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[Eagle of Fire]

There is no such things as "fanware". I don't know what it is, Yahoo (and/or Google) don't know what it is, heck even Wikipedia don't know what it is... Thus, it doesn't exist under the name of "fanware".

Define exactly what you refer as "fanware" instead of hiding it under an unknown term, and then we'll be able to tell you quite easily that it's not legal and it never even came close to.

Not to say that it's so obvious, I'm wondering why the question... <_<

[horrorist]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Eagle of Fire @ Jan 25 2007, 09:46 PM) [snapback]276466[/snapback]</div>

heck even Wikipedia don't know what it is...
[/b]

This, at least, could be changed very easyly ...

Meanwhile at the <strike>COMPANY- NAME ZENSORED</strike> game devellopement department:

:w00t: I took the game- engine from "Ages of Empire" added the maps from "Warcraft" and included some designs from "Tsar" wrapped it nicely into the story from "myth", what do you think could we get for this new game?

About five years, three with good conduct.


OK, lets be serious. I think it's great if somebody tries to transform his own ideas into his favourite imaginary enviroment, and by this encreasing his programmer skills. But (most obviously) the legal conditions have to kept in mind, as allready pointed out several times above. Even though I'm not sure, if ViB wanted to create a website or a fan- game, the legal conditions are almost the same.

[Lulu_Jane]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tulac @ Jan 25 2007, 12:34 PM) [snapback]276406[/snapback]</div>

Not if you don't ask money for the given product.
[/b]

Yes, you will.

Plagarism is still unethical, repugnant and wrong regardless of whether or not you make money from it.

For example, if you plagarised parts of (or the entirety) of a university thesis and people realize what you have done - you would be expelled.
If you are a member of an academic community (such as a scientist or historian) and submitted a plagarised paper for peer review, you would find yourself ostrasized (hence effectively expelled) from the community, if once again, people spot your theft.

So, once again, that old school adage is correct - Always cite/credit your source material.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Not to mention that publisher companies have a nasty habit of shutting down games they see as infriging on their copyrights - like Maniac Mansion VGA, for instance.

[Morrin]

"Oh my god! They are making new improved version of a game that doesn't sell anymore! Burn them!"

[The Fifth Horseman]

Copyright is copyright.

[ViB]

Thank you for your interest! :thanx:

I never realy belive that there are no problems with the copyright and terms of the games. I don't want to make a new game based on the older games. I want to wirte a the story in to a novel. Some people say it is a good idea, others say that is waste of time. But I think it is a logical further use. The question is who it does. And I think I am the right man.

In consideration of the legal position first of all I want to use the storys of freeware-games for example my work. Maybe I find a publsiher who are interesting. I don't think that LucasArts allow me to use the story of Monkey Island and the other adventures. So it is senselessy to ask them. Damn materialistics! :ranting:

[horrorist]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ViB @ Jan 27 2007, 12:26 PM) [snapback]276679[/snapback]</div>

I want to wirte a the story in to a novel.
[/b]

Computer programs (such as games) are considdered as literature, which means they undergo the same rights as far as the authorship and copyrights are concerned. So if you write a novel after the motives (ideas) of a computer- game or create an own game after an existing one, it might cause the same problems.

The legal term for what you would like to do is a "rework", which is also prohibited! It's not easy to determine if a new peace of work is a rework or if it stands for his own, just using similar motives. If you were telling a story, allready subject to a computergame, this would be obviously a rework, no matter which perspective (e.g. hero in the game, some "unknown hero") you are using. Even if you were just telling a story which is only mentioned in somebody else's work or creating a "sequel" or a "spinoff" (to use some popular terms) it could be seen as a rework. The author could state, that he had just "forgotten" to detail that item, or that he left it undescribed for "artistic reasons".

Using freeware games does not minimize the danger, cause "freeware" does not nescessary mean that you are allowed to rework the game. Even freeware programs mostly contain a licence agreement, which details the rights of the user.

Maybe the holder of the copyrights will grant you with the right to create a novel upon their work. One of the greatest science fiction series of the world (issued since 1961 without interuption!) has always issued story, written and submitted by fans. Due to the age of this series most of their original founders have allready deceased. Some of the recent authors had started their careers by handing a "fan- novel" to the redaction.

I also remember to read a "fan- novel" about the characters of Diablo entering the world of Diablo II, which was absolutely fun, especially when a dealer refused to buy several "Stones of Jordan" (unique item) because he suspected them to be fakes, due to the fact that there could be only one "Jordan".

[Lulu_Jane]

I knew it, fan-fiction it is then.

Anyways, perhaps you should write it first before worrying too much about legal issues. Most books go through extensive editing (even re-writes) before they are finally published - I'm sure that you could iron out any difficulties then.

Once again, this is a perfect time to remind people how wonderful Creative Commons licensing is.

[Abi79]

Reported.