Jump to content

Music replacement and copyright issues


DispenserDown

Recommended Posts

For a while, I've been considering to release of a GNR radio replacement, but after reviewing the ToS, I seem to have hit a wall. I wouldn't have any problem with it provided if I didn't go take a peek at TESnexus and having seen copyrighted music right up for download.

 

The question I have to offer is, do I have permission to release the aforementioned modification without copyright issues belonging to materials in my modification?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've wondered about this too. Isn't music over 50 years old public domain or something like that?

 

Unless the copyright gets renewed by the respective owners, I think it is usually passed to the public domain about 50 years after the death of the artist who wrote and/or recorded the music. The laws of copyright expiration are explained pretty simply on About.com, though I don't think you'll get any lawsuits coming your way for making a mod that makes use of some popular music from the time despite the draconic copyright laws of our day and age.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(( Ive got a custom music pack I was preparing, contains over 100 new tracks for Explore, Public, Dungeon and Base folders in the music folder, also features a new intro music track which I feel better suits the game.

 

Music was taken from game and movie soundtracks, and some was re-edited with sound editing software to clean up or process the sounds, re-hash the tracks (making them more Fallout-ish) etc.

 

Took music from such games as Fallout 1 & 2 (obviously),

 

Tombraider

Guild Wars

Myst

Diablo

Gears of War

Planetscape (Mark Morgan ftw!)

Silent Hill

Hitman

Metal Gear

Shadow of the Collosus

Neverwinter Nights

Unreal

Resident Evil

Medal of Honor

 

 

also music from movies such as

 

Chronicles of Riddick

Jarhead

The Machinist

Changing Lanes

Open Range

Predator

Dune

Star Trek

28 Days Layer

28 Weeks Later

 

etc etc.

 

I saw just today that someone already released a pack that includes the music from Fallout 1 and 2... but I already had my fallout 1 and 2 music files in my own game within a week of the game launching LOL. I just never really thought about releasting them to anyone.

 

My music replacements feature tons of trademarked audio... understandably it would be taboo to host or feature... but... I can host it on my own site and post a link here in the forums if you want :)

 

 

The tracks i pick attempt to retain the 'feel' of Fallout 1 and 2.

Desert... Wasteland.... barren... Bleak.... rugged... hostile.... grungy/ industrial... evil.. etc

 

All the tracks I picked are on par with Fallout 1 and 2 quality, I dont pick 'theme songs'... I go for 'mood' pieces that really add to the lush landscape of the game and accompany the visuals!

 

Ill compile everything into an installer once im done finding songs i like :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That sounds really cool, I want it!

 

I'd really like new "music channels" in the Pipboy, which would allow you to choose something quickly. (I tend to listen to Enclave while in Dungeons, and to GNR when in Cities or "not in danger"). Plus this will allow to include that awesome immersive postapocalyptic radio show I heard last week somewhere on the internet (it's free to use afaik).

 

Edit: This is the "radio-show" I'm talking about, would be great to mix this with some music:

http://www.theafternow.com

 

 

Currently with new music you have not enough control, when to play what, although you have a folder for dungeons and cities.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My stance is this - I dont care about the opinions of anyone with more money than myself. In my opinion, no one is going to come down on a mod for Fallout 3 for including copyrighted music. All of the music in various Battlefield Vietnam mods is copyrighted - no one bothered them.

 

Star Wars mods - same thing.

 

The worst that can happen is an email to the hosting site asking them to remove the material. No big deal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My stance is this - I dont care about the opinions of anyone with more money than myself. In my opinion, no one is going to come down on a mod for Fallout 3 for including copyrighted music. All of the music in various Battlefield Vietnam mods is copyrighted - no one bothered them.

 

Star Wars mods - same thing.

 

The worst that can happen is an email to the hosting site asking them to remove the material. No big deal.

No, the worst that could happen is the people or companies that own the music sue for illegally distributing their property, and the Nexus forums as hosts are forced to close the site because someone blatantly ignored the rules and put up copyrighted material.

 

Simply stating you don't care that it's illegal doesn't make it legal.

 

I don't see why this is an issue, though, unless people are planning on doing recent music or something that is definitely copyrighted. There is a large amount of free music out there totally free of copyright or having a Creative Commons or similar license that allows redistribution so long as it's not for profit. Especially concerning older music, from the 40s and 50s, which would make the most sense for the Fallout universe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...