote:If I can't use the exact meshes and textures...can I use other non-visible parts of the file format like the keyframe animations? The file formats I can currently reverse engineer are not encrypted unless ZLIB compression is considered encryption under the law.I'd say something to the effect of "if I were the lawyer representing the person suing you I'd certainly argue that ZLIB compression is encryption" unless there's very clear case law or licensing considerations to the contrary (e.g., the file formats you are giving instruction about concern open sourceIf you asked:Quote:Also (as in the case of the NetImmerse/Gamebryo NIF format) - what if the means to perform the reverse engineering is already posted on the internet and I simply advise to download and show how to use those software libraries to take the reverse engineering a step further?I'd say the opposing party who might sue you would argue that they have the right to sue whoever, whenever; they don't need to sue every website that's posted instruction in order to sue you for contributory infringement. It's not a strong argument, but that doesn't mean someone wouldn't try to make it. So the proper steps in this situation is to find the best ways to mitigate your risk, whether it's by including adequate disclaimers, indemnifications, or whether it's by recommending tools and only using content and code and this is the creative commons or open source. Or just ask permission. It may be that the company producing the art assets you want people to reverse engineer will be on board in helping to make this information available. If they're not, you'll know ahead of time whether it's worth the risk.[Edited by - madelelaw on May 9, 2010 1:38:52 PM];Quote:Original post by Steve_Segreto@Hodgman - thanks for the tip about the free assets - the biggest problem being that free assets are generally *UGLY* assets and probably wouldn't sell books IMHO.Important point - just because something is free, that doesn't mean you can use it without permission. You still need to check the license under which it is distributed to ensure that it can be used for commercial purposes. Many free stock images are distributed only for non-commercial use.If you want to use whichever images you have your eye on you will need to ask permission and you may be surprised how many artists would be happy to allow you to reprint their images at no cost just because you were decent enough to ask. Especially as your book is educational in nature (and provided that you credit them). 