Licensing question

Hey guys,

I'm new to Unity but have been hugely impressed by just playing around with the free version. It seems to exceed other development options I've tried in nearly every way. I have a question regarding the licensing that I hope someone can help me with. I realise if I tried hard enough, I could probably find the answer in the license itself, but reading those is an absolute nightmare.

So I'm quite eager to use Unity Pro, as I really want some of the options it provides (HDR, post process shaders, global illumination etc etc). But there's no way I'd be able to afford it at the moment. What I'm wondering is whether it's possible to just develop a game in the free and trial versions (e.g maybe start the trial a month before finishing development just to code the advanced effects) and then only pay for the pro license when I'm certain I'll definitely be releasing a full game. So, for example, is it ok to create an online demo with the trial version?

I'm aware that unity is often a target of piracy so I feel I need to emphasise, this isn't some kind mischievous attempt to evade the obligation of paying for the software, I'm just honestly struggling with my current financial limitations and hope they won't stopping me make the best game I possibly can. I hope someone can clear things up for me,

Thanks

 

Yes you can buy Pro anytime during development.

You cannot use the trial version for commercial purposes. I believe kickstarters count as commercial purposes, so releasing a demo with the trial would also be a no go.

 

Thanks,

Yeah I figured it was possible to buy the pro version at any point. Ok, so the trial can't be used for commercial purposes. What about non-commercial purposes though?

So for example, if you want to make a demo with the trial version in order to show people the game. Then, if and when you decide to go ahead and release a full game, you buy the pro version at that point. Is that an acceptable approach?

 

Commercial purposes probably wasn't the correct way to describe it. I believe it is only for internal use, so you should not release any builds made with the trial, even if they are just demos.

Don't take my word for it though, hopefully someone more knowledgeable about the ToS will come along.

 

Ah, yes I've just happened across the subscription option, that's very interesting.

So am I right in thinking that the main drawback of the subscription is that after the year is over, you no longer own the copy of unity pro? Meaning that, if you assume you'll want unity pro for a couple of years, it's worth investing in the fixed price version.

 

You are right.

 

But whats the real advantage to owning software? I mean I could own Photoshop CS2, but I don't, I have a Creative Cloud subscription and I always have the latest version of Photoshop and everything else. Its pretty much the same thing with the Unity Subscription, you would always be up to date, I think it's really a better deal IMHO.

 

I would've thought that was quite simple.
The advantage is that if it turns out you're going to use the same software for the next 5 years, you end up saving a massive wad of cash.

 

Then you should just keep using the free version since you don't really seem to care about optimizations and such. The never version of almost all software provides improvements over the old version so if you think its a good idea to use a version of software you "own" for 5 years then you are going to be missing out on the improvements in newer versions...

Are you still running Microsoft Vista by chance, because according to your logic you should be

 

You still end up paying a bit more with the subscriptions than if you had bought the licenses and upgraded to the new versions whenever they came out (especially if you count the reduced upgrade price). The point of the subscription is a lower upfront cost and that after a year you can cancel whenever. If you know you will be using Unity for years, and you don't mind the larger upfront cost, outright buying it is a better choice.