"Twinsen", "Twinsun", "LBA", etc. copyrights??

[Exie]

Do you know something about this stuff??.. Who has the (c)'s / tm's on these words, or are they free for use??
For use in non-profit sequel %)E)

[ChaosFish]

Yes, feel free to use them.

I'd hate to live in a world where you can't use a word because it's copyrighted.

[elmuerte]

"Little Big Adventure" is an unregistered trademark of Adeline Software.
This means you are pretty much free to use it for whatever you want (even for commercial perposes). Adeline Software could challenge your use of their unregistered trademark, but they can only stop you from using it, there wouldn't be a fine for using it. This is the case with Registered Trademarks.

Words or names are not copyrighted.

® = Registered Trademark (for example "Coca Cola").
™ = Unregistered Trademark (for example "Magicball Network").

[Axx]

Actually i recall Frederick telling me quite the opposite, something about coming out with LBA under a different name.

[elmuerte]

what part?

[Axx]

I think Little Big Adventure and the names like twinsun, twinsen are all copyrighted. I cant be sure because i cant remember it that clearly

[elmuerte]

I doubt it. Because it's not legally possible to own a copyright on a name. That's why they invented trademarks.

[Darkflame]

What about Disney and Micky Mouse?
Surely Adeline/Twinsen would be the same thing?

Personaly, Id just go with my universal rule;
Its ok as long as its clearly fan made, and dosnt damage the brand.

[Exie]

Originally Posted by Axx

I think Little Big Adventure and the names like twinsun, twinsen are all copyrighted

Ok, and how to verify this fact certainly??.. %)) May I ask Fred himself?? %))
And what about "LBA" ("LBAX","LBA 2.5" %)) as a game name??..
Does this mean that characters can't be named Twinsen and Zoe?? %))

[Exie]

Originally Posted by Darkflame

and Micky Mouse?

Yeah, that is what I mean. AFAIK, Disney kicks everyone's @ss who dare to use their characters.

[Exie]

Originally Posted by ChaosFish

Yes, feel free to use them.

Thanks, man %))
If only I had lived on Cocos Islands, copyrights would be a pretty myth for me %)) Unfortunately, it is not.

[elmuerte]

"Mickey Mouse" the name and character (a.s. "logo") is a registered Trademark
"Mickey Mouse" the drawing is copyrighted

[Exie]

Ok, so they will kick my @ss for because of blue tunic and hairtail, not because of his name??.. %))

[ChaosFish]

Originally Posted by Exie

Ok, so they will kick my @ss for because of blue tunic and hairtail, not because of his name??.. %))

Nobody's gonna kick nobody's ass. The worst thing they can possibly do to you is force you to stop developing your game, and they will only do that if they are really lame (like Sierra).

[Exie]

Originally Posted by ChaosFish

Nobody's gonna kick nobody's ass. The worst thing they can possibly do to you is force you to stop developing your game

It is the same >%)E)

And what accident took place with Sierra??..

[ChaosFish]

Actually even Sierra didn't do that, well they did stop the unofficial King's Quest sequal, but then a year later or so after the fans begged them not to be asses they diceded to allow it to continue. They don't really have any reason to stop a fan game that will only promote them.

[Axx]

Nobody is going to worry about what you make to be honest. LBA is old, and many companies dont really worry about it. However, officially speaking there are certain rights that belong to a number of people that would restrict officially producing a sequel or such.

[Darkflame]

A good example of corporate idiots is more applied to TV and Films.
eg.
Some fans organised a Buffy musical to be made based on the musical episode. It was free entry, and even got the support of Joss Whedon.

But because they were breaking copyright, yada, yada, Fox closed it down with legal notices.

By comparison, when someone made a one-man Lord of the Rings,Newline done a deal, made it official, and took a percent from the profits.
Lucas does a similar thing with all the "expanded universe" star wars books.

Some companies are stupid when it comes to copyright, some are very smart.

[Exie]

Originally Posted by Darkflame

Some companies are stupid when it comes to copyright, some are very smart.

Yes, you're right. I think the same is applicable to any human stuff %))
Of course, if law problems will take place, I will get rid of the sequel idea, but this idea can be continued by programmer from Cocos Islands, with Cocos web server and Cocos attitude to european law %)E)

[elmuerte]

The problem is more that a court case costs a shit load of money, so rather than challanging the case they probably would win they simply stop because they can't afford it.

In general non-commercial fan creations are allowed by the intellectual properly holders, ofcourse there are a lot of cases where this isn't the case (for example: Star Wars, Dragonball, ...).
When the copyright holder has objections to your creation you usually first get a warning (e.g. "Cease and disist" letter).
As for LBA, it's pretty much safe to say non-commercial fan creations are ok.

[Exie]

Originally Posted by El_Muerte

As for LBA, it's pretty much safe to say non-commercial fan creations are ok.

But.. maybe it is only while LBA series are obsolete??
Will the situation change when "LBA3 campaign" will start, and the copyrights holders will awake from sleep??.. %))

[ChaosFish]

AFAIK the copyright holder for LBA3 will be Fred, and he obviously doesn't object to fan creations.

[elmuerte]

situation doesn't change but unless Fred reconsiders or sells his part of the copyright.

[Darkflame]

Originally Posted by Exie

Yes, you're right. I think the same is applicable to any human stuff %))
Of course, if law problems will take place, I will get rid of the sequel idea, but this idea can be continued by programmer from Cocos Islands, with Cocos web server and Cocos attitude to european law %)E)

Or Sealand maybe?
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...ealand&spell=1

[ChaosFish]

Originally Posted by Darkflame

Or Sealand maybe?
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...ealand&spell=1

"Membership: < 5 permanent residents"

I'm probably misreading, I think I once read a children fantasy book about a country with 3 people (one of them was the king).