It is because Episode doesn’t want Episode-related stuff to be used on other things that aren’t Episode. Like, so if you found an Episode background edit somewhere on the net because someone shared it, and then someone not affiliated with Episode at all liked it, and took it for their uses…yeah, that kinda deal. X’P
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I suppose that makes sense. But what about sharing edited backgrounds on an Episode platform? (Here.) Is that allowed? Or is that “a scale beyond personal use”?
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Well…my thread hasn’t been closed yet and it has been pretty public for a while, so shrugs
Widely distributing on a google drive isn’t okay, but on these forums, for other authors, it doesn’t seem to be a problem so far.
I think it isn’t allowed as like edited backgrounds, my stuff is overlays from what’s already an episode background, like stair railings and whatever. When you change a background to suit your personal story, that probably can’t be distributed even on the forums because it should be specific to your own story.
Hmm. There are a lot of highly active threads sharing edited Episode backgrounds that haven’t been closed yet. It’s a shame. People put so much work into them, and a lot of stories wouldn’t be possible without sharing edits. I can see why they wouldn’t want those things on floating around in public drives or sites like Instagram, but I think it’s unfortunate that they can’t be shared on an Episode-owned site. I guess the idea is that the forums are public, so it still counts as wide distribution.
Does anyone know what happens if they decide you are using a background you aren’t supposed to? Do they just erase the entire story, or would it be flagged so you can remove the offending material and republish it? I don’t THINK I’ve used anything forbidden, but this whole situation is confusing, and now I’m worried.
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They’ll ask you to remove it if they find out that the background came from a drive.
OH! You can also still get edited backgrounds from other people, like ask people to make edits for you and stuff. ^^ I just think when you give it to them, you gotta do it like…in a PM I guess? That way it isn’t public 
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Wait, so when I do art requests, and it’s a character edit, i have to PM them privately to show them? Because I usually post the finished requests in public on my art thread…
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Nah nah nah, not art requests. Like edits of backgrounds and overlays and stuff. For art requests, I’m sure the restriction is that you can’t sell stuff if episode art is used in your art, like tattoos and whatnot
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@darryl_daddy here is the specific part with that ^^
Also, this
^ stuff with Episode assets can’t be sold to people, but you can give it to people if they’re going to be personally using it for their stories and stuff.
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ahhhh okkk thank you!!
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Sharing your backgrounds on the forums is allowed as it’s not defined as “wide distribution”. Also, there’s a category solely for Art Resources.
I am kinda confused here… What exactly are hidden props? Are we not allowed to use lipstick and microphone with animations now?
No, we are not. 
A “hidden” prop would be one that isn’t available to preview in the portal menus, even if it will display in a story.
But that’s stupid though… The character will be applying lipstick but there will be no lipstick in hand… how can someone apply lipstick without actually having one? 
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Hmm you can always use a different type of overlay maybe
But it wouldn’t be able to move like the lipstick prop, right?
I think it can since you can layer it and move it
Yeah, it makes no sense. I don’t know Ink very well, but in limelight there’s a microphone shape cut into the character’s hand for a microphone animation… with no microphone. It’s absurd.
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I’m confused. Does this mean I can use the backgrounds created by ShellyG, PamelaC and other bg creators like these or not?
So can we still edit Episode backgrounds and use that for our stories? Sorry I’m still confused as ever (I kinda forgot)
The second one is a hidden background, so that’s a no go for sure. 
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