Do i need a permission to make a mod based on certain movie?

hERd

hERd

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If I want to make mod based on a movie, for example on Star Wars films/universum, do I need to ask for permission?
Of course mod will be for fun and will be free.

ps. I know so many mods based on movies, and I dont think they all ask for any permission. Are they illegal then?
 
I think you will, i dont think lucasarts would be pleased...at least Foz arn't when anybody tries to mod AVP, they wave thier mighty fist and slam the mod team silly.

Lucasarts though, not sure.

Actually i am pretty sure theres a doom 3 Jedi mod on the horizon
 
Hmm well defiinatley yes if you plan to get money from it, which you wont get unless you pay.
 
As long as you wont make any money out of it, then i doubt they'd be bothered. If you made money, then thats a different matter.
 
I doubt it. Unless it is exactly it. Like a re-make.
 
Yes, you will. If it's starwars, you can be 90% sure they will say no.
 
Yes but think of all modes out there based on movies for many many different games...
 
IIRC, there's already a SW HL2 mod in developement, I remember reading about it a few months back in PCG...

Anyway, I think you'd be ok.
 
I don't think you do. As long as you don't charge people for the content, and post who the rights to the items belongs to, I doubt it. You CAN take donation money for your effots though >=)
 
No, the mod will be free.

And I saw already Star Wars mod, as said there are MANY mods based on many films.
 
MaxiKana said:
Yes, you will. If it's starwars, you can be 90% sure they will say no.
Click to expand...

u are right...the chances of creating a mod based around SW will probably get u in hot water with Lucas Arts.. all u need to do is a google search on the mods that were looking great but got cancelled.

anyway if i were u, i'd do my full research on this before putting any effort into something which may not even see the light of day.

infact, right off the bat, i'd tell u its a waste of time doing anything related to Lucas Arts...but whatever floats ur boat man.
good luck.
 
Battlefield 1942 has a Star Wars mod. Lucas is actually lenient you guys don't know what your talking about.

That is why tons of fan made movies are made because Lucas doesn't care.

Also Fox distributes. They have no rights over Star Wars.

If its Star Wars you're talking about go for it LFL doesn't care. But if its like Newline (Matrix) for example, I don't know about other studios.
 
sicola said:
Battlefield 1942 has a Star Wars mod. Lucas is actually lenient you guys don't know what your talking about.

That is why tons of fan made movies are made because Lucas doesn't care.

Also Fox distributes. They have no rights over Star Wars.

If its Star Wars you're talking about go for it LFL doesn't care. But if its like Newline (Matrix) for example, I don't know about other studios.
Click to expand...

What the hell are you on about? That mod got permission. Countless mods have been shut down by Lucas Arts, even RPG mods like Dungeon Siege have been shut down. LA didnt even release official mod tools for Battlefront, because people would be making SW mods..

Learn about stuff before you go blabbing about it. Ask permission from LA first.
 
and what about other mods nased on other movies?
 
Christ all these people saying you don't need to ask.

Fools.

It's intellectual property. You need permission to use it :) Making a mod does not fall under the terms of 'fair use'

Ask.
 
Badger's right. Not asking will only result in a number of rather agitated solicitors sending 'cease and decist' e-mails your way.

Badger has spoken. You have been warned.

-Angry Lawyer
 
**** 'em. Make the mod. If you're not selling it then it does them no harm. If anything, it shows how much respect you have for what George Lucas created. Not that that pompous anus would give a ****.

Edit: Cool, didn't know it bleeped out cusswords. Let's see what it catches

**** shit piss damn bitch ass

apparently it only bleeps out ****
 
Annnnnnd get a cease and desist and possible court summons!

Wheee what fun!
 
justmatt said:
**** 'em. Make the mod. If you're not selling it then it does them no harm. If anything, it shows how much respect you have for what George Lucas created. Not that that pompous anus would give a ****.
Click to expand...

They could care... There's some hardcore fans out there that are fussy as hell with storyline and everything. Put something in there that just doesn't qutie match and they can bitch.

And im sure Lucus Art's would be pissed if the game you made was more popular than the titles they are making :p

Id say try and ask, they own the IP and can ask you to kill the project your doing. Why waste your time on someithing only finding out you can't give it to anyone?
 
If there's already or will ever be an official game based on that movie, you're out of luck, since they will "Fox" you as soon as you announce it.
 
Why dont make an original mod instead? While you can get a lot of ideas from others stuff you dont need to be limited by the setting you have chosen for your mod.
 
You don't HAVE to belive us, telling you you have to get permission. Just be warned, if you don't. There's a VERY high chance that you will get a cease and desist order. And you better obey it.
 
Legally, of course you have to get permission. However, if you were to work on it privately, and not have a website, you could probably distribute it upon completion through less direct channels. As far as I know there's no way to shut down a mod once it's complete and out on the internet. You could even make it hard to figure out you're the one who created it though. But that's certainly at least skirting around the law, if not breaking it outright.
 
UT2004 Troopers is proof that LucasArts aren't as unkeen on their property being used in user-made mods as you'd think, especially as it's a mod that was specifically being developed to run for prizes in the "Make Something Unreal Contest". The thing is, is that like Troopers, you should seek their permission, and you're going to have to be Troopers pedigree for them to say yes. From the info in this thread, it almost sounds like you're going to single-handedly develop your own mod, or at least, you have no kind of team in place to make the mod. Perhaps you should start recruiting, have a strong enough case for doing the mod and then ask permission.
 
You can male anything you want as long as you do not profit from it.
 
CriYam said:
You can male anything you want as long as you do not profit from it.
Click to expand...

no, IP laws need to be respected despite what your product is... how about if I used leaked code for something, or decompiled a game and didnt profit from something I made using that information?
 
You can make fan material all you want. When you use something stolen right there you have a problem.
 
Well, showing me how I am wrong would be a good start.
 
You can't make something that's based on someone elses work, like an alien mod, stargate mod, starwars mod etc. without asking perimission from the IP(intellectual property, the idea) owners first. If you don't, they can send you a cease and desist order, if you don't follow it you will get a court order, and you could be fined. However it is illegal to use something stolen.
 
CriYam said:
Well, showing me how I am wrong would be a good start.
Click to expand...

If someone else invents something, its their property under "Intellectual property" laws, it may also be copyrighted.
You cannot imitate, re-create, or otherwise rip-off their work without asking for permission.
How would you like if you made a game called... Biozeminade Rumble, then someone gets the hl2 engine, and codes a similar version of your game on this engine, allowing people to play with the monsters you designed, on maps/areas you thought of, in battles you created, and as a result, less people buy the real Biozeminade Rumble; In fact, the characters and themes of Biozeminade Rumble are greatly diminished because everyone starts copying it, then a major corporation makes Biozeminade Rumble 2 (re-branding the name of course), without asking permission, naturally, and makes a bucket load of profit... whoops!
 
We speak about FREE mods. That are BASED on certain movie, not a COPY of it!! What are u talking about???
 
So what law can stop him from creating his own characters in the Star Wars world and making a mod for it?
 
hERd said:
We speak about FREE mods. That are BASED on certain movie, not a COPY of it!! What are u talking about???
Click to expand...

The exact same thing.
 
bliik was talking about PROFIT and a COPY of a "Biozeminade"
its not the same lol
 
CriYam said:
You can male anything you want as long as you do not profit from it.
Click to expand...
If that is true...
clicky
How comes the mod team in that first newspost recieved a Cease and Desist order for the free mod they were developing for Doom 3?

Especially given that the System Shock property is in a total limbo where Electronic Arts refuse to option a sequel from any development house. The System Shock series is not even commerically viable, with the last game released 5/6 years ago and rarely on store shelves. If EA are able to legally stop that mod team from doing anything, your statement is incorrect.
 
hERd said:
bliik was talking about PROFIT and a COPY of a "Biozeminade"
its not the same lol
Click to expand...

The corporation was an extreme example.
Secondly, there is no easy way to draw a line between something BASED on a work, and something COPIED, when it is easier just to sue everyone.
 
CriYam said:
So what law can stop him from creating his own characters in the Star Wars world and making a mod for it?
Click to expand...

? then it wouldnt be star-wars. And if he named it Star-wars then he could be told to change the name because of the copyright.

The Star Wars world also would be covered in the IP...Because, they created it (names etc).

Be creative and make a new mod :) It feels so much more rewarding.
 
Ok how about dozens of mods out there that are based on movies or are games sequel. I didnt see copmanies are worry about it.
 
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