Re-Making an old game (Xain'd Sleena)
Author
I would like to make a remake of an old game I used to play in the game galleries when I was a kid called Xain'd Sleena .
I'm planning to emulate the gameplay the best I can, renew all the graphics, the music and use higher resolutions than the original.
The game, if I make it, will be opensource. Since the game is based on an old game and it is going to be free should I worry for legal issues on copyright? Should I ask for permission? (if the company still exist).
EDIT: The original game was made by Technos Japan. I've found that "Technos Japan has bankrupted in 1993, and no one knows what happened to it after that...".
[edited by - xaxa on March 6, 2003 5:32:39 AM]
Although the company that made it went bust, the distributor/publisher might still have rights to it (if it was a separate distributor or publisher).
It depends on how ''based on'' your version will be. To take an extreme example if you ripped all the graphics from the original then you would definitely have problems. OTOH if you revamped it totally with flashy new 3D graphics, changed some of the key names for things (including the actual game title) etc. then I kinda doubt you''d have much of a problem.
It depends on how ''based on'' your version will be. To take an extreme example if you ripped all the graphics from the original then you would definitely have problems. OTOH if you revamped it totally with flashy new 3D graphics, changed some of the key names for things (including the actual game title) etc. then I kinda doubt you''d have much of a problem.
Copyright is not an issue...copyright refers to duplicating the game, or its manual. What you need to worry about is trademarks.
The name "Xain''d Sleena" is extremely likely to be trademarked, and whoever owns that trademark MUST challenge you. Otherwise, they risk losing the trademark, and anyone could call their game that. Similarly, the characters in the game might have trademarked names as well.
It makes no difference whether you are doing this to buy yourself another yacht, or if it''s to feed orphans in Calcutta. You''re still violating someone''s trademark.
If I were you, I would do a very similar game, but I would rename the game and all of its characters.
The name "Xain''d Sleena" is extremely likely to be trademarked, and whoever owns that trademark MUST challenge you. Otherwise, they risk losing the trademark, and anyone could call their game that. Similarly, the characters in the game might have trademarked names as well.
It makes no difference whether you are doing this to buy yourself another yacht, or if it''s to feed orphans in Calcutta. You''re still violating someone''s trademark.
If I were you, I would do a very similar game, but I would rename the game and all of its characters.
Author
What I would like to do is to make everything again, new graphics (2D highcolor/alphachannel), more layers in the backgrounds, *resample the music* (or write new one), different levels and to duplicate identically the feeling of the gameplay. This games has some details that makes it special to me, the gravity, the way the enemies behaves.
I would like to make it as a tribute to the makers, that game gave me fun when being a kid, those things are hard to forget...
But I don't want to be a sued tributer
[edited by - xaxa on March 6, 2003 2:08:33 PM]
I would like to make it as a tribute to the makers, that game gave me fun when being a kid, those things are hard to forget...
But I don't want to be a sued tributer
[edited by - xaxa on March 6, 2003 2:08:33 PM]
Remakes are fun!
This one looks really good. Nice 2D graphics. How old is that game?
Maybe your problem is solved if you choose another gamename which sounds similar. Exmaples: Turrican - Hurrican or Panasonic Panasoanic
Author
quote:Original post by D3DNoob
Remakes are fun!
This one looks really good. Nice 2D graphics. How old is that game?
Maybe your problem is solved if you choose another gamename which sounds similar. Exmaples: Turrican - Hurrican or Panasonic Panasoanic
I think it is from 1986, quite old isn''t?
Well, I think that with new everything and a different name there will be no problem.
Does anybody knows how do I register an opensource (GNU?) project?
Well. First of all you have to be sure you''ll finish it. Then, it''s time to worry about copyrights and whatnot. If the game turns out great, and you think it''ll still be a problem with the copyrights, I''m sure you''ll have no problem in finding an artist to rework the graphics.
What I''m saying is, this is merely a hypothetical question. Finish it first, then worry later. In any case, you''ll be able to use the existing game to build something that avoids copyrights...
What I''m saying is, this is merely a hypothetical question. Finish it first, then worry later. In any case, you''ll be able to use the existing game to build something that avoids copyrights...
Author
quote:Original post by llyod
Well. First of all you have to be sure you'll finish it. Then, it's time to worry about copyrights and whatnot. If the game turns out great, and you think it'll still be a problem with the copyrights, I'm sure you'll have no problem in finding an artist to rework the graphics.
What I'm saying is, this is merely a hypothetical question. Finish it first, then worry later. In any case, you'll be able to use the existing game to build something that avoids copyrights...
Yes, you're right. Anyway I've been reading at www.gnu.org and I found the only thing I have to do is to distribute the licence texts within the release to be under the GNU. Cool
Do you suggest I use the original arwork to make the game first?
[edited by - xaxa on March 7, 2003 3:44:47 PM]
This topic is closed to new replies.
Advertisement
Popular Topics
Advertisement
