I'm writting this because I'm working on a space sci-fi novel that is going to be very inspired in the amazing game that is Freelancer, and I want to know if I'm going to violate some copyright laws. This is what I'm going to take from the game:
-Factions: In this book there are going to be plenty of factions, and many are based in Freelancer ( and Discovery Freelancer)'s factions. Some share a similar name, bu some have the same name (Interspace Commerce, Deep Space Engineering, Synth Foods Inc., Planetform Inc., Universal Shipping, Bounty Hunters Guild, Independent Miners Guild, Gas Miners Guild, Junkers, Zoners, Corsairs<Pirates, not the remnants of House Hispania>, Rogues, Gaians, Blood Dragons <btw, this faction is like Yakuza and not like the game's Blood Drangons>, Farmers Alliance, Outcasts<criminal group formed by exconvicts, exilied ones, social pariahs and other less affortunates; not the remnants of House Hispania>, and Lane Hackers). This is the matter that most worry me. Btw, there are also Freelancers and Independent Pirates.
-Trade Lanes, Docking Rings, Jump Gates, Jump Holes and the Neural Net also exist in this universe.
-I'm going to use the names of many ships (and the shapes of some will be inspired in some ships) for the ships of the universe.
-Colonies: A bit hard to explain. In this universe, the Solar Empire was created by Humans and Chulkae (a reptilian race native to Earth that evolved from dinosaurs), and in the 2306 many other races (2498 exactly) joined the Empire because of the presence of huge alien empires that were expanding towards them (included Sol System). But there was many independent and unhinabited systems between each race, so the Empire decided to launch 202 sleeper ships, one for each nation on Earth (the Vatican, the Order of Malta gone in the same sleeper ship, also Monaco with France and Singapour with Malaysia), to colonize those systems (later they will be launched more sleeper ships to colonize more systems). I have thinked the name of those 202 sleeper ships and their systems (this last one is easy, because I'm naming those systems after the country's administrative divisions). And here comes the problem: Hispania (Spain), Galia (France), Kusari (Japan), Rheinland (Germany), and Liberty (United States) are the names that worry me, mostly the last three. Btw, for United Kingdom I choose Britania.
-Commodities: Many of the commodities in Freeelancer ( and Discovery Freelancer) are also in this universe (except some, like cardamine). I'm not sure if I will have problems with this.
-Chatters: Like all you know, when the neural net speaks or you are entering or leaving a base, flying or fighting there are chatters. Many of them are being to be included. This one I dont't think is important.
And that was all, I hope you can help me. Sorry the long post and the bad English.
P.S.: I dont't know if this is off topic. If it is, feel free to delete it.
First piece of advice I always give anyone on a legal question: Unless the person giving said advice is a lawyer who is a member of the bar in the state, province or country where you're going to do something, their advice should be taken with a grain of salt.
Second piece of advice: What you're talking about is called a derivative work. It absolutely does require the authorization of the original copyright holder in order to make a derivative work. Unless you have authorization from Microsoft, they abandon the copyright to Freelancer (which I don't think they have) or they have shown a blatant disregard for their copyright interests in Freelancer in the past that a lawyer could prove, you are violating copyright law.
Sorry to be the bearer of two pieces of bad news.
Aaron
Note: I am not a lawyer, but I do play one on the Discovery Freelancer forums.
(10-03-2018, 03:35 PM)Aaron_Cianci Wrote: First piece of advice I always give anyone on a legal question: Unless the person giving said advice is a lawyer who is a member of the bar in the state, province or country where you're going to do something, their advice should be taken with a grain of salt.
Second piece of advice: What you're talking about is called a derivative work. It absolutely does require the authorization of the original copyright holder in order to make a derivative work. Unless you have authorization from Microsoft, they abandon the copyright to Freelancer (which I don't think they have) or they have shown a blatant disregard for their copyright interests in Freelancer in the past that a lawyer could prove, you are violating copyright law.
Sorry to be the bearer of two pieces of bad news.
Aaron
Note: I am not a lawyer, but I do play one on the Discovery Freelancer forums.
(10-03-2018, 03:35 PM)Aaron_Cianci Wrote: First piece of advice I always give anyone on a legal question: Unless the person giving said advice is a lawyer who is a member of the bar in the state, province or country where you're going to do something, their advice should be taken with a grain of salt.
Second piece of advice: What you're talking about is called a derivative work. It absolutely does require the authorization of the original copyright holder in order to make a derivative work. Unless you have authorization from Microsoft, they abandon the copyright to Freelancer (which I don't think they have) or they have shown a blatant disregard for their copyright interests in Freelancer in the past that a lawyer could prove, you are violating copyright law.
Sorry to be the bearer of two pieces of bad news.
Aaron
Note: I am not a lawyer, but I do play one on the Discovery Freelancer forums.
And how I contact them?
Here's the link to the "allowed" license that Microsoft Game Studios gives for game content. It gives a pretty good description of what is okay and what isn't: https://www.xbox.com/en-us/developers/rules
Regarding how to reach Microsoft regarding a copyright request, unfortunately, that information isn't easy to find. You'd likely have to engage a lawyer to even get their attention on the question.
There is simple rule when it comes to this. Are you going to write your novel just for fun and publish it just somewhere on-line on fan forums? Then you should be fine, it´s basically a non-commercial fan fiction.
Problems always come when you start making money on it, especially when it´s lot of money, so when it becomes succesful. Then you can expect problems with the owner of the copyright finds out you make money on his work (and thus he is entitled to get his share) and thus should sort it out.
Though, in case of Freelancer, it would be quite hard task. In the past, there were player iniciatives from different communities (including even Discovery I think) to contact Microsoft and convince them to make the game freeware or at least purchasable through digital distribution, or release source code for modding. As far as I know all of them failed because game is too old so basically even responsible people in Microsoft do not really have idea who should actually decide about this (or they simply do not care because there is not enough money involved for the company).
If I understood the rules of the "license", I can actually do my work but not sold it and I have to put a notice about the Game Content if I'm going to share it with others. So, by the moment I can post the history in sites like Wattpad, no?
(10-03-2018, 04:26 PM)Laura C. Wrote: There is simple rule when it comes to this. Are you going to write your novel just for fun and publish it just somewhere on-line on fan forums? Then you should be fine, it´s basically a non-commercial fan fiction.
Problems always come when you start making money on it, especially when it´s lot of money, so when it becomes succesful. Then you can expect problems with the owner of the copyright finds out you make money on his work (and thus he is entitled to get his share) and thus should sort it out.
Though, in case of Freelancer, it would be quite hard task. In the past, there were player iniciatives from different communities (including even Discovery I think) to contact Microsoft and convince them to make the game freeware or at least purchasable through digital distribution, or release source code for modding. As far as I know all of them failed because game is too old so basically even responsible people in Microsoft do not really have idea who should actually decide about this (or they simply do not care because there is not enough money involved for the company).
By the moment I want to publish it in Wattpad. I wanted to publish it commercially, but apparently I can't.
(10-03-2018, 04:26 PM)Laura C. Wrote: There is simple rule when it comes to this. Are you going to write your novel just for fun and publish it just somewhere on-line on fan forums? Then you should be fine, it´s basically a non-commercial fan fiction.
Problems always come when you start making money on it, especially when it´s lot of money, so when it becomes succesful. Then you can expect problems with the owner of the copyright finds out you make money on his work (and thus he is entitled to get his share) and thus should sort it out.
Though, in case of Freelancer, it would be quite hard task. In the past, there were player iniciatives from different communities (including even Discovery I think) to contact Microsoft and convince them to make the game freeware or at least purchasable through digital distribution, or release source code for modding. As far as I know all of them failed because game is too old so basically even responsible people in Microsoft do not really have idea who should actually decide about this (or they simply do not care because there is not enough money involved for the company).
By the moment I want to publish it in Wattpad. I wanted to publish it commercially, but apparently I can't.
You're correct. Non-commercial use (no money being made) appears to be fine, per the link I sent. If you start making money, then it'll be an issue.