Are counter-strike maps property of valve?

My guess would be yes, but I'm not sure. I know Blizzard (nowadays) owns all mods made from the day they changed their EULA a couple of years ago, wouldn't suprise me if Valve did the same.

Completely unknown I would think, unless there has been a court case where someone has fought over it.

They can place whatever they like in their EULA, doesn't make it legal. This is a huge thing that people seem to overlook when agreeing/signing contracts. If something in there doesn't follow a specific law, then it doesn't matter.

So you're saying that if an EULA/Contract goes against any law it is nullified? How does that work with multiple-nationalities?

Quote from Sjonsson

So you're saying that if an EULA/Contract goes against any law it is nullified? How does that work with multiple-nationalities?

An EULA can only really go as far as saying they can ban you from their services under any condition they care for I believe.

And in a contract only the clause that is illegal would be nullified I believe.

Creator owns the copyright to the design, not to the content unless it's self made. You can share the map free but not sell it. Also, if you submit it to the workshop, Valve owns basically all of it after that.

Quote from ics

Creator owns the copyright to the design, not to the content unless it's self made. You can share the map free but not sell it. Also, if you submit it to the workshop, Valve owns basically all of it after that.

Hey ICS,

Glad to see you here on the core. Haven't seen on GB for a long time.

To OP: what ICS mentioned is true.

You can refer to the Steam subscriber agreement for further details especially sections 2C, 3D, 6A and 6B (http://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/)

Quote from Sjonsson

So you're saying that if an EULA/Contract goes against any law it is nullified? How does that work with multiple-nationalities?

yeah you cant write a contract that would do something illegal. IIRC it invalidates the entire contract in Canada (even the parts that are legal).

My guess is that if you created all the content yourself then it's yours (brushwork, models, textures etc) otherwise you have to strip out everything else.

Design is the structure. Content is what the structure is built out of (and enhanced with).

Quote from Mapham

So if I build certain type of map layout, I own exclusive right for that layout? I am not sure how this makes sense if I dont have any copyright for the actual map content.

It would be interesting to reverse engineer a custom made map and label each component with its owner and see how much you "really" own.

Quote from Mapham

So if I build certain type of map layout, I own exclusive right for that layout? I am not sure how this makes sense if I dont have any copyright for the actual map content.

The layout is your intellectual property, as it originates from your mind. If you didn't make any of the models/textures/whatever, then you can obviously not own that map content.

Think of your layout as a greyboxed map, stripped from all stock and custom content.

The key I learned is to not worry in the slightest, the moment you make something worth earning money from (in one way or another) you can just do it for a career - of course I'm talking as a amateur here, if it's your primary source of income then that is unacceptable.

If your earning a tiny little bit of money on the side, and it doesn't do harm for the game in any way I doubt they will come chasing you with cattle prod.

Quote from will2k

Hey ICS,

Glad to see you here on the core. Haven't seen on GB for a long time.

To OP: what ICS mentioned is true.

You can refer to the Steam subscriber agreement for further details especially sections 2C, 3D, 6A and 6B (http://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/)

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Thanks, i really don't go to GB that much these days, it's really went into more confusing and driving me away.

As for topic, Squad said it the best, the stuff that comes out from your mind is basically what you own. A good example of this from the past years is de_cpl_mill, which then was changed to de_tuscan by other league since CPL claimed to have the copyright on it. The map of course uses different textures and theme but it is also changed a bit, though quite like the original.

So basically you could take dust2's layout and use it like will2k did with his map but it's still different. In games such as counter-strike, map is a map and you rarely see someone taking someone elses work and do an edit with it. Change it and release as his own. There has been cases such as this.

Even i have been target in one case (imagine that). My old CS Source map was taken and ported to CSGO without my permission too. I kindly asked the server owner to take it off and he did so, because he respected my rights to that map. Though it was as ugly as CSS and textures & models were Valve property but the layout was still the same, the one that came out from my head.

Generally if you do stuff for free and others to enjoy like i do, things like this are insignificant but if you do it for a commercial game and someone takes that off from there, that is a big thing.

** EDIT **

Also if you take material from someone elses "free" work and use it in a commercial game, that is a thing too. For the worst.