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Author Topic: SC2 in Japanese  (Read 28928 times)
Aya Reiko
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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #45 on: February 06, 2007, 12:02:14 pm »
Heard anything yet?  About how long does it take them to reply when they do?
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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #46 on: February 06, 2007, 03:36:43 pm »
If they respond, it's usually quickly. But about half of the time, they don't respond at all.
I'll send another mail.
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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #47 on: February 06, 2007, 07:34:22 pm »
I have received a reply, which raised more questions than it answered. I just sent another email asking for more information. I'll let you know when I know more.
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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #48 on: February 06, 2007, 08:08:35 pm »
I have an answer.
As they've said before that they want to make games, not mess with legal stuff (for which I can't blame them), I'm not entirely surprised by Paul's response.
It appears that they do not know for sure whether they own all the Japanese stuff, but to the extend that they can give us permission to use the Japanese VO, we have it. I'll have to ask again about the fonts, which he didn't mention in his reply.
And something about polar bears.
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Aya Reiko
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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #49 on: February 07, 2007, 12:45:28 am »
Quote from: meep-eep on February 06, 2007, 08:08:35 pm
I have an answer.
As they've said before that they want to make games, not mess with legal stuff (for which I can't blame them), I'm not entirely surprised by Paul's response.
It appears that they do not know for sure whether they own all the Japanese stuff, but to the extend that they can give us permission to use the Japanese VO, we have it. I'll have to ask again about the fonts, which he didn't mention in his reply.
And something about polar bears.

I presume by 'VO' you mean speech.  As for fonts, if anything new fonts can be made in its place.
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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #50 on: February 07, 2007, 10:13:51 am »
Quote from: Aya Reiko on February 07, 2007, 12:45:28 am
I presume by 'VO' you mean speech.
Yes. "VO" is short for "voice-over".

Quote
As for fonts, if anything new fonts can be made in its place.
There are lots of Japanese fonts available with licenses that allow inclusion in UQM, so getting replacement fonts shouldn't be a problem. Meep-eep is probably worried about the fonts included in 3DO SC2, which may be licensed only for use on the 3DO or something like that.

The problem here is that TFB apparently doesn't know or care whether they actually own any of the Japanese content. Could someone with a copy of the Japanese version (and the ability to read Japanese!) check it (and its manual) for copyright notices and credits? That would at least give us another starting point in sorting this mess out.
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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #51 on: February 07, 2007, 08:52:32 pm »
I've got Paul's permission to quote his emails verbatim, so here goes:

My original question:
Quote
Hi,

Just a quick question: Do you have the rights to the voices and fonts of
the Japanese release of SC2 for the 3DO, and if so, do we have your
permission to distribute them like we distribute the English ones?

Thanks,

Serge

His reply:
Quote
Hi Serge,

Man, I don't really know the answer to that question -- especially the
Japanese font -- because we contracted the Japanese version to Free Fall
Games, and I don't know what kind of legal encumberances might exist.  I
don't think anyone on the planet will give you a hard time about using
the VO and font though, but that's just my opinion.

Hope that helps!

- Paul

My reply:
Quote
Hi Paul,

On Tue, 6 Feb 2007, Reiche, Paul wrote:
> Man, I don't really know the answer to that question -- especially the

> Japanese font -- because we contracted the Japanese version to Free
> Fall Games, and I don't know what kind of legal encumberances might
> exist.  I don't think anyone on the planet will give you a hard time
> about using the VO and font though, but that's just my opinion.

I realise that with legal matters there is no problem if nobody makes a
problem out of it, but I consider it a courtesy to ask for permission if
that is at all possible.

And we wouldn't only want to distribute those files ourselves, but also
to be able to give people permission to redistribute the files,
preferably under the same license as the English files.

You say that you contracted the Japanese version to Free Fall Games;
does that mean that you hired them to make the Japanese version, or did
they license the game from you to make the translation?


Thanks,

Serge

His reply:
Quote
It gets a little complicated... and kinda ironic...

Accolade licensed Star Control II to Crystal Dynamics so that Fred and I
could make a 3DO version (funny, huh?)  Crystal Dynamics then paid Fred,
myself and other 3rd party contractors to create the 3DO versions.  Does
Crystal therefore have some 'performance' rights in the recordings of
both Japanese and English VO?  Good question!  That would depend on the
specific details of the agreement between Accolade and Crystal Dynamics,
which I don't know exactly.  Most such licenses require that any 'new
rights' created while exploiting the license are automatically
transferred to the license owner (Accolade), however all copyrights for
Star Control II belong to Fred and myself, so it is likely that we do in
fact control the rights to the VO.  At least that's the way I see it,
but I am infamous for my 'creative' interpretations of reality.
Sometime ask Fred about my polar bear theory.

To the extent that Fred and I can permit you to use the Japanese
recorded VO, we hereby do so!

Sincerely,

- Paul (Universe 17, Galaxy 356, planet 4)
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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #52 on: February 08, 2007, 03:10:12 am »
Sigh, the more languages we can get UQM into, the more fans we can get. And then we can take over the world! Muhahahhahhaha...or....um, get a sequel....either or.
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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #53 on: February 08, 2007, 02:24:56 pm »
Paul's responses raise more questions than they answer: Who hired the voice actors? If TFB hired them (including the Japanese actors), they probably own the copyright on the voice (unless Japanese copyright law and/or some contract says otherwise). What rights did TFB sign away to Accolade and Crystal Dynamics?

All things considered, it wouldn't surprise me much if UQM in its current form were found to be in violation of Crystal Dynamics' and/or Accolade's copyright (whoever owns them now).
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Aya Reiko
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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #54 on: February 08, 2007, 10:53:16 pm »
Quote from: Novus on February 08, 2007, 02:24:56 pm
Paul's responses raise more questions than they answer: Who hired the voice actors? If TFB hired them (including the Japanese actors), they probably own the copyright on the voice (unless Japanese copyright law and/or some contract says otherwise). What rights did TFB sign away to Accolade and Crystal Dynamics?

All things considered, it wouldn't surprise me much if UQM in its current form were found to be in violation of Crystal Dynamics' and/or Accolade's copyright (whoever owns them now).

Accolade is dead, they shut their doors permanently in 2001.  The "Star Control" name is technically Atari's (who were formerly known as Infogrames), but the code base and all related media (except the movies) reverted back to TFB due to Accolade defaulting on royalty payments.  (And Accolade probably didn't make its payments because they were on the brink of bankruptcy at the time.)
Crystal Dynamics only has a claim to the movies, and Crystal Dynamics is now a part of SCi (who acquired them when they took over Eidos).

So basically the only things that aren't TFB's are the movies and the "Star Control" name.

BTW, has anyone contacted SCi to verify they do hold the rights to the movies?
« Last Edit: February 08, 2007, 11:01:05 pm by Aya Reiko » Logged


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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #55 on: February 08, 2007, 11:23:24 pm »
Thats kinda funny, all this corporate juggling.

Hey, those guys are trying to use our SC2 material, sue them!
Wait a second, who owns the stuff?
 I thought it was you...
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Aya Reiko
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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #56 on: February 09, 2007, 09:44:24 pm »
Quote from: countchocula86 on February 08, 2007, 11:23:24 pm
Thats kinda funny, all this corporate juggling.

Hey, those guys are trying to use our SC2 material, sue them!
Wait a second, who owns the stuff?
 I thought it was you...

True, though we do know TFB owns most of the SC1 and SC2 material, the rights to the rest has been shuffled around so much that even the legitimate rights holder probably doesn't know they have them.

BTW, does anyone know what other languages SC2 was dubbed in?  Or were Japanese and English the only languages it was dubbed in?
« Last Edit: February 09, 2007, 09:47:33 pm by Aya Reiko » Logged


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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #57 on: February 10, 2007, 12:15:20 am »
I'm willing to help with anything Japanese-related that may come up, and I'm sure there are a couple of others on this forum too. I don't check here very often, so drop me an email when/if something comes up Cheesy
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Pyleic
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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #58 on: February 02, 2012, 12:47:33 am »
Much as I hate to dredge up such an ancient behemoth, since this is the only SC2j thread with any appreciable amount of information, I have to ask;

It's been five years, is there any progress? I can only dream of playing SC2 in my favourite language.
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Re: SC2 in Japanese
« Reply #59 on: February 02, 2012, 05:45:21 pm »
It is no problem to reply on a thread this old.
However, unfortunately, there has been no progress on a Japanese version of UQM.
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