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Copyright questions (oh boy)


TheBawb

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Copyright question(s)

 

Hello all, by this time most of you know that I've been working on my Shire project for over a year, and we're within a few months of beta release now. And so the thought of copyright has been floating around in my head for a while. Now I doubt Warner bros would shut us down, as we pose no threat to them, there is not likely to be a Shire video game ever released. Which is one of the main reasons for the mod. But I've spent hundreds of hours making sure this mod works, and I must also be mindful of my team's time. So I would in fact like to remove all copy-righted material from this mod.

And as I am no law school graduate, I have a few questions;

  • I understand the names and locations are copyrighted, how far do I have to change them? Can I make them pronounced the same (Like Bihlbo Bhaggins) or must I dramatically change the name?

  • Is the Shire copyrighted? This is the one thing I'd prefer to keep, as the people who search for this mod would likely not find it if I called it something else

  • Can I say it was lotr inspired?

  • I use quotes from lotr in the loadscreens, if I swap out words can I still use them, or is it best just to get rid of them?

  • Do I have to claim this as a parody?

  • Are these the only things I need to worry about?

  • (This time not a lotr question) This mod uses a script similar to the hearthfire script, but does not require hearthfire. The script was written myself and includes things that hearthfire doesn't. Like time passes during construction and it refunds tools back into your inventory like hammers, axes, drillers etc. I use no hearthfire resources (No iron fittings, goat horns, hinges etc) and I've never even looked at the hearthfire BYOH script. Must It require hearthfire when it includes no assets?

I apologize to all our fans who wanted to live next to Bilbo Baggins or visit Hobbiton I know messing with the names will nearly ruin immersion, but I'm sure you understand why I have to do it.

 

Yours in modding,

TheBawb

Edited by TheBawb
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7. If it includes no assets from HF then nope, not at all. Especially if you've never seen it. There are plenty of BYOH scripts/mods out there that don't require it.

Was kinda hoping so, thanks

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2.
Is the Shire copyrighted? This is the one thing I'd prefer to keep, as the people who search for this mod would likely not find it if I called it something else

 

"the Shire" is fine, "The Shire" perhaps less so. Shires were a measure of land in England well over a thousand years ago, eventually replaced by "county" about 800 years ago.

 

It's so old each shire had an official know as the shire Reeve. The Normans demoted them around 1072 or so to a minor official in charge of security - the sheriff.

 

ps If you think the OP is being a bit paranoid, remember you've got book author's estate, script writers, producers, film companies - all with their own full-time lawyers.

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2.

Is the Shire copyrighted? This is the one thing I'd prefer to keep, as the people who search for this mod would likely not find it if I called it something else

 

"the Shire" is fine, "The Shire" perhaps less so. Shires were a measure of land in England well over a thousand years ago, eventually replaced by "county" about 800 years ago.

 

It's so old each shire had an official know as the shire Reeve. The Normans demoted them around 1072 or so to a minor official in charge of security - the sheriff.

 

ps If you think the OP is being a bit paranoid, remember you've got book author's estate, script writers, producers, film companies - all with their own full-time lawyers.

Interesting, good to know I don't have to change the name too much. And yeah, all those lawyers are making me glad I'm getting rid of the copyrighted material

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