BRUTAL License First Indie Credit Lab Worksheet - 2026

If you searched brutal license after Ahwoo open-sourced BRUTAL on 15 October 2026, you do not need another “royalty-free C# framework” trailer. You need a fill-in credit lab that walks BRUTAL License v1.0 sections 2.1–2.3 on a local clone before anyone ships a commercial Product that links BRUTAL.

The README and press already say commercial use is free of royalties. The license still requires:

1. Credits copyright (section 2.1)
2. BRUTAL logo before gameplay from ahwoo.com/brutal-branding (section 2.2) unless written permission or a non-graphical Product
3. NOTICE.txt shipped beside the Product (section 2.3)

GitHub issue 14 (logo requirement / licensing, open with community debate) shows why “we’ll figure splash later” fails diligence — community discussion even floats negotiating a waiver versus showing the logo. This worksheet does not invent Ahwoo pricing. It forces you to choose a path and file a receipt.

This URL is that lab. It is not the what-changed map. It is not the Unity replacement Stop. It is not the twelve free fork checks. Those own October 15 facts, refusal, and numbered toolkit gates. This URL owns the license-first fill-in evening.

Why this matters now

October put a public clone, NuGet packages, and LICENSE.txt in front of every indie watching Waylith / Kitten Space Agency discourse. Teams treat “no royalties” as “MIT vibes, ship anytime.” Section 2.0 conditions apply to any distributed Product that incorporates, links to, or is built using the Software. Skipping the splash or forgetting NOTICE.txt is not indie scrappiness — it is a compliance miss on a framework you chose because it looked free.

Direct answer: Tonight, on a disposable lab clone (not your live Unity title), fill Sections A–G. Green means you can discuss a commercial BRUTAL-linked build with counsel. Red means HOLD — show the logo path, request written permission, or do not ship BRUTAL-linked binaries yet. Orient studio language on the BRUTAL guide.

Who fills this worksheet

Time: 60–90 minutes first pass; 20 minutes to re-run before each public build.
Honest limit: LICENSE.txt, NOTICE.txt, and Ahwoo branding are authorities. This is not legal advice. Re-read primary text the morning you cut a build. Issue 14 may change practice — treat it as discourse, not a substitute for written permission from Ahwoo Limited.

Non-repetition

Official facts you must quote (not invent)

From BRUTAL License v1.0 and NOTICE.txt:

1. Framework copyright: Ahwoo Limited (NOTICE and LICENSE header).
2. Permission to deal in the Software is subject to listed conditions — not “unrestricted MIT with no Product duties.”
3. Section 2.0 defines a Product: game, application, or other software distributed to end users that incorporates, links to, or is built using the Software or a substantial portion.
4. 2.1 — include the copyright notice in the Credits screen or equivalent.
5. 2.2 — display the Brutal logo from ahwoo.com/brutal-branding prior to commencement of gameplay (or primary function), unaltered except scaling, long enough to be legible, no less prominent than other parties’ logos — unless written permission from Ahwoo Limited or the Product cannot display graphics.
6. 2.3 — distribute NOTICE.txt alongside all copies of the Product.
7. 4.0 — third-party components keep their own licences under LICENSES/; BRUTAL terms do not erase them.
8. Repo NOTICE template states the product is built with BRUTAL under BRUTAL License v1.0 and points to ahwoo.com/brutal.

Pasteable diligence line:

We ran a BRUTAL license credit lab on a local clone: Credits screen includes the Ahwoo copyright (2.1), logo splash plan uses branding assets per 2.2 (or written waiver tracked), NOTICE.txt ships beside the Product (2.3), and third-party LICENSES were inventoried. Live shipping engine KEEP remains true until counsel signs off.

Section A — Lab lock (fill in)

A-gate: If the only “lab” is your live Steam build folder, stop — spin a side clone. If Product is graphics-capable and you have no logo plan, you are not green. If you are only reading LICENSE for curiosity with no Product, mark HOLD and skip commercial talk.

Beginner first path (twenty minutes)

1. Clone or open your BRUTAL side repo.
2. Open LICENSE.txt and NOTICE.txt from the repo root (or raw GitHub links above).
3. Screenshot sections 2.1–2.3.
4. Fill Section A with real paths.
5. Do not announce a Steam page rewrite tonight.

Section B — Credits screen 2.1 (fill in)

Suggested line shape (verify against current LICENSE header):

BRUTAL game development framework is Copyright (c) 2024 Ahwoo Limited.

B-gate: “We’ll put it in the readme on GitHub” fails 2.1 for a shipped Product. Credits must be in the Product’s credits screen or equivalent. If you have no UI yet, document the equivalent (installer about box, CLI --credits, etc.) and who owns it.

Developer proof for 2.1

Section C — Logo before gameplay 2.2 (fill in)

C-gate: Fail if logo is missing, cropped with effects, shorter than legible, or buried after gameplay starts. Fail if you claim “CLI only” but ship a GUI that can show graphics — issue 14 discussion already flags headless/GUI edge cases. Fail if Discord said “hide it after day one.”

Logo lab ritual (developers)

1. Download the official logo from brutal-branding.
2. Import unaltered except scale.
3. Hook a pre-gameplay screen that blocks input until the logo has been shown for your legible duration.
4. Record a phone video of cold boot → logo → menu.
5. Attach video path to this worksheet.

Common 2.2 false greens

Section D — NOTICE.txt 2.3 (fill in)

Upstream NOTICE.txt currently states copyright, that the product is built with BRUTAL under License v1.0, and points to www.ahwoo.com/brutal. Re-pull before release — do not invent softer wording that hides Ahwoo.

D-gate: NOTICE only in the source repo fails. It must ship alongside Product copies. Document the copy step in your build script.

Sample ship-folder checklist

MyGame/
  MyGame.exe
  NOTICE.txt          ← required beside Product
  ...
  LICENSES/           ← third-party (section 4.0)

Section E — Third-party LICENSES 4.0 (fill in)

E-gate: Section 4.0 says redistributed third-party components keep their licences. BRUTAL credit lab green does not erase FMOD or other terms. If check 3 on the fork listicle only stuck license stickies, finish this inventory before commercial talk.

Section F — Waiver / issue 14 honesty (fill in)

F-gate: Community comments on issue 14 discuss splash friction and the idea of negotiating permission not to show the logo. That is not a published price list from Ahwoo on this page. Do not budget $0 for a fantasy free waiver. Do not tell partners “issue 14 means splash is optional.” Until you have written permission, assume 2.2 applies.

Company diligence four-liner

1. Product links BRUTAL → sections 2.1–2.3 apply.
2. Logo path or written waiver tracked in ticket ____.
3. NOTICE.txt in ship artifact verified ____.
4. Issue 14 is discourse; LICENSE.txt is authority.

Section G — Decision latch + receipt (fill in)

Receipt JSON (copy into lab notes)

{
  "receipt": "brutal_license_credit_lab_v1",
  "date": "YYYY-MM-DD",
  "clone_tip": "________",
  "section_2_1_credits": true,
  "section_2_2_logo_or_written_waiver": true,
  "section_2_3_notice_shipped": true,
  "section_4_0_third_party_reviewed": true,
  "path": "SHOW_LOGO",
  "live_engine_keep": true,
  "decision": "CREDIT_LAB_GREEN",
  "signer": "________",
  "notes": "Not legal advice; primary LICENSE re-read before ship"
}

G-gate: Any false on 2.1–2.3 (without a documented written waiver replacing 2.2) → HOLD. SEEK_WAIVER is allowed only with a real ticket id — not a Discord vibe.

One-evening script (A→G)

1. 0:00–0:15 — Section A lab lock + open LICENSE/NOTICE.
2. 0:15–0:30 — Section B credits mock.
3. 0:30–0:55 — Section C download branding asset + boot hook sketch.
4. 0:55–1:10 — Section D NOTICE copy step in ship script.
5. 1:10–1:25 — Section E third-party skim.
6. 1:25–1:40 — Section F issue 14 honesty + path.
7. 1:40–1:50 — Section G receipt signed.
8. Stop. Do not migrate the live title tonight (Unity Stop).

How this pairs with the BRUTAL cluster

Solo vs trio ownership

Solo

You own every row. Bias toward SHOW_LOGO unless you truly need a waiver conversation. Do not self-grant exceptions.

Three-person team

October-style “everyone assumed someone else did NOTICE” is how you ship red.

Failure modes this lab refuses to romanticize

Creator share card (paste-ready)

BRUTAL is royalty-free — not credit-free. Fill the license credit lab: Credits copyright (2.1), logo before gameplay from Ahwoo branding (2.2), NOTICE.txt beside the build (2.3). Issue 14 is debate; written permission is the only splash skip.

FAQ

Is this legal advice?

No. Primary sources are LICENSE.txt, NOTICE.txt, and Ahwoo. Use counsel for commercial decisions.

Does “no royalties” cancel 2.1–2.3?

No. Royalty-free commercial use still carries Product conditions in section 2.0+.

Where do I get the logo?

ahwoo.com/brutal-branding — re-check the page when you ship; do not invent assets.

What if our Product cannot display graphics?

LICENSE 2.2 names that exception. Document why the Product is not graphics-capable. Do not stretch “sometimes headless” into a blanket skip if you also ship a GUI.

Can we negotiate removing the logo?

Community discussion on issue 14 talks about negotiation and credit philosophy. Until Ahwoo grants written permission, plan to show the logo.

How is this different from the twelve free checks?

The listicle is a broad fork readiness kit. This worksheet is the deep fill-in for license clauses 2.1–2.3 plus NOTICE packaging and waiver honesty.

Do we still need UNITY_KEEP?

Yes if you have a live Unity (or other) title. This lab does not authorize replacement theater — see the Unity Stop.

What about section 1.0 copyright in copies of the Software?

1.0 covers copies of the Software itself. Your Product duties are primarily 2.1–2.3. Still keep LICENSE/NOTICE hygiene in forks and redistributed sources.

Who owns New Zealand governing law notes?

Section 6.0 points to New Zealand law. Flag for counsel — this worksheet does not interpret jurisdiction for you.

Key takeaways

1. brutal license Product duties live in LICENSE sections 2.1–2.3.
2. Royalty-free ≠ splash-free.
3. Credits belong in the Product, not only on a website.
4. Logo comes from Ahwoo branding; scale-only; before gameplay; prominence rule applies.
5. NOTICE.txt must ship beside Product copies.
6. Section 4.0 keeps third-party licences alive.
7. Issue 14 is open discourse — not a free waiver.
8. Written permission is the only clean 2.2 skip (plus true non-graphical Products).
9. Fill A–G on a side clone before commercial BRUTAL talk.
10. Keep the live engine KEEP latch.
11. Orient on the BRUTAL guide.
12. Re-read primary LICENSE the morning you cut a public build.
13. Pair with the what-changed map for Oct 15 context.
14. Pair with fork checks for SDK/Hello gates.
15. File the receipt JSON — screenshots of Discord hype do not count.

Build-script sketch (NOTICE + credits latch)

Treat packaging as code, not memory:

1. Fail the release job if NOTICE.txt is missing next to the executable.
2. Fail if a CREDITS_STRING env/file does not contain the Ahwoo copyright substring from LICENSE.
3. Fail if BRUTAL_LOGO_SHOWN config is false and WRITTEN_WAIVER_TICKET is empty.
4. Archive the phone boot video path in the release notes folder.

You do not need a perfect CI on night one — you need a written gate someone can run before Steam upload. The fork checks listicle covers Hello window and NuGet; this lab covers the legal-facing artifacts that listicle only sticky-notes.

Red-team questions before CREDIT_LAB_GREEN

Ask someone who did not write the splash code:

1. Can you find the Ahwoo copyright in the Product without opening GitHub?
2. Does cold boot show the official branding logo before you can play?
3. Is NOTICE.txt sitting beside the build you would give a tester?
4. If we claim a waiver, where is the written permission file?
5. Did we inventory FMOD / other middleware notices separately?

If answers stall, you are HOLD — not “ship and fix in patch notes.”

Budget lines this lab implies

If finance funds “BRUTAL migration” but refuses splash or NOTICE work, they are funding a red build.

What “equivalent” means for credits (2.1)

Not every Product has a Hollywood end-crawl. LICENSE allows a credits screen or equivalent. Document your equivalent explicitly:

“Equivalent” is not “secret gist.” It is a place end users can find without reading your private Discord.

Sources

• BRUTAL License v1.0 (LICENSE.txt)
• BRUTAL NOTICE.txt
• Ahwoo BRUTAL branding
• ahwootech/BRUTAL repository
• GitHub issue 14 — Logo requirement / licensing