copyrightquestion from a newbie...

[Delance]

You also need to find information about the copyright laws on the place the book is being printed. This can vary a lot. Germany, however, as part of the European Union, conforms with certain legal standards.

 

[TheFraix]

Here's a little tip for exporting documents into PDF format.
Use OpenOffice Writer. Version 2.0 has an export to pdf feature.

Just F.Y.I.

 

[Bob McDob]

Translation aside, there are quite a few German Wing Commander/Privateer fans -- the games have always been unusually popular in Germany.

I've always wondered if that was because the WWII-in-the-Pacific setting appeals to a country that was on the losing side of said war, and fills a niche that games like SWOTL and Medal of Honor do in the states. It would also explain why they've apparently never been popular in Japan (or more likely, the latter is too obsessed with Gundam).

None of this explains the weird fraternity of WC Brazillians, though

Deacan, what you've done here is really incredible and I for one am glad to see the tradition of WC literature being continued - even if only in private.

 

[Deacan]

...a few thoughts...

The reactions here were... more when I've ever expected.
It's feels great... thanks a lot!



Well... the book (or better: the script) is on it's way for translation now... let's wait for the results.

Perhaps... how does it sound: Privateer: the Awakening?
Same cover?
English language?

Deacan

 

[Bob McDob]

Sounds good to me. I don't normally get into fanfiction, but I might actually look at this, seeing as it's clear you put a lot of work into it.

 

[Deacan]

*uff*

...page 50 of book II is ready... is about 20 percent of the entire story... lets hope my "real" work will not get more time-intensive... or so.

Deacan

 

[Deacan]

Dear Community!

While browsing around the net I found this: Trademark Electronic Search System(Tess)...

It's a nice and lovely tool...
And it says:

Trademark "Privateer" - Number: 1895631, Status: DEAD since 25.02.2006
Trademark "Darkening" - Number: 2140755, Status: DEAD since 04.12.2004

For the "Privateer" trademark the last owner was... EA.

For "Darkening"... Origin Systems.

So... what now?
Any thoughts? Ideas?

I did not find any entry for "Tri-System, Lev Arris, David Hassan...

Deacan
-return to work on novel II-

 

[Deacan]

...and it's getting even more worse...

The U.S. Copyright Office has this to say:

Search For: PRIVATEER 2 : THE DARKENING
Item 1 of 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Registration Number: PA-869-638
Title: Privateer 2 : the Darkening.
Imprint: Austin, TX : Origin, c1996.
Description: 2 CD-ROMs & user's guide.
Note: For MS DOS.
Printout (50 p.) also deposited.

Claimant: Origin Systems, Inc.
Created: 1996

Published: 23Dec96

Registered: 5Dec97

Author on © Application: multimedia program, including audiovisual material: acOrigin Systyms, Inc., employer for hire.
Special Codes: 3/C

???

Deacan

PS: another interesting fact: Titles, names, short phrases, and slogans; familiar symbols or designs; mere variations of typographic ornamentation, lettering, or coloring; mere listings of ingredients or contents... this all does not fall under copyrights... (source: US Copyright Office)

 

[Deacan]

Btw - did anyone knows who was the "EA contact person" for William R. Forstchen for the novels he wrote?

The publisher was simon&schuster... or am I wrong? I'm just wondering if he also get such a "huge offer" from EA (I mean the request for 100k Bucks...)...

Deacan

 

[Death]

The Forstchen-written WC novels were published by Baen.

 

[Deacan]

The Forstchen-written WC novels were published by Baen.

Thanks!

 

[Bandit LOAF]

While browsing around the net I found this: Trademark Electronic Search System(Tess)...

You're confusing trademarks and copyrights. Trademarks are specially registered "identifiers" -- 'Wing Commander' and 'Privateer' are trademarked because those are how the games are uniquely identified. That prevents other people from making an unrelated video game called Wing Commander or Privateer, even though they're common words.

Trademarks don't apply to all the internal intellectual property stuff -- ships, characters, concepts, etc. Those fall under copyrights, which EA will hold by default for the next 80 years or so. There will never be a situation in our lifetime (and there likely will never be a situation at all) in which a major copywrite lapses in the manner you're looking for.

The publisher was simon&schuster... or am I wrong? I'm just wondering if he also get such a "huge offer" from EA (I mean the request for 100k Bucks...)...

Well, there's several differences... but mainly, the idea for having a line of novels came from pre-Electronic Arts Origin, who sought out a book packager. Baen didn't decide it wanted to have Wing Commander novels and called up Electronic Arts, it was the other way around.

 

[Deacan]

You're confusing trademarks and copyrights. Trademarks are specially registered "identifiers" -- 'Wing Commander' and 'Privateer' are trademarked because those are how the games are uniquely identified. That prevents other people from making an unrelated video game called Wing Commander or Privateer, even though they're common words.

Trademarks don't apply to all the internal intellectual property stuff -- ships, characters, concepts, etc. Those fall under copyrights, which EA will hold by default for the next 80 years or so. There will never be a situation in our lifetime (and there likely will never be a situation at all) in which a major copywrite lapses in the manner you're looking for.

Well, there's several differences... but mainly, the idea for having a line of novels came from pre-Electronic Arts Origin, who sought out a book packager. Baen didn't decide it wanted to have Wing Commander novels and called up Electronic Arts, it was the other way around.

...wait... just a minute.
When I claim parts of the game as my property - then I violate the copyrights of EA, don't I?
But... if I make the the hint "based upon Priv II createt by Origin Systems, all rights reserved" inside the book?
The way I understand the US - system of copyrights, there are more in worry that someone claim there "work" as own property and make money with ther product...

But the novel is my brainchild, the majorcharakters are based on my idea. I don't tell the story of Priv II...

In Germany we are talking about a thing called "Schöpfungshöhe" - "creationsheight" - so the question is: how much comes from me - and how much comes from the game.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

There's no legal way to publish a story in that manner -- in fact, some woman just got in trouble for trying exactly that with some Star Wars fanfic. As long as your story is set in someone elses intellectual property, you have no publishing right.

 

[Delance]

You'd have to change names and events to publish it, so it doesn't conflict. If you think it would lose it's identity, there's no other way.