If you plan to ship your s&box project publicly (especially on Steam), you need a clean asset story. “It’s just a placeholder” tends to become permanent unless you plan for replacement early.
The red line: ripped assets
Do not use assets ripped from other games unless you have explicit permission and a license that allows it. “Everyone does it” is not a license.
If you want your project to survive attention, treat licensing as part of production—not an afterthought.
Build an asset plan that scales
Start with a simple sheet/list:
- Asset name (what you need)
- Source (where it comes from)
- License (what you are allowed to do)
- Replacement plan (if it’s temporary)
This keeps you out of the “mystery asset” trap later.
Use platform-friendly sources where possible
If you need quick, legal placeholders, look for official/community-friendly sources first. In the thread below, someone pointed to the s&box UGC model section:
https://sbox.game/ugc/model/
Even if the style doesn’t match your final target, a legal placeholder beats a risky one.
Replacement workflow (practical)
- Ship placeholders that are clearly labeled in your internal notes.
- Track replacements by milestone (alpha/beta/launch).
- Replace the highest-visibility assets first (player hands, core props, UI icons).
Source thread
This reference is based on the discussion in: https://sbox.game/f/general/2126/1/