Using copyright names and ideas in games...

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multilis
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Using copyright names and ideas in games...

Post by multilis »

Would it be ok to have a senario Middle Earth, with guys like Gandalf and Frodo (taken from a famous book) running around?

Would it be ok to have a forum with guys offically called Sith (taken from copyright movie star wars) running around?

:wink:
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Freighter
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Post by Freighter »

i don't think so as copyright protects people from profiting off others idea's.
and wesnoth is free :D . they can't sue you unless you are selling your campaign for profit.
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turin
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Post by turin »

No.
For I am Turin Turambar - Master of Doom, by doom mastered. On permanent Wesbreak. Will not respond to private messages. Sorry!
And I hate stupid people.
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Maeglin Dubh
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Post by Maeglin Dubh »

Nothing official at all about my title. But no, you cannot make a LotR campaign. Not here, at least.
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Drake Blademaster
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Post by Drake Blademaster »

1) WIN (Wesnoth Is Not -- LoTR, Warcraft, etc.)

2) COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT!!!!!!

3) NO :!: :!: :!:
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Darn Penguin
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Post by Darn Penguin »

You can make it, you can just never put it on the add-on server or the forums, or ask any of us for any help with it. Ever.
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gabe
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Post by gabe »

Tolkien died on Sept 2 1973

so in 2043 this will be allowed
but not untill then

current literature copyright law is 70 years after author death or after 95 for corporate authorship

have you heard of google?
it makes learning things like this easy
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Becephalus
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Re: Using copyright names and ideas in games...

Post by Becephalus »

multilis wrote:Would it be ok to have a senario Middle Earth, with guys like Gandalf and Frodo (taken from a famous book) running around?

Would it be ok to have a forum with guys offically called Sith (taken from copyright movie star wars) running around?
You certainly can make a campaign with copyrighted material. No one is going to stop you. Although I believe it is the policy of the boards to not allow in depth discussion of making copyrighted content into Wesnoth add-ons.

Which I think is a little draconian and is definitely overly-alarmist, but they are not my boards so it doesn't matter what I think. :)
gabe wrote:Tolkien died on Sept 2 1973

so in 2043 this will be allowed
but not untill then

current literature copyright law is 70 years after author death or after 95 for corporate authorship

have you heard of google?
it makes learning things like this easy
To be honest something like a video game adaptation is going to fall under fair use unless you are trying to sell it. And even if you were they generally don't care unless you are making a lot money (in which case they can grab a piece of it).
Last edited by Becephalus on May 24th, 2007, 2:05 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Blarumyrran
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Post by Blarumyrran »

:/

HOMM2 has got LOTR campaigns. HOMM3 has got LOTR campaigns. HOMM4 has got LOTR campaigns. AOW has got LOTR campaigns. AOW2 has got LOTR campaigns.

and im pretty sure lots of other games have got LOTR campaigns.

its not that strict that it would certainly result in lots of lawyers at your doorstep. but yea, better be over-cautious than take a risk for no reason. for example, i could bet a Macbeth campaign would be completely allowed to make :D
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Herduk
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Post by Herduk »

Syntax_Error wrote::/

HOMM2 has got LOTR campaigns. HOMM3 has got LOTR campaigns. HOMM4 has got LOTR campaigns. AOW has got LOTR campaigns. AOW2 has got LOTR campaigns.

and im pretty sure lots of other games have got LOTR campaigns.
Maybe they payed the rights for them.
If you get an agreement with the person that has the rights for something, you can use that "something" for your own purpose. :wink:
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Iris
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Post by Iris »

Teh Answer:
"If I was the forum sith I would have moved this immediately to Game Dev. forum"

No, wait, that's not the answer.

Da Big Answer:
"The GNU GPL is very clear on this subject."

About the answer of the person above, AFAIK, LOTR's rights are owned by Tolkien's son.
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Blarumyrran
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Post by Blarumyrran »

Herduk wrote:
Syntax_Error wrote::/

HOMM2 has got LOTR campaigns. HOMM3 has got LOTR campaigns. HOMM4 has got LOTR campaigns. AOW has got LOTR campaigns. AOW2 has got LOTR campaigns.

and im pretty sure lots of other games have got LOTR campaigns.
Maybe they payed the rights for them.
no, i mean fanmade campaigns.
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catwhowalksbyhimself
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Post by catwhowalksbyhimself »

Yes there are, but that has nothing whatsoever to do with this game and the rules surrounding mods and campaigns for it.
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Blarumyrran
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Post by Blarumyrran »

Shadow Master wrote:About the answer of the person above, AFAIK, LOTR's rights are owned by Tolkien's son.
so all we gotta do is kill Tolkien's son and wait 70 years :roll: who wants to take the job?
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Darn Penguin
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Post by Darn Penguin »

Parodies are protected speech, so you could make a humorous spoof of LotR, where all the people of high status are incompetent and all the plot elements are turned into some kind of social commentary.
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