so now I have to redo all the scenes that uses hidden backgrounds even tho they were approved and some of them arent from brand stories? ouch.
4 Likes
I think to be safe, yes. And if you used any edited bgs that were edited from hidden bgs, you have to replace those too.
4 Likes
wow. This is going to take much more time. going to have to re-direct, then find another bg, and then wait for approval. then check to make sure i have no hidden bg in my stories. Thank you episode.
1 Like
How do i know if its a hidden backgrounds or notā¦
1 Like
Hey, soā¦ I havenāt had the time to read all 268 posts on here, but Iām just confused about a couple things.
A custom background I intended to use and which was made for free wasnāt approved, I donāt think the watermark on it is too big, as other backgrounds with the same watermark have been approved! In the end I had to make a similar one with free, non-Episode assets (with my very poor editing skillsā¦) otherwise I didnāt know how to write that scene. But why wasnāt that background approved? Is it because the editor who made it has just been banned?
Also, Iām an author and have a Ko-Fi. No one ever donated anything on there to be honest, but I donāt use it to release chapters earlier or things like that. Would it still be a problem? I have Ko-Fi just in case someone feels free to donate spontaneously, because they know that I basically write for free like most of us. I know this isnāt exactly art-related, but since Iām writing an Episode story, I guessed it could be a problem somehow. Please @Liz clarify this if it hasnāt been already! 
If I have to, Iāll take down the link to my Ko-Fi.
3 Likes
Someone asked me a question about hidden props. As they are integrated as a part of the writerās portal, Iām assuming that they are okay to continue using in our stories so long as we donāt use them in any background edits/character edits? @Liz
Episode team workers are not machines. So of course they sometimes make mistakes.
Did anyone ever publicly asked if hidden backgrounds can be used? I believe not. So itās only your mistake, not theirs. We already knew for some time that clothes from stories which Liz mentioned will not be released ever, so itās only our mistake to not think clear it goes the same for backgrounds used only in those stories. Same probably goes for hidden props which only those stories use, but not all.
Itās clearly said you need to remove things of which you have no right to use and those are hidden backgrounds.
I donāt see @Liz or @Arlene said that you need to remove backgrounds from Alexa. If they say that, you will have to. In this case there are customers rights - you have a right to ask for your money back from person who you payed.
2 Likes
I feel bad for Alexa. She had some useful thingsānow all thatās gone.
I was going to use a door overlay for an upcoming story made by her, but nope, now I gotta get rid of it insteadā¦
Arlene said itās not about how big watermark is, itās about its purpose. 
1 Like
My 12AM brain is wired up again. If Iām mistaken, donāt judge. 
*me lol
This whole thing does feel a bit severe, though.
And some authors* donāt automatically know whatās hidden or notācanāt we get a list of the hidden overlays and backgrounds?
2 Likes
I know you said this is merely an assumption, and this is no way an attack. I just thought Iād help clarify, and try to explain to you how you might be wrong. I also wanted to clarify that this message is not directed solely at you, but more at those who also think this is a malicious act on Episodeās part.
None of what transpired today is new information. Copyright laws very much exist both outside of Episode and in the real world. Episode has given us this information long ago, so Iām not quite sure why people are so surprised that profiting off of patented material that you do not have the rights to is illegal. We, as a community decided to normalize this pattern of recreating backgrounds and selling them on platforms such as Patreon, Ko-fi etc. Episode never co-signed on this, if anything I am surprised it took this long for something to be said.
Receipts
7. User Content (including Your Content) and Episode Interactive Created Materials:
In addition, you acknowledge and agree that all derivative works of the Service Materials, including, but not limited to, any animations of any kind generated within or by the Service, shall be owned by Episode Interactive. Such materials are referred to in this Agreement as the āEpisode Interactive Created Materials.ā For clarity, it is understood and agreed that any animations, sequences of animation, characters, or artwork based on Your Content shall be Episode Interactive Created Materials. To ensure such ownership, you hereby assign to Episode Interactive all rights, title and interest in and to the Episode Interactive Created Materials that you hold, if any. Accordingly, for clarity, you acknowledge that (a) Episode Interactive and any third party it authorizes may exploit for any purpose the Episode Interactive Created Materials via the Service; and (b) you shall not have any rights to use the Episode Interactive Created Materials for any purpose.
I know reading pages upon pages of the terms of services can be a pain in the ass, but if everyone (including the artists in question) took the f****ing time to educate themselves on the very app they are creating content for, all of this could have been avoided. Reading comprehension shouldnāt be this hard to grasp, we are all mature here.
For all those complaining that all their hard work is ruined now, I am deeply sorry but I canāt find a place in my heart to feel sympathy. It was a self-destructive decision on all our parts to collectively spread illegal material. It sucks, but at least people can learn from this.
This whole situation in its entirety was blown way out of proportion, but at least the outcome was this thread. Clearly Episode needs to reiterate their guidelines more often because it seems like issues such as these - which arise from miscommunication happen a lot.
One last thing, and this isnāt exclusive to this ordeal, but I think we as community members should take further steps into exploring and understanding things before we jump on a hate bandwagon. We all saw one post by a certain creator and everyone consequently lost their shit. There was no rational reasoning behind a lot of reactions, hell yāall didnāt even wait until Liz or a moderator released a statement. Itās easy to write things off as a malicious attempt to f**k with us all, but in this case it really is a personal problem.
Anyways, Iāve ranted for far too long, in conclusion my point is pretty simple: Read.
27 Likes
There are many background and overlay creators. Ask them to make you what you need. Iām one of them. I donāt make big wish come true, because I have personal life and Iām not dedicated to make backgrounds all the time, but for small things I maybe find time
2 Likes
I hate to ask but Iām going to do so anywaysā¦
Why make such a big issue of the hidden backgrounds now? Not when they were originally released?
They were never released! Reviewing Team did their job by rejecting them, but some have been missed by human eye mistake. And that means they will sooner or later send email to Writer to remove it, so itās better that whoever use them, removes them now.
Theyāre not allowed to use because theyāre part of contract they have with other companies and thatās why theyāre copyrighted.
3 Likes
Oh, that makes sense. I always thought Episode released them originally to the public but they were just harder to find, my bad.
2 Likes
How do i know its a hidden background?
1 Like
Episode Backgrounds are recognized by its style.
Background creators can try to copy that style, but no one is perfect. So there are differences between Episode original and custom created backgrounds.
1 Like
I believe so. The first 3 (beach house) are just Episode released backgrounds but edited (that we can do), other 3 are not from Episode.
1 Like
So these can be used then? We are allowed to use edited ones?
1 Like