Rights to ingame buildings.

Riggy · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:08

Here is the situation you are in;

Ok, say for example you are rich and you've got no worry about money at all. You loved a certain building in a game so much you want to build a replica. Now how does the rights to building this work? Would I have to get permission to copy the building for a replica full size building?

That is the situation, and I have no idea if you need permission or not.

Thanks

Strife212 · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:10

Riggy · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:11

haha now that would be an epic build! Though not what I had in mind

Alex74 · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:11

Contact the devs i guess and ask

Don't really know though, and i have to ask, where is this coming from?

EDIT: misread

Azza · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:12

You would have to contact the game developers to ask them for images of 3D models of the building any way wouldn't you.

I'm guessing they wouldn't care about you doing it at all, they would or you would obviously ask when you ask for the building images / models.

Stuff · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:13

Azza said:
You would have to contact the game developers to ask them for images of 3D models of the building any way wouldn't you.

Not necessarily, you could just go by what you have and then do your best to copy it, without it being identical.

Riggy · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:15

Azza said:
You would have to contact the game developers to ask them for images of 3D models of the building any way wouldn't you.

I'm guessing they wouldn't care about you doing it at all.

They wouldn't care about you doing? But surely if you had copied someone's work in a game to create a real life replica they would want you to ask permission otherwise they could make a case against you? I'm just wondering if someone is solidly in place for this kind of 'activity'.

JBuk · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:15

Hopefully their reply will be "get a girlfriend "

Riggy · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:17

Alex74 said:
Contact the devs i guess and ask

Don't really know though, and i have to ask, where is this coming from?

EDIT: misread

I've always thought of different situations to try and get the consequences, it's what happens when you spend so much time getting to work and back

Alex74 · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:17

Riggy said:
They wouldn't care about you doing? But surely if you had copied someone's work in a game to create a real life replica they would want you to ask permission otherwise they could make a case against you? I'm just wondering if someone is solidly in place for this kind of 'activity'.

Well there was the guy who turned part of his house into the Enterprise D engineering section (complete with warp core), and he didnt pay any royalties to Herman Zimmerman IIRC..

Riggy · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:18

JBuk said:
Hopefully their reply will be "get a girlfriend "

haha!

"andy" · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:20

unless you used it as a murder house or brothel or something i cant see why theyd be bothered

the simpsons house springs to mind

Riggy · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:21

Alex74 said:
Well there was the guy who turned part of his house into the Enterprise D engineering section (complete with warp core), and he didnt pay any royalties to Herman Zimmerman IIRC..

Very interesting. What if he was making money out of it somehow? Making it into some kind of 'attraction'?

Windle · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:25

Riggy said:
Very interesting. What if he was making money out of it somehow? Making it into some kind of 'attraction'?

The guy who did it went bankrupt, lol. You can see it here

http://www.24thcid.com/virtual-tour-1.html

Azza · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:32

Riggy said:
They wouldn't care about you doing? But surely if you had copied someone's work in a game to create a real life replica they would want you to ask permission otherwise they could make a case against you? I'm just wondering if someone is solidly in place for this kind of 'activity'.

It's just a fake building. :confused:

Nothing spectacular or inventive is it. They would probably be thrilled that some one wanted to make a real life building based on one they deigned.

Riggy · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:33

Well in his situation yeah. He wasn't filthy rich. If you had no risk of financial risk of such a project and you was making money of it, I have a feeling that the company would make a case :/

Riggy · 23 Jun 2010 at 00:40

Azza said:
It's just a fake building.

Nothing spectacular or inventive is it. They would probably be thrilled that some one wanted to make a real life building based on one they deigned.

Yeah I'm sure they would be please with such dedication to such a little thing in game. Companies love loyalty but if in this situation this guy/girl was making money on it, it would surely make them think differently.

K1LLSW1TCH · 23 Jun 2010 at 01:11

Tell us which building it is then.

Nexus · 23 Jun 2010 at 01:52

I think you could easily get away with copying a building from a game, provided it's not a building that is specifically protected by a trademark or copyright that would make it a fundamental part of the game.

You've still got to get an architect to draw up the plans, and you are never going to argue in court that a detailed construction of how to build a building is anything of a 3D model used for a game.

What doesn't work though is when it's the other way around. Do you remember the controversy with Manchester Cathedral being used in Resistance without permission.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversy_over_the_use_of_Manchester_Cathedral_in_Resistance

Energize · 23 Jun 2010 at 04:20

Nexus said:
What doesn't work though is when it's the other way around. Do you remember the controversy with Manchester Cathedral being used in Resistance without permission.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversy_over_the_use_of_Manchester_Cathedral_in_Resistance

If you ever needed proof that the Catholic Church was insane there it is. How on earth did they think they could claim copyright infringement when the architect died 500 years ago?