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+--- Thread: Discovery going Standalone / hosting Freelancer.ISO on our site (/showthread.php?tid=135473)
RE: Including the game install as a part of the mod - Alley - 01-28-2016
(01-28-2016, 11:26 AM)Findarato Veneanar Wrote: Surely we have someone around here with legal knowledge.
If this doesn't become a thing, it would be a good idea to include information on how to get the game in the mod download, maybe in the disco installer, and we should really have some community hosted torrents of it.
It's very simple: Freelancer is abandonware.
However abandonware is not a legal status, it's rather something that showed up on its own back in the day when tech companies either discarded products or simply shut down. On a legal standpoint, we would need Microsoft to renounce all of their rights regarding the Freelancer franchise, which will never happen.
It is however true Microsoft stopped giving a damn, and to put it in perspective not too long ago some of us got in touch with a Microsoft employee that himself was unable to gather the slightest information regarding Freelancer.
I believe it's worth a shot from the moment vanilla and singleplayer are unavailable. In the event there is a legal inquiry regarding this, it would actually be a great opportunity rather than trouble. Taking down a link is not a problem for us, it's a matter of seconds. However it would be a great opportunity to force Microsoft/Their legal representative to explain the current status of the Freelancer franchise. It's even doubtful they would do anything in the first place as this is a dead franchise that does not generate any money. Setting up a case, even just internally, would cost more money than any possible benefit.
RE: Including the game install as a part of the mod - jammi - 01-28-2016
Most recently, I've also bombarded various Microsoft subsidiaries and departments related to their games development division with queries about Freelancer, and none of them received a reply. Unless we're able to underwrite our queries with a big cheque and a publisher's email domain, I don't think they're going to very much care what we ask them.
Of course, that won't stop them from shutting us down out of spite and/or legal malice should we overstep the line and one of their keyword searches flags it up. On the plus side, at least that would mean a human operator was involved in the case, which would provide us with an opening for negotiation. That's one hell of a gamble though.
RE: Including the game install as a part of the mod - sindroms - 01-28-2016
(01-28-2016, 12:49 PM)Alley Wrote:(01-28-2016, 11:26 AM)Findarato Veneanar Wrote: Surely we have someone around here with legal knowledge.
If this doesn't become a thing, it would be a good idea to include information on how to get the game in the mod download, maybe in the disco installer, and we should really have some community hosted torrents of it.
It's very simple: Freelancer is abandonware.
However abandonware is not a legal status, it's rather something that showed up on its own back in the day when tech companies either discarded products or simply shut down. On a legal standpoint, we would need Microsoft to renounce all of their rights regarding the Freelancer franchise, which will never happen.
It is however true Microsoft stopped giving a damn, and to put it in perspective not too long ago some of us got in touch with a Microsoft employee that himself was unable to gather the slightest information regarding Freelancer.
I believe it's worth a shot from the moment vanilla and singleplayer are unavailable. In the event there is a legal inquiry regarding this, it would actually be a great opportunity rather than trouble. Taking down a link is not a problem for us, it's a matter of seconds. However it would be a great opportunity to force Microsoft/Their legal representative to explain the current status of the Freelancer franchise. It's even doubtful they would do anything in the first place as this is a dead franchise that does not generate any money. Setting up a case, even just internally, would cost more money than any possible benefit.
So in the end:
How risky would it be for us to try adding the game to the installer as a trial run then? What would the repercussions be if someone did end up giving a toss? Would it be as simple as removing the download link and return to our usual model as a separate mod installer, or are we risking suspension?
RE: Including the game install as a part of the mod - Alley - 01-28-2016
as simple as removing the download link and return to our usual model as a separate mod installer, as you put it.
bonus is to host it off-site.
RE: Including the game install as a part of the mod - sindroms - 01-28-2016
I would highly advise you guys put it to a vote if it is worth doing that.
It seems it is a question popping up a lot these days. It would be problematic if the biggest hurdle to getting new players is the fact that nobody can obtain the game, rather than something else.
RE: Including the game install as a part of the mod - Anomander - 01-28-2016
Few moths ago Freelancer was add as full-game version to CDA game magazine
http://www.cdaction.pl/news-40470/zawartosc-cd-action-012015.html
I bought this game few years before in Allegro (Polish equivalent of E-buy)
Speaking of adding install ISO to Mod itself - if would be a nice idea
yet I do not know how it will looks in reference to copyright issues
and ownership by MS.
RE: Including the game install as a part of the mod - Antonio - 01-28-2016
After reading Alley's post I don't see a problem with it being implemented.
RE: Including the game install as a part of the mod - sindroms - 01-28-2016
No, not a separate iso.
Just have the mod as a standalone thing. With all of the original game files already included during the unpacking process.
Would just need to figure out how to create all the additional directories and whatever. If it is too complicated, sure, just have a Freelancer ISO in the downloads section or something.
I suppose the only thing you'd need to gut from the install are the musics, as they still get flagged on Youtube. Someone is still monetizing them.
RE: Including the game install as a part of the mod - Anomander - 01-28-2016
Well that actually might work - a specially if We bypass copyright issues by adding eg. own-created music.
In our comunity there is plenty artistic-gifted players who might want to help in developing the mod.
The question is - is only music is covered by copyright or maybe also something else.
RE: Including the game install as a part of the mod - Unlucky_Soul - 01-28-2016
(01-28-2016, 12:49 PM)Alley Wrote: it would be a great opportunity to force Microsoft/Their legal representative to explain the current status of the Freelancer franchise. It's even doubtful they would do anything in the first place as this is a dead franchise that does not generate any money. Setting up a case, even just internally, would cost more money than any possible benefit.
Lets do it.... Seriously,