Game.exe icon

Most commercial rpg maker games that are out have their Game.Exe icon replaced with a custom icon and is been renamed to the game's title. I think that in the eula, it states that we cannot modify or change the game.exe. Anyone can provide some insights on this?

Edited 2:

I just saw this on the main site FAQ:

Please note that any modification of the exe, dll, or other game files generated by RPG Maker or

IG Maker is forbidden.

So it seems changing the pic is definitely forbidden as it clearly states any modification made to the exe is forbidden! The game.exe is generated by Rpg Maker and thus, it falls in the category mentionned on the FAQ. We don't have to look further for an answer since it was long on the site itself.

People who are planning to sell their game should consider this important point. You'll be violating the terms if you change the game.exe icon.

Pegasus, I am adding Enterbrain's official answer to your original post, so it doesn't get lost in the crowd. Shaz

The official (translated) response from Enterbrain:

I don't know about the EULA, but you can change the executable name, but the exe the ini and the encrypted archive must have the same name.

@Pegasus do you mean the icon graphic of the Game.exe or do you mean the WHOLE Game.exe?

Emzie, I meant the icon graphic of the Game.exe.

Use res hacker to replace the icon resource.

i know of ressource hacker but is this considered illegal to edit the game.exe to change its default graphic icon for commercial games? Since we cannot modify the executable, are all the commercial companies that changed the icon's picture be on the wrong side of the legal thing?

I am unaware of any language in the ToS that states you cannot modify the game executable in any way (I don't have the installer here in front of me). I know they don't want you modifying the editor itself, and that is understandable.

This falls into the realm of common sense IMO. They don't care about you swapping the icon out. Really, they don't.

'Licensee shall not reverse engineer, de-compile, or disassemble the RTP SOFTWARE. Further, Licensee shall not sell, distribute, assign, lease, sublicense, encumber, or otherwise transfer the RTP SOFTWARE and/or its data without any prior written consent of ENTERBRAIN.'

It clearly states that we cannot decompile the software and as such, we definitely cannot use ressource hacker or any software to change the game.exe without Violating the terms of the License. The rules are there and this is more important to those who sells their games with a hacked game.exe. It seems unlikely that lawsuits are to be filed or not for this but the fact is there.

I would really like to hear the opinions of the commercial developpers on this matter....

No, it *clearly* states that you are not to de-compile the "RTP software". Now go and show me where it defines the term "RTP software".

Again, this is much ado about nothing. No one cares if you swap the icon, including E!. Really, they don't care. This sort of language exists to protect them when someone reverse engineers the installer/editor/whatever to do something that conflicts with their business model, not to prevent people from using a custom icon.

So if i follow you correctly. We are between 50% sure and not sure that we can swap the icon? If we read these terms and by common sense, we know that we cannot decrypt the game.exe to change its icon. But since they didn't state which is which, we can hack the executable? Because we are clearly decrypting the game.exe and hacking it to insert a custom icon. This method is forbidden to any pre built legal software unless we built the executable ourself.

Or can we assume or presume that the Rtp software is the rpgmaker executable and game.exe forms part of our project, can we say that the project package 'belongs' to us. By so, we can do what we want with it?

I've also just made a search on this via google and according to a popular forum, there have been topics saying this is illegal. It is not a question about whether Enterbrain! care of not, but about the legality of this process since many commercial games do change their icons. Since this is the official rpgmaker forum, i think this is the best place to get a concrete answer on this.

Here's some common sense for ya; E! wouldn't spend $1 combating this form of decompilation. Really, they wouldn't. It's not something that harms their business in any way. Apparently we have very different definitions for the term "common sense".

Oh, so according to a bunch of other random forum-goers it is illegal? Well, that settles it then!

This is normal that they would not file any lawsuit to small companies for such trivial matter but my topic question is whether it was legal or not. Nothing about lawsuits that we may get or if enterbrain! cares or not, but about the process of hacking the game.exe to insert one's custom graphic.

If your question is theoretical in nature then again, you need to define the term "RTP Software". Without that definition the relevant part of the EULA is meaningless (not "clear" as you have stated multiple times. To the contrary, it is extremely vague). I also fail to see how a theoretical discussion is useful in any way.

Asking a forum of RPG enthusiasts a legal question is silly enough to begin with. You're looking for an authoritative legal determination from a bunch of people who almost certainly do not have legal degrees or any practical experience in the matter? That's not likely to get you very far. What you will get are the opinions of people who know little to nothing on the matter and who cannot be viewed as authorities.

I just read the RTP agreement. Correct me if I'm wrong but no where does it say that modifications are illegal. They just don't want you to use the source code.

Yeah. I'm under the impression they basicly mean the files that go into the DATA folder, and the other few .dll files. However, it wouldn't hurt to e-mail E!, even if a little trivial, to, as the EULA states, request permission to change the Game.exe icon.

Maybe they'll make a statement that can be posted that you can change it or not.

I agree with Ed, changing something as simple as the Icon for the .exe is not Illegal (IMO). E! probably does not give a crap about what icon you use for your game. I am sure that they wouldn't look at your game and go "Wow, you used 100% legal resources and spent countless hours on making this game. Too bad you used a custom .exe icon, now we have to shut you down".

They do not want you editing the .exe in terms of how it is coded. They want their actual program left alone, as in modding the editor itself. I truly think that making a simple icon change illegal would be a complete waste of time and resources, and I am sure that E! are not the kind of company who would go that far in the first place.

The Commercial Game being sold on the Degica store, Alpha Kimori, have a custom icon for the excecultable.

So i suppose it's legal, since it on the official store.

Can't argue with that logic, lol. Guess that's our answer then. Thank you Victor.

We hope to have an answer for you directly from Enterbrain in the next couple of days.

Thanks lol was too lazy (or busy) to check but had wanted to do that ever since I read this topic