kumbach@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Kevin Umbach) (05/30/91)
Can anyone fill me in on how bad I would get sued by putting out a game I wrote which contains graphics taken from another game program. I have written an Amiga game that has already been published for the IBM and Commodore 64 platforms many years ago (5+yrs). I couldnt wait for the publisher to write an Amiga version and I eventually gave up any hope of them actually doing it at all so I wrote it myself. The problem I have in releasing the game is because I copied the graphics from the IBM version because I wanted my version to look EXACTLY like the IBM version. Will I get myself into trouble by releasing this game? Should I go about asking the publisher for their permission to use their graphics? Do you think I would actually get their permission? I could probably avoid this problem by simply changing the graphics, but the code is highly dependent on them and changing even a few pixels could result in ruining the original look and feel of the published versions. Any comments on this topic will be appreciated. Kevin Umbach kumbach@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca Edmonton Remote Systems: Serving Northern Alberta since 1982
kudla@jec313.its.rpi.edu (Robert J. Kudla) (05/31/91)
kumbach@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Kevin Umbach) writes: >them actually doing it at all so I wrote it myself. The problem I have in >releasing the game is because I copied the graphics from the IBM version >because I wanted my version to look EXACTLY like the IBM version. For whatever reason :) >Will I get myself into trouble by releasing this game? Should I go about >asking the publisher for their permission to use their graphics? Do you >think I would actually get their permission? Well, let's look at your options. If you release the game as pure public domain and anonymously, and not even post to the net what game it is or anything, you'd get away with it in all likelihood. If it's not PD but is FR, you stand a good chance of said publisher not getting upset, or more likely, not even noticing you exist. If your game becomes ridiculously popular and they decide to finally do a commercial version, they may harrass Fred Fish. :) If you release the game as commercial and they notice, I hope you have a lawyer handy :) -- Robert Jude Kudla <kudla@rpi.edu> You cannot go against nature, because when you do Going 'gainst nature is part of nature too....
jdickson@jato.jpl.nasa.gov (Jeff Dickson) (05/31/91)
In article <.snh5ag@rpi.edu> kudla@jec313.its.rpi.edu (Robert J. Kudla) writes: >kumbach@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Kevin Umbach) writes: > >>them actually doing it at all so I wrote it myself. The problem I have in >>releasing the game is because I copied the graphics from the IBM version >>because I wanted my version to look EXACTLY like the IBM version. > >For whatever reason :) > >>Will I get myself into trouble by releasing this game? Should I go about >>asking the publisher for their permission to use their graphics? Do you >>think I would actually get their permission? > >Well, let's look at your options. > >If you release the game as pure public domain and anonymously, and not >even post to the net what game it is or anything, you'd get away with >it in all likelihood. > >If it's not PD but is FR, you stand a good chance of said publisher >not getting upset, or more likely, not even noticing you exist. If >your game becomes ridiculously popular and they decide to finally do a >commercial version, they may harrass Fred Fish. :) > >If you release the game as commercial and they notice, I hope you have >a lawyer handy :) > >-- >Robert Jude Kudla <kudla@rpi.edu> > You copied the graphics, not the software. That's a big difference! These days companies have temper tamptrums over the look and feel of soft- ware. I believe that Apple Computer had a big squabble with Xerox over this. I ferget, but something to do with Xerox GUI looking too much like the Macs. I'm sure that the people who replied earlier would just love it if you dumped this into the PD or made it FW, but that's not your only choice. Copyrights aren't supposed to protect look and feel, but some companies try to. Change the graphics some. Enough so that there is a noticeable difference. -jeff
ben@epmooch.UUCP (Rev. Ben A. Mesander) (05/31/91)
In article <sRXq31w164w@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca> kumbach@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Kevin Umbach) writes: >Can anyone fill me in on how bad I would get sued by putting out >a game I wrote which contains graphics taken from another game program. Well, you could sorta get sued. How bad I could get sued???? Have you ever met someone who was almost pregnant? >Any comments on this topic will be appreciated. Sure. Glad to provide some. >Kevin Umbach kumbach@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca >Edmonton Remote Systems: Serving Northern Alberta since 1982 -- | ben@epmooch.UUCP (Ben Mesander) | "Cash is more important than | | ben%servalan.UUCP@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu | your mother." - Al Shugart, | | !chinet!uokmax!servalan!epmooch!ben | CEO, Seagate Technologies |