Hi, I’m wondering if its ok for me to monetize a let’s play video of BMS.
I credited the makers and linked the website in the description. Is this acceptable, or is there a more formal document I should link when Youtube asks about it? I have Valve’s policy on there games here, since this is based off their game should that be enough? https://www.valvesoftware.com/videopolicy.html
Thank you for your time,
-CaptainGoodstuff
It’s hardly in the spirit of things. After all, to financially gain from a piece of work that dozens of people have spent years on and earned nothing from is, well, I certainly couldn’t do it with a clear conscience. As Valve’s policy states, it only refers to THEIR content (it’s on the page you linked, I’m unsure as to how you’ve missed it) and so definitely wouldn’t be enough on its own.
I’d wait though for an official response.
Just no.
First, you are aware of the literally hundreds of game oriented channels on Youtube, right? Its like reviewing a piece of work, not stealing. I take no credit outside of the editing, and completely understand the amazing game that they have created. And at request would take my video down if they deem it unreasonable. It is not yet monetized, and that is exactly why I am asking. You do realize that its also free advertisement as well.
By the way, I really can’t expect to gain any sort of financial gain with 16 subscribers anyway. Its my second video, and something I was excited about making. I simply wanted to formally go through the process of Youtube just for the experience, not to make bundles of cash.
Of course I do not intend to offend anyone as I seemingly have, so Ill shut up and let it lie. Thank you for replying to a calm request with negativity. I seriously expected a “Unfortunately, we do not allow that” at the least.
Oh and while we are on the topic of financial gain, where can I donate to the developers? I did honestly enjoy the mod, which is why I was disappointed to find it not more popular than it is, and why I chose it for some of my first videos.
Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot here… let me go into a little more detail.
The video I’ve made is nothing special. I don’t have thousands of subs and Youtube cash flowing, and that is not my focus or goal. Nor do I intend to discredit the developers or understate the work they’ve done. I took a game I enjoyed, and a form of entertainment (let’s plays) that I wanted to try my hand at. I did my thing, I had fun with it and it was exciting to share it with my friends and random people on the internet to see how they liked it. I wanted to take a look at monetization just for the heck of it, but I wanted to do it right. I did my research and the document from Valve was all I could find, so I came here to ask permission.
See, the video isn’t stealing credit, or taking advantage of someone else’s hard work. That would be like saying the Black Mesa developers were taking advantage of Valve by using their game. Its not, that’s just silly. The developers took something they loved, Half Life, and made something amazing out of it. My video is a pathetic synonym to that, but its sort of the same thing on a tiny scale. I want to see what I’m good at, and what I can do with what I have. It can show me that I have skill in editing, or give me experience in following a system to present my project. Or so far it has taught me that no one gives a damn about someone with no experience trying their hand at something new, whatever. I’m another person with an idea like you, and that’s all I ask to be treated as. Taking my request and video, and throwing it in my face with a condescending “Just no.” is uncalled for, and makes me feel like crap.
I apologize for the rant and for any hard feelings. The video is not and will not be monetized. Thank you for your time.
You can review, you can “let’s play”, but not monetize.
Noted. Thank you.
You can’t donate.
However, I think the only similiarity would be to donate to the composer of Black Mesa “Joel Nielsen”.
https://www.blackmesasource.com/soundtrack.html
Also edit your post if you have to add more things, or make stuff clear next time 
.
Heh, yeah probably could have condensed my posts. That’s my trying-not-to-come-across-as-a-douchebag panic mode for ya xD
Here are directions from the developers concerning donations.From https://wiki.blackmesasource.com/Donations[/SIZE]
[align=center]"If you have the money and really want to do something with it, go and give it to some charity such as [url=https://www.childsplaycharity.org/]Child’s Play.[/url]"[/align]
Don’t know why you say its popularity is disappointing. As of Oct. 6, 2013 it has been downloaded over three million times. It’s release was written about in numerous articles worldwide and it received ModDB’s 2012 Mod of the Year Award.
^ Don’t forget release day last year… shutter The forums went down due to the influx of traffic coming in all at once. I think it hit around 8k before the server slowed to a crawl.
Oh wow, nice. I hadn’t seen that. Guess I’ve been living under a rock since its release xD Anywho, thanks for the info.
Founded in 2004, Leakfree.org became one of the first online communities dedicated to Valve’s Source engine development. It is more famously known for the formation of Black Mesa: Source under the 'Leakfree Modification Team' handle in September 2004.