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Ex Ultra Engine ( Leadworks ) game engine: Difference between revisions

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'''Leadwerks program''' is an gaming engine that shares multiple types of licenses, one of them being perpetual ( for single user ).
'''Leadwerks is''' a gaming engine that shares multiple types of licenses, one of them being perpetual ( for a single user ).


Game developers are required to code their game using the code that powers the engine. As this practice is tightly coupled with the interface of the gaming engine, games cannot be ported to other gaming engines. Having a game engine that can be disabled remotely should convince you to not trust the owner of the engine and save yourself from losing years of your work.  
Game developers are required to code their game using the code that powers the engine. As this practice is tightly coupled with the interface of the gaming engine, games cannot be ported to other gaming engines. Choosing a gaming engine that is offering royalty-free license is a big win and game developers would have more interest in it, to avoid the challenges Unity engine managed to do in 2023 with their new pricing model, the "Runtime Fee".


The software is adding more and more features that track your work. Yes, you can disable that but forcing you to update, they can add more code to simply bypass that.
Under the perpetual license a product should function as it is at the time of purchase, activation keys or whatever method is used to prove your license is valid does not need to reach a remote location to confirm it.  


If you want to work offline, to avoid sharing your personal data, you are not allowed as it claims that you need to “prove that you have a valid license”
Unfortunately this program is not built like this and users will be forced to be online when using it. The option to work offline or block it in your firewall, to avoid sharing your personal data is completely removed.
 
If users wish to avoid testing the latest bugs and not wish to update their program version, a practice that is required in all professional development environments where you should not use “latest” is also removed.


==Consumer impact summary==
==Consumer impact summary==
{{Placeholder box|Overview of concerns that arise from the conduct towards users of the product (if applicable):
<nowiki>*</nowiki> User Freedom: The perpetual license does not give users the rights to use the program “AS IS” at the time of purchase. You cannot use your purchased version offline or online. Only specific releases are available and those are dictated by the company.
* User Freedom: The perpetual license does not give you the rights to use the program that you purchased. You cannot use your purchased version or older versions, as they require you to be always online.  
 
* User Privacy: There is no safer way to work with such product, other than using it from an internet-disconnected PC. This product states in the EULA that has data tracking by default, with option to disable it ( which I have not tested )
<nowiki>*</nowiki> User Privacy: There is no safer way to work with such a product, other than using it from an internet-disconnected PC (or using a firewall). This product states in the EULA that it has data tracking by default.
* Business Model. Because they are selling monthly subscriptions, the perpetual license is invalid.
 
* Market Control. It disabled my purchased installation of the program. This can be easily done for any reasons in the future
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Business Model. Perpetual license is treated as a monthly subscription and users cannot opt out to always call the server when starting the application.
}}


==Incidents==
==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{PAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{PAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
{{Placeholder box|Replace the placeholder text in the sections below with the incidents that affect this product and a short summary. Also replace the link so it point to the right product line or company article.}}
===Changing of the brand revealed that the program is actually remotely disabled===
For many, the problem shared here may not seem as an issue, but I want to share the practices implemented in the program are "flexible" to mess your rights as they please, so please do not buy this product.


I purchase a license at the beginning of 2025 with the goal of learning the engine and have a nice hobby. While I was learning some prerequisites for creating a game, the company decided to change the branding and go back to a previous used name.
===Incident on company rebranding===
'''Changing of the brand forced all users to upgrade to the new client. Users had new requirements to use in the login page (the email instead of username).'''
 
This change blocked the installed version for users of perpetual license showing “Please use the client application to log into your Ultra Engine account and ensure your license is active”. The perpetual license should not ask for re-checking the validity of the license and should work with what is installed.
 
The company changed the EULA with the new name and most references of Ultra engine were removed.
 
As stated in the EULA “This SOFTWARE PRODUCT utilizes analytics to record statistics on actions performed within the software, in order to collect information to help improve the user experience. Analytics can be disabled in the program settings”. The requirement to update to the new version users are required to do extra checks if new tracking options have been added
 
Another line in the EULA “This SOFTWARE PRODUCT is for personal use only and may be used by the Licensee, on one or more computers”. There is no mention that it requires an internet connection to use it, nor that users are forced to update or that it can be disabled remotely.
 
A compliant solution should be: inside the user's account on the ultra engine site there should be a button to download the program at the time of purchase or a newer version use it on one or more computers where scripts can be built. By having the download button under the account on their site, the license is confirmed so there is no need to contact the server while using it.
 
 
[[File:Screenshot 2025-04-04 092807.png|thumb]]
Evidence that the application was successfully installed on 28 of Jan 2025
 
Installation is not possible without proving a valid license is used.
 
The screenshot shows that the installed version is no longer usable. No configuration changes are provided to continue to use the installed code.
 
The only option users are forced to use is to update everything to the latest client.
 
This action is changing your local files including EULA and title of the application. You are no longer the owner of the version you purchased.


While they can do what ever they want, I am expected to have my version and my installed instance working as expected, but they disable it and only available if I get the new client with a different name and some added features ( which I believe adds more tracking of my personal work TODO maybe someone can help with providing evidence that is not sending anything after "disable" is checked ) .


The company changed the EULA with the new name and also updated the login, so I can no longer use what I used when I purchased the product, as they now ask for a different login details.


As it is clearly stated that the program tracks your personal details for "future improvements" I wanted to move the program to a PC that has no internet connection ( Also wanted to automate some builds in VMs ). I cannot do any of that, my local installation has been disabled, unless I am installing the new product. As I did not installed the new program I believe there is no fix to not have the service constantly connecting to the internet while using it.


If you are reading this and ask, why am I not installing the new program; please work with this answer "I am not allowed". ( also that is not the point )


As stated in the EULA, this is a program that I can install and use. There is no mention that it requires internet connection to use it, nor that I am forced to update or anything in that regards. It clearly states that is sold "AS IS".


The solution is quite simple, inside my account on ultra engine I should be able to download the program and use it wherever I want and I can release games with no royalties to be paid. By having the download button in my account on their site, the license is confirmed so there is no need to track my work or disable my local installation remotely.
[[File:Discord screenshot.png|thumb]]


I am not sure if what just happen is intentional, but with the decision to change the domain, this obvious problem popped up and I politely asked for a fix in their forum and on their discord channel, but the owner refuses to respond.  
=== Incident on discord channel ===
The owner of the program is available on discord and messages were posted in hopes it will attract some comments or provide a fix.


The open ticket:
Unfortunately the message was ignored by the owner and others only offered just the forced solution to update the client, without consideration of the initial request.


https://www.leadwerks.com/community/topic/68238-violation-of-end-user-license-agreement/
Recent release notes, do not contain any details regarding not contacting remote servers for normal usage.
[ Page showing the release of the new client <nowiki>https://www.leadwerks.com/community/topic/61318-release-notes/page/29/</nowiki> ][[File:Screenshot 2025-04-01 005812.png|thumb]]






Incidents affecting all of the product line/company's products can be found in the product line/company article: [[Product line title]]/[[Company article title]]
Results on discord request: There is no response from the owner hence no fix is expected.  
{{Placeholder box|* [[Example incident one]] (date): Short summary of the incident (could be the same as the summary preceding the article).
* [[Example incident two]] (date):
Incidents affecting the entire product line can be found in the product line article: [[Product line article, or company article if there is no product line]]}}


The request to fix the installed old version or refund:


<nowiki>https://www.leadwerks.com/community/topic/68238-violation-of-end-user-license-agreement/</nowiki> 
==See also==
==See also==
{{Placeholder box|Link to relevant theme articles or products with similar incidents.}}


New EULA does not include the Ultra Engine that was sold for many years: https://www.leadwerks.com/eula


The product page shares that you are supposed to own the product at the time of purchase. https://www.leadwerks.com/community/store/product/13-leadwerks-5/
==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Latest revision as of 09:40, 4 April 2025

Article Status Notice: Unacceptable Tone/Word Usage

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Ultra Engine
Basic Information
Release Year 2025
Product Type Software PC gaming engine
In Production Yes, in development
Official Website https://www.ultraengine.com

Leadwerks is a gaming engine that shares multiple types of licenses, one of them being perpetual ( for a single user ).

Game developers are required to code their game using the code that powers the engine. As this practice is tightly coupled with the interface of the gaming engine, games cannot be ported to other gaming engines. Choosing a gaming engine that is offering royalty-free license is a big win and game developers would have more interest in it, to avoid the challenges Unity engine managed to do in 2023 with their new pricing model, the "Runtime Fee".

Under the perpetual license a product should function as it is at the time of purchase, activation keys or whatever method is used to prove your license is valid does not need to reach a remote location to confirm it.

Unfortunately this program is not built like this and users will be forced to be online when using it. The option to work offline or block it in your firewall, to avoid sharing your personal data is completely removed.

If users wish to avoid testing the latest bugs and not wish to update their program version, a practice that is required in all professional development environments where you should not use “latest” is also removed.

Consumer impact summary[edit | edit source]

* User Freedom: The perpetual license does not give users the rights to use the program “AS IS” at the time of purchase. You cannot use your purchased version offline or online. Only specific releases are available and those are dictated by the company.

* User Privacy: There is no safer way to work with such a product, other than using it from an internet-disconnected PC (or using a firewall). This product states in the EULA that it has data tracking by default.

* Business Model. Perpetual license is treated as a monthly subscription and users cannot opt out to always call the server when starting the application.

Incidents[edit | edit source]

This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the Ex Ultra Engine ( Leadworks ) game engine category.

Incident on company rebranding[edit | edit source]

Changing of the brand forced all users to upgrade to the new client. Users had new requirements to use in the login page (the email instead of username).

This change blocked the installed version for users of perpetual license showing “Please use the client application to log into your Ultra Engine account and ensure your license is active”. The perpetual license should not ask for re-checking the validity of the license and should work with what is installed.

The company changed the EULA with the new name and most references of Ultra engine were removed.

As stated in the EULA “This SOFTWARE PRODUCT utilizes analytics to record statistics on actions performed within the software, in order to collect information to help improve the user experience. Analytics can be disabled in the program settings”. The requirement to update to the new version users are required to do extra checks if new tracking options have been added

Another line in the EULA “This SOFTWARE PRODUCT is for personal use only and may be used by the Licensee, on one or more computers”. There is no mention that it requires an internet connection to use it, nor that users are forced to update or that it can be disabled remotely.

A compliant solution should be: inside the user's account on the ultra engine site there should be a button to download the program at the time of purchase or a newer version use it on one or more computers where scripts can be built. By having the download button under the account on their site, the license is confirmed so there is no need to contact the server while using it.


Evidence that the application was successfully installed on 28 of Jan 2025

Installation is not possible without proving a valid license is used.

The screenshot shows that the installed version is no longer usable. No configuration changes are provided to continue to use the installed code.

The only option users are forced to use is to update everything to the latest client.

This action is changing your local files including EULA and title of the application. You are no longer the owner of the version you purchased.




Incident on discord channel[edit | edit source]

The owner of the program is available on discord and messages were posted in hopes it will attract some comments or provide a fix.

Unfortunately the message was ignored by the owner and others only offered just the forced solution to update the client, without consideration of the initial request.

Recent release notes, do not contain any details regarding not contacting remote servers for normal usage.

[ Page showing the release of the new client https://www.leadwerks.com/community/topic/61318-release-notes/page/29/ ]


Results on discord request: There is no response from the owner hence no fix is expected.

The request to fix the installed old version or refund:

https://www.leadwerks.com/community/topic/68238-violation-of-end-user-license-agreement/

See also[edit | edit source]

New EULA does not include the Ultra Engine that was sold for many years: https://www.leadwerks.com/eula

The product page shares that you are supposed to own the product at the time of purchase. https://www.leadwerks.com/community/store/product/13-leadwerks-5/

References[edit | edit source]