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Topic: Star Control copyright (Read 8244 times)
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Mead
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"Star Control" does show up in the game dialog with the human base commander, though, and maybe in the PC intro? Been a while since I've seen it. Do those count?
Thats actually a very good question.
Within the game, 'Star Control' is used to refer to Earth's military, presumably the interstellar, military arm of the UN, iirc, the commander mentions it several times, and perhaps the Shofixti does as well, saying something about being disciplined when he returns to Star Control HQ?
Does the fact that its being used in a different context to the game title mean that it doesn't fall under copyright? Or are TFB depending on the fact that an Accolade lawyer probably lacked enough soul to play the game extensively??
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Scott
*Many bubbles*
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does whatever a spider can
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I don't think it's a big deal to have them say Star Control in the game.. I mean, that'd be like no one else being allowed to use the words dune or half-life or lunar or clerks because they're afraid to infringe on someone's copyright.
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JonoPorter
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Don't mess with the US.
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even thought the name "star control" is in the game it is not a legal matter. even if it was the company would not make money by sueing. it would cost them money since the poeple who are realeasing it are doing it for free  dp ypu understand what i am saying? 
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andrewjb
Zebranky food
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Wonder if we could buy it off Infogrames...
Probably not (that corporate paradox again)... though that's likely the only way they'd make money off it 
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Casey
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Mom has to deal with copyright infringement issues a lot--she works for Hasbro--and my understanding is that the trademark in this case only applies to products. In other words, you can have a group called Star Control in any game, but you could not ever have any game called Star Control--even if it had nothing to do with the game we know--unless you had Infogrames' permission. Trademarks are there to prevent other people from releasing a product with the same name to steal your business, so unless it was something in competition, it wouldn't really be an issue.
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Black Monk
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Though I agree with you in theory for the enforcement of copyright and trademarks, in practice what would happen if someone put a big Coca-Cola sign on the side of an Ur-Quan Dreadnaught?
There have already been for-free ventures that have been censored or shut down for using copyrighted or trademarked material--in realms where the trademark doesn't normally apply.
Like Coca-Cola. How can that apply to an fps? I mean, that's a SOFTDRINK company, right? Well, that and even the name of the ATeam, creators of Action Quake 2 (http://aq2.action-web.net/) had problems with that type of material. The logo was in a map billboard and was changed, the name of the ATeam was also changed.
While in theory I agree with you, companies have much more money than someone like me and they can screw me no matter what--better to play it as safe as possible, I think.
Granted, I don't think Infogrames cares at all about StarControl in-game or probably even as a product name, but that doesn't mean the potential for pain isn't there. It just takes one bored lawyer who needs something to do...
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Ishamael
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Corporation *parties* do not *enjoy the sauce*. They do insist that we *enjoy the sauce*. We become *tired*.
Corporation *parties* are many *bubbles* but act like *fingers*. They believe this *playground* belongs to them. They are constantly *squeezing the juice* for what they *enjoy*.
It would be good to *dance* with them, but they will not *dance* fairly. They are *silliest cows*. They make us *frumple*. Very *frumple*.
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andrewjb
Zebranky food
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Or, to put it another way...
Corporation *silly cows* have many *fingers* in *slow time* *heavy space*. They are *squeezing the juice* but not for us. This makes us *frumple*.
Well, it's better than *silly cow* Enron.
*Enjoy* the *sauce*!
-- andrewjb, *Alliance party* Orz linguist
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