Font Questions

Community Forums/General Help/Font Questions

Ked(Posted 2009) [#1]
Alright, I've got a couple questions here that I know have been argued about. I apologize in advance for bringing them up again. :)

1) When creating a title image for my game, are there any restrictions on what fonts I can use?

2) When creating an image font for my game, are there any restrictions on what fonts I can use?

Thanks!


Gabriel(Posted 2009) [#2]
1. No.
2. Yes. You can only use fonts where the license expressly permits distribution of the font or creating your own font format.


Ked(Posted 2009) [#3]
Alright. Thanks, Gabriel!


Ked(Posted 2009) [#4]
Ok, I would like to create an image font from Eras Medium ITC, but I am unable to find the license for this font on the ITC website. I have tried googling but cannot find anything. Can anyone help?


GaryV(Posted 2009) [#5]
Licensing info links provided on this page:

http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fonts/font.aspx?FMID=421


Ked(Posted 2009) [#6]
Microsoft has licensed Ascender Corp. to distribute its many fonts to end-users and enterprises, and to hardware and software developers.

Unfortunately the font you selected is not currently available for license by Ascender.

Dang. Looks like I'll need to look for a different one.

But, hopefully I'm looking in the right spot? I clicked the "License Eras Medium ITC font for enterprises, web developers, for hardware & software redistribution or server installations" link.


Ginger Tea(Posted 2009) [#7]
Ok, I would like to create an image font from Eras Medium ITC, but I am unable to find the license for this font on the ITC website. I have tried googling but cannot find anything. Can anyone help?


if in doubt assume they wont allow it
if you mean bitmap font there are alot of 'free' fonts, unfortunatly mostly harking back to the amiga demo scene days, so they do lack the full ascii set.
i used to have alot of links but sadly on another pc

edit:
slow typer
your post wernt up when i started


Ked(Posted 2009) [#8]
After some more googling, I've come to the thought that I might need to use a font that has been released as public domain, because if anything is released as public domain, then it has no restrictions whatsoever, right?

I am trying to be as careful as I can, because I don't want anything to come back and get me.

EDIT about public domain:
Excerpt from the Public Domain License:
Dedicator recognizes that, once placed in the public domain, the Work may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, used, modified, built upon, or otherwise exploited by anyone for any purpose, commercial or non-commercial, and in any way, including by methods that have not yet been invented or conceived.



Grey Alien(Posted 2009) [#9]
After thorough research for my last game I now totally agree with Gabriel. Be very careful if you are making a commercial game to double/triple check all the licences. Do not trust sites that say "free fonts" that have no further details.


Robert Cummings(Posted 2009) [#10]
Solve the problem with bitmap fonts. Use this module:

http://www.wieringsoftware.nl/blitz/

which imports the results from this app:

http://www.angelcode.com/products/bmfont/


And you can use any ttf font in the world without restrictions. Because you're not using the TTF font, it is packed tightly into a bitmap.


Ked(Posted 2009) [#11]
Solve the problem with bitmap fonts.

Unfortunately, I don't think it's that easy. The font license has to say if you can take the image from the font, correct?

EDIT:
Grey, may I ask where you get your fonts?


Gabriel(Posted 2009) [#12]
Because you're not using the TTF font, it is packed tightly into a bitmap.

And the font foundries consider it an alternate font format and will threaten legal action. This should concern you because - as you'll find out if you research as Jake has - that they already have done this and have won in court.

The only site I can think of offhand where the fonts may definitely be distributed as bitmap fonts without additional license fees costing huge amount of money is Ray Larabie's site. ( Both his free anc commercial fonts. ) There probably are others but they're hard to find, because most fonts come from big font foundries who aren't really interested in $50 here and there.


Ked(Posted 2009) [#13]
Holy cow. It scared the crap out of me when I noticed that this thread was no longer in General Discussion! :)

But, we're all good now. I've come to the conclusion that I will be using the Public Domain-licensed font Tuffy! The zip file included a text file that held license information and I read it about six times to make sure it was free for whatever I wanted it to do and crap. So, thanks everyone for their help.

(And Grey, I would still like to hear about where you get your fonts if that's alright.)


xlsior(Posted 2009) [#14]
if you're looking for completely free TTF fonts (including for commercial use), check out this site: http://www.aenigmafonts.com

There's about 300 fonts there, all made by a single very prolific font creator.


Ked(Posted 2009) [#15]
New question.

3) When creating menu buttons for my game, are there any restrictions on what fonts I can use? I want them to look similar to the title image.


Gabriel(Posted 2009) [#16]
Assuming the menu buttons are static images (ie: the text on the buttons is predefined and cannot change) then I don't believe there are any restrictions, providing you have any valid license to use the font for something in the first place.


Ked(Posted 2009) [#17]
providing you have any valid license to use the font for something in the first place.

You lost me. :/


Ked(Posted 2009) [#18]
Nevermind. I got it. :)