11 Dec, 2009, David Haley wrote in the 61st comment:
Votes: 0
As far as I know and/or care to look up at the moment, you can't copyright gameplay per se. This is an issue with board games, for example. You can copyright all the imagery, manuals, etc., but not the abstract rule set. So it's ok if something is based on AD&D gameplay, AFAIK.
11 Dec, 2009, KaVir wrote in the 62nd comment:
David Haley said:
I'd be curious to know how many programmers did all the coding work while simultaneously being the driving creative force.
I've seen quite a few muds where the owner was the driving creative force behind the game as well as the main (or even sole) coder. It's common for them to recruit others to do the building, but even that will usually be based on the owner's vision.
I decided to generate my muds world, and the few parts that need to be done manually I can handle myself. It would be far too much work for me if I was creating a traditional mud world though.
JohnnyStarr said:
This is probably kind of a long shot, but didn't Diku base it's combat / level systems on 2nd edition D&D?
http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-ge...
"Copyright does not protect facts, ideas, systems, or methods of operation, although it may protect the way these things are expressed."
11 Dec, 2009, Barm wrote in the 63rd comment:
Another link from the US Copyright Office that specifically mentions games:
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html
Quote
Copyright does not protect the idea for a game, its name or title, or the method or methods for playing it. Nor does copyright protect any idea, system, method, device, or trademark material involved in developing, merchandising, or playing a game. Once a game has been made public, nothing in the copyright law prevents others from developing another game based on similar principles. Copyright protects only the particular manner of an authors expression in literary, artistic, or musical form.
Material prepared in connection with a game may be subject to copyright if it contains a suf?cient amount of literary or pictorial expression. For example, the text matter describing the rules of the game or the pictorial matter appearing on the gameboard or container may be registrable.
Material prepared in connection with a game may be subject to copyright if it contains a suf?cient amount of literary or pictorial expression. For example, the text matter describing the rules of the game or the pictorial matter appearing on the gameboard or container may be registrable.
11 Dec, 2009, JohnnyStarr wrote in the 64th comment:
Well, that actually makes a lot of sense. Otherwise, there would be only 1 first person shooter engine, etc.
It also explains how there are a ton of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings rip-off stories out there. They took
the "idea" and made it their own. This is where I think it is easier to write an original fantasy mud vs sci-fi.
Of course, you can use scientific theory to come up with stuff. It was Isaac Asimov that came up with, or
used a lot of Sci-fi jargon such as "force field" and "warp speed" and of course the word "robot". So you are
able to borrow these ideas, but I suppose you would draw the line when it came to your squad engaging the "Borg".
Alas, I suppose I'll have to write Paramount Pictures to get the right to make my Star Trek mud. Which, I highly
doubt with February's release of STO.
It also explains how there are a ton of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings rip-off stories out there. They took
the "idea" and made it their own. This is where I think it is easier to write an original fantasy mud vs sci-fi.
Of course, you can use scientific theory to come up with stuff. It was Isaac Asimov that came up with, or
used a lot of Sci-fi jargon such as "force field" and "warp speed" and of course the word "robot". So you are
able to borrow these ideas, but I suppose you would draw the line when it came to your squad engaging the "Borg".
Alas, I suppose I'll have to write Paramount Pictures to get the right to make my Star Trek mud. Which, I highly
doubt with February's release of STO.
11 Dec, 2009, KaVir wrote in the 65th comment:
JohnnyStarr said:
It also explains how there are a ton of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings rip-off stories out there. They took
the "idea" and made it their own.
the "idea" and made it their own.
There's a difference between "inspiration" and "rip-off". Star Wars and Lord of the Rings were inspired by earlier works as well.
11 Dec, 2009, David Haley wrote in the 66th comment:
JohnnyStarr said:
It also explains how there are a ton of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings rip-off stories out there. They took
the "idea" and made it their own.
the "idea" and made it their own.
No, this is quite different. Don't have time to explain it now, so I apologize, but copying the whole theme (characters, places, etc.) is really quite different from a game system.
11 Dec, 2009, JohnnyStarr wrote in the 67th comment:
Kavir said:
There's a difference between "inspiration" and "rip-off". Star Wars and Lord of the Rings were inspired by earlier works as well.
Yes, of course they were. Perhaps you've seen Akira Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress"?
Lucas admits that it inspired him to write "A New Hope", but there are many out there that consider
it a rip off. Personally, I don't care enough to form an opinion either way.
Upon further reading, I do agree that games fall into a different category all together.
12 Dec, 2009, Runter wrote in the 68th comment:
12 Dec, 2009, Tyche wrote in the 69th comment:
12 Dec, 2009, Runter wrote in the 70th comment:
Rofl. That's all I can say about that.
14 Dec, 2009, Confuto wrote in the 71st comment:
Skol said:
Reason I ask is that I'd been using it under fansite rules (with all linked logos, copyrights stated). Also directly linked on the dragonlance and dlnexus websites (both licensed by wotc). I guess my point is that I'm not sneaking around with it (google dragonlance mud), and have used it under the guidelines I found posted. All copyright artwork was granted use by Elmore (and linked back to his site). I do know that they chose not to continue to license the DL brand in D&D in 2007, but I wasn't aware that would retroactively affect things either.
Fan Site Kit Policy said:
Please note that this Fan Site Policy does not allow you to publish, distribute or sell your own free-to-use games, modules or applications for any of Wizards' brands including, but not limited to, Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. If you want to engage in any of these activities related to Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition, such use is subject to the Game System License http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20....
The Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition G... said:
Q: Section 5.5 states that interactive products are not available under the license.
What does this mean?
A: Interactive products include, but are not limited to, video games, software, or other
programs that offer rules adjudication. Products that accept input from human players or
their agents, and use rules to resolve the success or failure of those inputs, and return the
indication of the results of those inputs to the users are considered interactive products.
This includes random determinations of hit points, ability scores, dice rolls and the like.
These types of products are not available under the GSL.
What does this mean?
A: Interactive products include, but are not limited to, video games, software, or other
programs that offer rules adjudication. Products that accept input from human players or
their agents, and use rules to resolve the success or failure of those inputs, and return the
indication of the results of those inputs to the users are considered interactive products.
This includes random determinations of hit points, ability scores, dice rolls and the like.
These types of products are not available under the GSL.
14 Dec, 2009, Greyankh wrote in the 72nd comment:
Quote
Software FAQThe interactive game restriction exists because Wizards has an exclusive licensee for all interactive games. Authorizing other parties to make electronic games would violate the exclusive terms of that license.
Here is my answer.
14 Dec, 2009, KaVir wrote in the 73rd comment:
Greyankh said:
Here is my answer.
So you've given up on the idea of using Forgotten Realms material?
14 Dec, 2009, David Haley wrote in the 74th comment:
KaVir, when you asked that question the first time, he answered in post 16…
He added in post #42 that: "[he] will be seeking the proper permission from those who hold copyright over material [he] wish[es] to use."
He added in post #42 that: "[he] will be seeking the proper permission from those who hold copyright over material [he] wish[es] to use."
14 Dec, 2009, KaVir wrote in the 75th comment:
I am replying to post #72 (which is why I quoted it).
14 Dec, 2009, David Haley wrote in the 76th comment:
I guess I'm confused as to what you think changed in his answer, but ok. He said he'd ask for it, and not use it if he didn't get permission. It would appear that they have put out a blanket statement saying nobody can use it. So that's about that, right. :smile:
14 Dec, 2009, KaVir wrote in the 77th comment:
David Haley said:
I guess I'm confused as to what you think changed in his answer
The fact that he wrote "Here is my answer" below a link to the FAQ for WotC's Open Game License, which explicitly states that you can make games as long as they don't use Product Identity (which Forgotten Realms is, and which he had originally stated he planned to use).
14 Dec, 2009, David Haley wrote in the 78th comment:
I must be utterly confused. It sounds to me like he's not going to use it because he can't get permission, and he is stating that the WotC FAQ entry is giving him that answer. I don't understand what your question is.
14 Dec, 2009, KaVir wrote in the 79th comment:
I suggest you actually read the FAQ, then you might be less confused. But my question isn't directed at you anyway, so just ignore it.
14 Dec, 2009, David Haley wrote in the 80th comment:
What am I supposed to find in the FAQ? (Yes, I had read it already, and yes, I read it again.) Can you "actually" be helpful, perhaps, instead of getting snide? This thread (the OP, at least) was explicitly about the FR setting, not the d20 system or the OGL. So I'm not sure what relevance the FAQ has other than the bit quoted, which explicitly says that it's not ok to use the FR setting. (And he explicitly said he wouldn't use it if it's not ok.) You usually have interesting/helpful information on these topics, so I'm not sure what you're trying to ask or state here given that these questions have been answered.
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