Swashbuckler' on 24/2/2008 at 09:20
Hello there!(my first post:))
I'd like to start an unofficial campaign project set in Thief universe;). Could you tell me, which names/characters/creatures I can use freely and which are copyright? For ex. can I use Hammerites/Mechanists, Pagans, Keepers, burricks, "taffer" word, The City and its quarters?
Cheers!
Lovecraftian on 24/2/2008 at 12:42
Not sure, but you'll be fine if it's not for profit.
Yandros on 24/2/2008 at 15:39
:nono: You can't use someone else's intellectual property whenever you want, just because you're not making any money doing so. Why do we keep having these conversations over and over in this forum? :weird:
If it's not for profit and if you attribute all the names to Eidos/LGS, it would still probably be illegal, but it makes it very doubtful anyone would come after you.
Swashbuckler' on 24/2/2008 at 17:05
Too bad, I don't want to use anything illegaly. And I'm afraid I cannot afford the license:(
But still I'd love to put my project into Thief's universe, refering to original thief games.
I can guess that names Thief (title), Garrett, Karras, Viktoria etc. are copyright, but what about the City itself? And the fractions, like Keepers, Hammers and the Builder, Pagans and the Trickster?
Or maybe EVERYTHING is copyright and I cannot use any? Is there any list of licensed characters or something?
I'd appreciate any hints. Cheers!
Yandros on 24/2/2008 at 17:24
I imagine some of the things you want to use are not protected, but I've no idea what they are or if there's such a list anywhere. Digi?
Digital Nightfall on 24/2/2008 at 17:44
is summoned
I was tempted to post several times before, but...
I don't know of any such list. But I personally think that all of this is fairly straightforward. Don't use any proper names. Call The Hammerites "The Church" if you want or make up a different name. Don't use any of their symbology or scriptures or anything like that. A pagan is a pagan is a pagan, and I doubt there's a problem with even using the word 'the trickster' as long as it's not used as a proper noun. Again, no names. Same with The Keepers. The term can be used as a description but not as a proper noun. If you follow that as more or less rules of thumb then I don't think you'll have a problem. After all, it's been done before - D&D is pretty much LotR with just enough changes to keep the lawyers away.
Think of it this way. If you were designing a game and wanted to have a character named Garrett, noone will stop you. That's a real name. If you wanted to create a character who's a master thief, again, noone will stop you. Put the two together and you've got a problem. The religions and factions used in the games are basic, simple, iconic things. They're ideas that are all over the place, used over and over again. Once more isn't a big deal.
But I'm not an expert on any of this by any means. I just know what makes sense to me!
On the other hand, if you're intending this to be something other than a work of fandom, I urge you to make it your own unique setting and not simply create a carbon copy Thief universe with changed names.
Goldmoon Dawn on 24/2/2008 at 17:52
Quote Posted by Swashbuckler'
Hello there!(my first post) I'd like to start an unofficial campaign project set in Thief universe;).
Welcome.
:ebil:
Zillameth on 24/2/2008 at 17:58
Quote Posted by Yandros
:nono: You can't use someone else's intellectual property whenever you want, just because you're not making any money doing so. Why do we keep having these conversations over and over in this forum? :weird:
Because different countries have different approaches to copyright, and in some of them creation of a non-profit derivative work is, in fact, legal, as long as all sources are properly referenced. In other words, some countries had been using Creative Commons style laws decades before Creative Commons was founded.
Also because it is a very complex, philosophical question of balance between the interests of an individual and the interests of the public. It is in the interest of an individual to protect their income and "authorship", but it is in the interest of the public to ensure free flow of ideas.
Yandros on 24/2/2008 at 18:41
Well said, Zillameth.
Shadak on 24/2/2008 at 23:49
Quote Posted by Swashbuckler'
I'd like to start an unofficial campaign project ...
Has no one else asked...what do you mean by this? Are you talking about a pen-and-paper RPG game "campaign" to play with your friends? Are you talking about a fan-fiction story campaign? Because both of those would be fine to use whatever you want I think. Are you talking about making a "indie" or "garage" computer game? What?
