Adventure Game Rips Off UT2004, Other Titles

[MonsOlympus]

If you're selling for profit, it's not fair use. While commercial copying for profit work may make it harder to qualify as fair use, it does not make it impossible. For instance, in the 2 Live Crew—Oh, Pretty Woman case, it was ruled that commercial parody can be fair use.

Well it seems rare but it can apply, I doubt they'll try for a fair use defense anyways.

 

[Labnetik]

One expensive lawsuit alone can break a company, just think how many this game is going to produce! That developer wont have the funds to proceed with them all.

If I were those 3 (Majestic Studios) I'd be very worried about my future financially (depending how far companies will take it), I assume the publisher (Tri Synergy) is going to be in trouble also? even if it claims it had no knowledge?

This is definitely a revolution in the world of gaming!!! Is it a first person shooter? No, that's what it seems! It actually is the first game ever that you have to find the solution by searching out of the game itself... Once you have found which other game every asset comes from the game is completed and it can rest on your shelf forever... What a brilliant idea!

lol... nah, in the bin forever!

unless someone is a newb and has no idea.. that's where conmen milk it, because of people's lack of knowledge and even the fact some people don't care about the hard work of others, they will buy something even if it's quite poor and not up to the quality it should be considering the type of media it is. Some people just have poor taste and a serious lack of respect.

these guys cant be serious... The quotes are pure gold

lol.. definitely, like the one I pointed out in the other thread, comedy come horror sums it up nicely.

I'm just amazed the publisher didn't catch on to what kind of 2-bit scam opperation they where getting in bed with, their "official site" was/is hosted on Geosities for crying in the mud!

I'm amazed too, it all smells fishy to me. None of these people should be running in the industry if they are that stupid and naive. If they have been involved with a quick rich scam, then they deserve everything coming to them. We gamers do not need companies like this ripping people off.. both gamers/customers, creators of original content, other studios/devs/publishers etc. This sort of thing impacts many areas and it should be stamped down on harshly and with immediacy.

There are still plenty of people/gamers/fans out there that do exactly the same as these guys did ... so the only 'news' is that these guys dared to do it on this scale for a commercial project without even bothering to hide their sources.

commercial use is pretty much exactly where fair use (and similar constructions) ends.

to support elmuerte's comment,

do many people/gamers/fans make a full game out of ripped content, and from more than one game? most fans use content for personal projects like websites, graphics, videos, maps etc and nothing for financial gain. Big difference here between fans and a studio who have been able to get their game to retail - I don't see how you can combine the 2, 2 groups with different intentions.

I don't understand what you mean by hiding sources, how can you possibly hide the fact you used such content? it's extremely clear to see. Are you saying they would be fine taking a snap of a brick wall used in another game and use that for their retail game? not very original is it? surely a primary aim of game creation is to be original, and make sure you know the rights of your content, that everything is sourced legally and with permission.

Music producers often sample sounds from other tracks (especially in dance music forms) and can change the original sample into something unrecognisable however some producers have got into trouble for ripping samples without permission which are obvious. Instead of destroying an artist though many times a deal is worked out to share royalties on a track.

In this case I don't think something like that will happen, I think this will ruin the studio and the publisher (s).

It is a shame that so many developers are trying to get hold of a publising deal, and spend years working on their sometimes great projects, and then these guys come in, rip off the entire industry, and do manage to get their "product" on the shelves. Slap in the face for independent devs.

you summed it up perfectly on how something like this affects other (honest and 100% hard working) devs.

 

[hal]

No I am most certainly not related to those *eh* guys.
I am simply wondering what exactly is being 'stolen' here.
Is using a modified 2D screenshot of a 3D level the same the same as using the assets themselves ?
It could be considered an artistic interpretation of the original ... and as such the only 'legal' basis would be that they didn't ask for permission to use said screenshot.

What if they've used screenshots that were part of a press-release for the various games/maps/whatever ?

Hourences summed i up prety well, but I'll re-affirm what he said about the use of game screenshots. It's something we deal with here all the time and he's 100% correct.

 

[Labnetik]

does anyone know who their UK publisher was?

 

[hal]

does anyone know who their UK publisher was?

G2 Games

 

[Vitamin-Carrot]

Have they no shame

I for one want this game ....

 

[Zur]

They are 2D screenshots... erm... I mean backdrops.
Only the main character is 3D

Oh I was hoping that it was somehow possible to export a map to a 3d file format.

 

[zynthetic]

I think there's a little confusion over what Fair Use means.
(butchered for easier readability)

..the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.

http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#107

It goes on to other details but that sums it up well.

 

[hal]

I think there's a little confusion over what Fair Use means.
(butchered for easier readability)

http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#107

It goes on to other details but that sums it up well.

I think just JaFO is confused about what Fair Use means.

...and possibly the Limbo of the Lost guys.

 

[[GU]elmur_fud]

Oh I was hoping that it was somehow possible to export a map to a 3d file format.

Are you speaking of 'their' game in particular? Because the way you are writing it makes a general statement and I already said how that happens and is apearently even easy to do. So if you are being general just read my response to your orrigonal post.

 

[Caravaggio]

Hilarious.
Also, IMO you're both right, it is possible to rip 3d scenes but these really look like 2d backgrounds. The perspective from the scene and the character model are different, his shadow is always going the same way and ignores the lights in the scene, and so on. The only one that might be 3d is the one with the switched book shelves, but that doesn't mean it's still not a 2d background. There are two respective programs to rip Opengl scenes and D3d scenes, not sure if they should be mentioned though. Neither would take lighting information though, that's the other tell that they're 2d backgrounds.
And then there's the fact that nothing actually moves in the trailer. Which brings me to a question.

Is this trailer an official one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twdQevB1YlI&feature=related

Because at 2:40, that flaming guy traveling into a flaming hell? That's from the movie spawn...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twdQevB1YlI&feature=related

...and that's pissing off a whole different set of suits.
Christ I didn't even like that movie and I remembered it.

 

[elmuerte]

I think just JaFO is confused about what Fair Use means.

...and possibly the Limbo of the Lost guys.

fair use is a USA copyright thingy, the devs are from UK

 

[hal]

No matter, most countries have limitations and that's the point.

 

[_Lynx]

fair use is a USA copyright thingy, the devs are from UK

fair use is pretty much international, though it may have no name or have another name.

 

[Zur]

I'd say its mostly a commercial concept.

 

[Grobut]

If you're selling for profit, it's not fair use. While commercial copying for profit work may make it harder to qualify as fair use, it does not make it impossible. For instance, in the 2 Live Crew—Oh, Pretty Woman case, it was ruled that commercial parody can be fair use.

Well it seems rare but it can apply, I doubt they'll try for a fair use defense anyways.

There's an obvious distinction here, when making satire or parody, you are not trying to pass off others work as your own, you are infact making it blatantly obvious that it belongs to someone else whilst having a laugh at it.

Thats why parody is in the clear, its not trying to steal something, but just to express an opinion on something (namely that it is hillariously bad, for the most part ).


But this game, whilst it certainly can only make you laugh, was clearly not ment as a parody of Oblivion/UT2k4/Thief/Etcetc, its just plain asset theft.

 

[Steyr]

no really, the backgrounds of that game are completely 2D.
they used screenshots as source for all backgrounds.

I was going to say they at least were good at making engine ports, but apparently not.

BTW, their official company site is/was hosted on geocities

 

[Labnetik]

thanks Hal

for information about IP/Copyright in the UK http://www.ipo.gov.uk

should apply because the game was released in the UK.

I can't believe this game went on for this long without being noticed for its content. It was released last september in the UK through G2 Games (although must be limited judging from his top post here) so they've had chance to make some profit out of this.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/G2-Games-Li..._4?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1213365309&sr=1-4

here it's listed on amazon uk with a Release Date: 28 Sep 2007

Manufacturer's Description
LIMBO of the LOST is a project that has been moulded and crafted for over ten years. Originally created as a graphical/text adventure game for the Atari ST and then a traditional point & click game for the Amiga CD32/A1600, the game has evolved over the years to embrace new technologies and new ideas as MAJESTIC STUDIOS strive to create THE adventure game that they first conceived.

LIMBO of the LOST is aimed at players who yearn to play the traditional point & click adventure games of old, Utilizing a full mouse driven interface with incredible visuals and devious puzzles, this is the adventure you have been waiting for

Help Captain Benjamin Spooner Briggs as he explores the depths of LIMBO in the KEEP of LOST SOULS. Fail and the very essence of Mankind will be ripped apart.

Somewhere in Limbo.

Two huge wooden doors slowly creak open and light seeps into a huge inner sanctum. Two figures; one dressed in black the other white, cross the engraved marble floor and move towards the centre of this vast domed room. They stand either side of a large glass globe that sits in an ornate gold cradle, trapped within it a swirling black smoke weaves and bobs around as if it has a life of its own.

FATE - "Yet again the hour is upon us, how quickly our cousin Time wields his mighty sword"

DESTINY - "Yes indeed, but on this occasion my dear brother, you shall not be victorious."

FATE - "I fear no creature and covet no mortal trait. I was born to rule and rule I shall."

DESTINY - "We shall see. Is everything set? The Book...........where is the Book?"

FATE - "Sufferance is where Mankind's curiosity will find it."

DESTINY - "Then for the 7th and final time...........Let battle commence!"

FATE - "And for the last time I look forward to your failures. Let it begin!"

DESTINY - "Behold Brother!.............. It already has.............."

The two adversaries look closer into the glass orb. The dark swirling smoke begins to clear to reveal a sailing ship at full sail gliding through the water. Displayed on the ships nameplate are the words - 'Mary Celeste'.

lmao.. the second review is brilliant, someone is putting a twist on their review, hinting to the content and legal issues in a humorous way (it's a review posted on the 12th June).

Lotl truly great game. It reminds me of the great puzzle games of old but it has its own twists and innovations. The graphics may not be the best ever but they do the job. In the game you must complete quests and do puzzles in order to keep yourself from staying in limbo forever.
The game reminded me of other games such as Oblivion, Thief 3 and ermmmm unreal tournament and chapter 2 level 6 in painkiller. The characters are quite memorable from the ironically named cranny faggot to the keeper of lost scrolls.
There is great animation aswell which is all done in realtime and also immersive sound effects that makes you feel as if you are playing thief.
Hats off to the developers for trying to create an original title and not selling out and just copying and pasting scenes from generic fps 3 and making another halo clone. Lol is truly original. It will have you screaming WTF at many points in the game when u gasp at the incredulousscenes infront of you as you wonder, how/why have they done this, you will ask yourself.
The conclusion to this story is great, with all involved sitting in court trying to defend themselves from accusations. You also visit shops and castles along the way, you fight vampires and collect loot, you sneak in the shadows and put fires out with water arrows, you jump in goliath tank and dominate the opposition,you have to save the world from diablo, raid scholo for epics,ride on pirate ships , create cities with your godly powers. It will remind you of so many great games from the past but it puts its own stamp on it, like the odd original texture and plot idea. Where next for these budding developers????

Look out for the sequal Raiders Of Flaming Limbo Meet Assassin Ouija.

there's a couple of current related reviews at the amazon usa site too

amazon's uk and usa game descriptions differ.

 

[TossMonkey]

This is probably the greatest story I've ever seen covered across all the gaming websites, and it does seem to be getting covered by everyone. Infact I am surprised it wasn't just copy/pasted across all the websites at the sheer speed that the story is spreading.

 

[Kharnellius]

This is probably the greatest story I've ever seen covered across all the gaming websites, and it does seem to be getting covered by everyone. Infact I am surprised it wasn't just copy/pasted across all the websites at the sheer speed that the story is spreading.

Agreed. This is quite comical and sometimes I check in just to see if this was some massive joke.

They seriously must have broken some records with all the copying of others' work.