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chore: Switch to dual license (GPL v3 + Commercial)

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- Add LICENSE-GPL: GNU GPL v3 for open source projects
- Add LICENSE-COMMERCIAL: Royalty-based commercial license
  * Free up to €100k revenue
  * 1% royalties above €100k
  * Includes email support
- Update README.md: Dual license explanation and comparison
- Remove old MIT LICENSE

This dual licensing model allows:
- Free use for open source projects (GPL v3)
- Commercial use with fair royalty model (1% > €100k)
- More competitive than Unreal Engine (5% > $1M)

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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StillHammer 2026-01-15 08:54:42 +07:00
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MIT License
Copyright (c) 2025 StillHammer
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.

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GROVEENGINE COMMERCIAL LICENSE
Version 1.0 - January 2025
Copyright (C) 2025 StillHammer
Contact: alexistrouve.pro@gmail.com
================================================================================
1. PREAMBLE
================================================================================
GroveEngine is a modular C++ engine architecture designed for rapid game
development with hot-reload capabilities. This Commercial License allows you
to use GroveEngine in proprietary, closed-source commercial projects under a
fair royalty model.
This license is intended for:
- Independent game developers
- Game studios creating commercial products
- Anyone who wants to keep their game code proprietary
If you prefer to develop open-source games, consider using the GPL v3 license
instead (see LICENSE-GPL).
================================================================================
2. GRANT OF LICENSE
================================================================================
Subject to the terms and conditions of this license, StillHammer grants you a
worldwide, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to:
- Use GroveEngine in unlimited commercial projects
- Modify the engine source code for your own use
- Distribute games built with GroveEngine
- Keep your game code and modifications proprietary
- Use GroveEngine in both released and unreleased projects
This license does NOT grant you the right to:
- Redistribute GroveEngine itself (source or binary)
- Sublicense GroveEngine to third parties
- Transfer this license to another entity
- Remove or modify license headers in GroveEngine source files
================================================================================
3. ROYALTY TERMS
================================================================================
3.1 FREE TIER (€0 - €100,000 gross revenue per project)
GroveEngine is FREE for projects earning up to €100,000 in gross revenue.
- No upfront payment required
- No royalties owed
- Full commercial use permitted
- All engine features included
3.2 ROYALTY TIER (Above €100,000 gross revenue per project)
For projects exceeding €100,000 in gross revenue:
- 1% royalty on gross revenue above €100,000
- Calculated per-project, not per-entity
- Annual reporting and payment
3.3 GROSS REVENUE DEFINITION
"Gross Revenue" means all revenue directly attributable to a project built
with GroveEngine, including but not limited to:
- Game sales (digital and physical)
- In-app purchases and microtransactions
- Subscriptions
- DLC and expansions
- Advertising revenue
- Licensing fees
Gross revenue does NOT include:
- Platform fees (Steam, Epic, App Store, etc.)
- Payment processing fees
- Refunds issued to customers
- Taxes (VAT, sales tax, etc.)
3.4 CALCULATION EXAMPLES
Example 1: Indie game earning €80,000
→ Royalty: €0 (within free tier)
Example 2: Successful game earning €250,000
→ Free tier: €100,000 = €0
→ Royalty tier: €150,000 × 1% = €1,500
→ Total royalty owed: €1,500
Example 3: Hit game earning €1,000,000
→ Free tier: €100,000 = €0
→ Royalty tier: €900,000 × 1% = €9,000
→ Total royalty owed: €9,000
Note: Unreal Engine equivalent (5% above $1M USD) would be ~€47,500 on €1M
================================================================================
4. REPORTING & PAYMENT
================================================================================
4.1 ANNUAL REPORTING
For projects exceeding €100,000 in gross revenue, you must submit an annual
revenue report by January 31st of the following year.
Report must include:
- Project name
- Calendar year covered
- Total gross revenue for the year
- Platform breakdown (optional but helpful)
- Calculated royalty amount
Send reports to: alexistrouve.pro@gmail.com
Subject: "GroveEngine Royalty Report [Year] - [Project Name]"
4.2 PAYMENT TERMS
- Payment due within 30 days of report submission
- Accepted methods: Bank transfer (SEPA/SWIFT), PayPal
- Payment instructions will be provided upon report receipt
- Currency: Euro (EUR) - convert if reporting in other currencies
4.3 LATE PAYMENT
Late payments incur a penalty of 5% per month of the outstanding amount.
If payment is more than 90 days overdue, this license may be terminated.
4.4 GOOD FAITH
We operate on good faith and trust. You are responsible for accurate reporting.
See Section 8 (Audit Rights) for verification procedures.
================================================================================
5. SUPPORT
================================================================================
This Commercial License includes basic support:
- Email support: alexistrouve.pro@gmail.com
- Response time: 72 hours (business days)
- Bug fixes: Priority access to engine bug fixes
- Updates: All engine updates included at no additional cost
- Documentation: Access to all engine documentation
Support does NOT include:
- Game-specific consulting or development
- Custom engine features (available separately)
- Guaranteed response time SLA
- Phone or video support
For custom development or consulting, contact us separately.
================================================================================
6. ATTRIBUTION
================================================================================
All commercial projects using GroveEngine must include the following attribution:
"Powered by GroveEngine"
Attribution must appear in:
- Game credits screen (if present)
- Game documentation or README
- Or other reasonable location visible to end users
Optional: You may use the GroveEngine logo (provided separately) in your credits.
================================================================================
7. RESTRICTIONS
================================================================================
You MAY NOT:
- Redistribute GroveEngine source code or binaries
- Create a competing engine based on GroveEngine
- Sublicense GroveEngine to third parties
- Remove copyright notices from GroveEngine source files
- Use GroveEngine trademarks without permission
- Reverse engineer compiled GroveEngine binaries (source is provided)
You MAY:
- Modify GroveEngine for your own projects
- Create and sell unlimited games with GroveEngine
- Share compiled games with end users
- Use GroveEngine in both commercial and non-commercial projects
================================================================================
8. AUDIT RIGHTS
================================================================================
StillHammer reserves the right to audit your revenue reporting to ensure
compliance with this license.
8.1 AUDIT PROCEDURE
- 30 days written notice before audit
- Audit conducted by qualified third-party accountant
- Access to relevant financial records (only GroveEngine projects)
- Results kept confidential
8.2 AUDIT COSTS
- Normally borne by StillHammer
- If underreporting > 5%, licensee pays audit costs
- Owed royalties + penalties must be paid immediately
8.3 FREQUENCY
Audits will not occur more than once per calendar year except in cases of
suspected fraud.
================================================================================
9. TERMINATION
================================================================================
9.1 TERMINATION FOR BREACH
This license terminates immediately if you:
- Fail to pay royalties within 90 days of due date
- Redistribute GroveEngine in violation of Section 7
- Violate any material term of this license
9.2 EFFECT OF TERMINATION
Upon termination:
- You must cease distribution of new copies of your games
- Existing distributed copies may continue to operate (end-user protection)
- You must pay all outstanding royalties
- You may not start new GroveEngine projects
9.3 CURE PERIOD
For payment-related breaches, you have 30 days to cure after written notice.
For other breaches, cure period is 14 days.
================================================================================
10. WARRANTY DISCLAIMER
================================================================================
GROVEENGINE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, STILLHAMMER DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
- Warranties of merchantability
- Fitness for a particular purpose
- Non-infringement
- Quiet enjoyment
- Quality or performance
YOU ASSUME ALL RISK ASSOCIATED WITH USING GROVEENGINE.
================================================================================
11. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
================================================================================
IN NO EVENT SHALL STILLHAMMER BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING:
- Loss of profits or revenue
- Loss of data
- Business interruption
- Indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
TOTAL LIABILITY SHALL NOT EXCEED THE LESSER OF:
- €1,000
- Royalties paid by you in the previous 12 months
Some jurisdictions do not allow limitation of liability, so this may not
apply to you.
================================================================================
12. GENERAL PROVISIONS
================================================================================
12.1 GOVERNING LAW
This license is governed by the laws of France, without regard to conflict
of law provisions.
12.2 ENTIRE AGREEMENT
This license constitutes the entire agreement between you and StillHammer
regarding GroveEngine commercial use.
12.3 AMENDMENTS
StillHammer may update this license. Updates apply to new projects but do not
retroactively affect existing licensed projects (grandfather clause).
12.4 SEVERABILITY
If any provision is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in
full effect.
12.5 NO WAIVER
Failure to enforce any provision does not waive the right to enforce it later.
================================================================================
13. CONTACT & ACTIVATION
================================================================================
To obtain this Commercial License:
1. Email: alexistrouve.pro@gmail.com
Subject: "GroveEngine Commercial License Request"
2. Provide:
- Your name or company name
- Project description (optional)
- Expected launch date (optional)
3. You will receive:
- License confirmation email
- Payment instructions (royalties only due after €100k revenue)
- Support contact details
Questions about this license? Contact alexistrouve.pro@gmail.com
================================================================================
COMPARISON: GroveEngine vs. Other Engines
================================================================================
| Engine | Free Tier | Royalty Rate | Notes |
|---------------|----------------|--------------|--------------------------|
| GroveEngine | €0 - €100k | 1% > €100k | Best for EU indie devs |
| Unreal Engine | $0 - $1M USD | 5% > $1M USD | Higher %, higher tier |
| Unity | Subscription | No royalties | Monthly fees required |
| Godot | 100% Free | No royalties | MIT, but less support |
GroveEngine offers the most favorable terms for independent developers earning
between €100k - €500k, with lower royalties than major engines.
================================================================================
Thank you for choosing GroveEngine!
Build amazing games. We'll handle the engine.
StillHammer © 2025

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GroveEngine - Modular C++ Engine Architecture
Copyright (C) 2025 StillHammer
This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
(at your option) any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
Contact: alexistrouve.pro@gmail.com
================================================================================
GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
Version 3, 29 June 2007
Copyright (C) 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. <https://fsf.org/>
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of this license document, but changing it is not allowed.
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Also add information on how to contact you by electronic and paper mail.
If the program does terminal interaction, make it output a short
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This program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details type `show w'.
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The hypothetical commands `show w' and `show c' should show the appropriate
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You should also get your employer (if you work as a programmer) or school,
if any, to sign a "copyright disclaimer" for the program, if necessary.
For more information on this, and how to apply and follow the GNU GPL, see
<https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
The GNU General Public License does not permit incorporating your program
into proprietary programs. If your program is a subroutine library, you
may consider it more useful to permit linking proprietary applications with
the library. If this is what you want to do, use the GNU Lesser General
Public License instead of this License. But first, please read
<https://www.gnu.org/licenses/why-not-lgpl.html>.

79
README.md
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@ -189,7 +189,84 @@ Complex behavior emerges from the interaction of simple, well-defined modules.
## License ## License
MIT License - see [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details GroveEngine is **dual-licensed** - you choose the license that fits your project:
### 📜 **GPL v3** (Open Source - Free)
Use GroveEngine in open-source projects under the [GNU GPL v3](LICENSE-GPL).
- ✅ **100% Free** - No costs, no royalties
- ✅ **Full engine access** - Modify and use freely
- ❗ **Your game must be GPL** - Source code must be published
- 👥 **Community support**
### 💼 **Commercial License** (Proprietary - Royalty-Based)
Use GroveEngine in closed-source commercial games under the [Commercial License](LICENSE-COMMERCIAL).
- ✅ **FREE up to €100,000** revenue per project
- ✅ **1% royalty** on revenue above €100,000
- ✅ **Keep your code private** - Proprietary games allowed
- ✅ **Email support** - 72h response time
- ✅ **Priority bug fixes**
**🎮 Best for indie developers:** Most favorable royalty model in the industry!
---
### 📊 License Comparison
| Feature | GPL v3 (Free) | Commercial |
|------------------------|------------------------|---------------------------|
| **Cost** | Free | Free up to €100k revenue |
| **Royalties** | None | 1% above €100k |
| **Your game license** | Must be GPL (open) | Proprietary allowed |
| **Engine modifications** | Share modifications | Keep private |
| **Support** | Community | Email (72h) + priority |
| **Updates** | Yes | Yes + priority fixes |
| **Attribution** | Required | Required ("Powered by") |
| **Number of projects** | Unlimited | Unlimited |
---
### ❓ FAQ - Which License Should I Choose?
**Q: I'm making a commercial indie game. Which license?**
A: **Commercial License** - It's FREE until €100k, then only 1% royalties. Much better than Unreal (5% above $1M).
**Q: I'm making an open-source game. Which license?**
A: **GPL v3** - Perfect for open-source projects, 100% free forever.
**Q: How do I declare my revenue?**
A: Annual email with your project revenue. Simple and trust-based. Audits possible but rare.
**Q: Can I modify the engine?**
A: **Yes!** Both licenses allow modifications. GPL requires sharing them, Commercial lets you keep them private.
**Q: Is GroveEngine cheaper than Unreal Engine?**
A: **Yes!** We charge 1% above €100k vs Unreal's 5% above $1M USD. For a €500k game, you'd pay €4,000 with GroveEngine vs €0 with Unreal (under threshold). For a €1.5M game: €14,000 vs ~€25,000 with Unreal.
**Q: What if my game makes €80,000?**
A: **€0 royalties!** You're within the free tier. No payment required.
**Q: Is support included?**
A: GPL = community support. Commercial = email support (72h response) + priority bug fixes.
**Q: How do I get the Commercial License?**
A: Email **alexistrouve.pro@gmail.com** with subject "GroveEngine Commercial License Request". No upfront payment - royalties only after €100k!
---
### 🏆 Industry Comparison
| Engine | Free Tier | Royalty | Notes |
|---------------|---------------|--------------|--------------------------------|
| **GroveEngine** | €0 - €100k | **1%** > €100k | Best for EU indie devs |
| Unreal Engine | $0 - $1M USD | 5% > $1M | Higher %, higher threshold |
| Unity | Subscription | None | Monthly fees (~€2k/year Pro) |
| Godot | 100% Free | None | MIT, but minimal official support |
**GroveEngine = Best value for games earning €100k - €500k** 🎯
---
**📧 License Questions?** Contact **alexistrouve.pro@gmail.com**
## Contributing ## Contributing