10 replies to this topic

[EZEKiAL]

Are the Ideyas copyrighted? And other minor objects in NiGHTS?
Meaning basically, if someone else used them in a game (like the blue chips, hoops, Ideyas, star chips), would they get their butts sued?

[NNR07]

I think some of it is copyrighted, but I'm unsure. I've never seen an official 'Ideya, Blue Chips, and links © To SEGA' thing, but I'm pretty sure the Ideyas are.

[Miss Rae]

In a sense I would call it copyrighted for the fact that it was the creator's idea, however no one said you couldn't make something similar.
You can use a similar idea without the same exact look. For example, and this being just an example, you could use the same idea of what an Ideya is but it should look different and have a different name with atleast a few small differences on what they used for.

[Curiosity Inc.]

In a sense I would call it copyrighted for the fact that it was the creator's idea, however no one said you couldn't make something similar.
You can use a similar idea without the same exact look. For example, and this being just an example, you could use the same idea of what an Ideya is but it should look different and have a different name with atleast a few small differences on what they used for.

Sounds about right to me.

A colored ball of energy could go by any number of names. So long as you don't call it "Ideya", I should think you'd be golden.

[Miss Rae]

Sounds about right to me.

A colored ball of energy could go by any number of names. So long as you don't call it "Ideya", I should think you'd be golden.

Yes but don't make it look exactly like an Ideya too because they can still claim it as stealing an idea. X_X

[Curiosity Inc.]

Yes but don't make it look exactly like an Ideya too because they can still claim it as stealing an idea. X_X

There are only so many ways to design a ball of energy, Rae. Any visual resemblance could easily be chalked up to coincidence, and you can't build a lawsuit on coincidence.

[Miss Rae]

There are only so many ways to design a ball of energy, Rae. Any visual resemblance could easily be chalked up to coincidence, and you can't build a lawsuit on coincidence.

No I'm sure it has to at least have a little difference in apperence rather than just the name otherwise it can be saw as stealing a copyrighted idea. I mean you can't just take a picture, for example, from some one else rename it and call it your own you can however base a your own drawing on their idea just as long it is not an exact copy.

[Misaki-chan]

I definitely think she's right. A transparent orb with the kind of star-like center design (Ideya) is easily recognizable. But any other "sphere of energy" design would work just fine.

I understand what you mean Curiosity, but Rae said specifically "don't make it look exactly like an Ideya". That doesn't mean a "resemblance", that means an exact copy. And she's absolutely right about that.

[Purgatory]

I would hope that this would not come up, in actuality. How uncreative could you be that you'd have to have a game put out there that has something well known to have come from another game?

[Sairus]

I would hope that this would not come up, in actuality. How uncreative could you be that you'd have to have a game put out there that has something well known to have come from another game?

And then there was Smash Brothers... XD Though that is all payed for with permission and crap, so that's special XD
But yar... to make a game, deliberatly steal ideas and change them just enough so you won't get your ass sued is a bad way to go through production... though I get the impression you're thinking of/are making a game using the NiGHTS world, so again, a special case.

[EZEKiAL]

And then there was Smash Brothers... XD Though that is all payed for with permission and crap, so that's special XD
But yar... to make a game, deliberatly steal ideas and change them just enough so you won't get your ass sued is a bad way to go through production... though I get the impression you're thinking of/are making a game using the NiGHTS world, so again, a special case.

Nintendo doesn't need permission to use their own characters...