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Show HN: HTML5 version of StarCraft

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Re: Show HN: HTML5 version of StarCraft

#41

Post by SXX »

galenko wrote: post #21

This is awesome, but as others have said, the Blizzard legal team will come knocking on your door very soon. If I were you and if you're serious about continuing working on this, I would take this down immediately, get in touch with their legal team and see if you can work something out with them to get their blessing on this. They're not evil, it's their job to protect copyrighted assets, without them Blizzard would…

Pretty sure contacting Blizzard legal team would be dumbest thing ever because you'll never get an answer or just get youself in trouble. Best solution is to remove current repository (or make it private) and then create new repo without copyrighted stuff.

Re: Show HN: HTML5 version of StarCraft

#42

Post by Kiro »

zyxley wrote: post #35
Kiro wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can they sue him if he's not in the US though? How is that legally possible?

Would couldn't they? They do business across most of the world already. Think about how many countries have people with WoW subscriptions. Heck, just take a look at their list of offices: http://www.activisionblizzard.com/locations

Because US law doesn't apply to other countries.

Re: Show HN: HTML5 version of StarCraft

#43

Post by kzrdude »

gloomyson wrote: post #38
vegancap wrote: post #24

Amazing work! Red Alert next??

To replace sprite images and sounds in my game will easily change it to another RTS like Red Alert, but i'm nervous about the copyright now, I just want to produce my own game for fun so if I make RedAlert, will not upload to github again

You don't need to be nervous. Blizzard asking you to take down your copy of their assets is inevitable. No need to sweat it more than that, it's a fact of life.

Here's something interesting, an open source Warcraft II style engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratagus

You'll have to adapt the same strategy as they do, or any other engine remake: Host and share your engine, require the user to themselves supply the original game installation. That way your project is just a mod.

Another example of a great engine remake is "RttR" http://www.siedler25.org/ a remake of the Settlers II engine. They require a separate installation of the original game to play.

Re: Show HN: HTML5 version of StarCraft

#44

Post by zyxley »

Kiro wrote: post #42
zyxley wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would couldn't they? They do business across most of the world already. Think about how many countries have people with WoW subscriptions. Heck, just take a look at their list of offices: http://www.activisionblizzard.com/locations

Because US law doesn't apply to other countries.

Most countries have something approximately similar to the broad strokes of US copyright and trademark laws. Details are different, but "just using the same assets and names directly" is going to be a problem in pretty much any jurisdiction with enforced rule of law.

Re: Show HN: HTML5 version of StarCraft

#45

Post by anc84 »

Kiro wrote: post #33
zyxley wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What will Blizzard normally do if they accuse me pirating their assets? Most likely, they will tell you: "shut it all down or we'll sue you into bankruptcy". I recommend taking a look at http://opengameart.org for free (and legally free) placeholder art you can use instead, and changing any names ASAP to remove "Starcraft" and anything directly based on the unit names, etc. (Referencing Starcraft in the README or o…

Can they sue him if he's not in the US though? How is that legally possible?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berne_Convention

Re: Show HN: HTML5 version of StarCraft

#46

Post by Tomte »

TomGullen wrote: post #39
Tomte wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Great. Blizzard won't care. But if you like living a risky life, go on. (And yes, I'm blown away by what you have achieved there)

They have to care in some circumstances unfortunately, if they are aware of an IP infringement and don't action it, it can be used as evidence further down the line for bigger infringement cases.

Please read my comment correctly. Hint: Another commenter has long clarified.

Re: Show HN: HTML5 version of StarCraft

#47

Post by Vespasian »

Kiro wrote: post #32
Tomte wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Great. Blizzard won't care. But if you like living a risky life, go on. (And yes, I'm blown away by what you have achieved there)

He's not from the US so what exactly is he risking here apart from the repo being taken down?

To be honest, StarCraft is probably protected in most countries and don't believe that it is hard for Blizzard to find a local lawyer willing to take the case if the want to.

Re: Show HN: HTML5 version of StarCraft

#48

Post by ponytech »

kzrdude wrote: post #43
gloomyson wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To replace sprite images and sounds in my game will easily change it to another RTS like Red Alert, but i'm nervous about the copyright now, I just want to produce my own game for fun so if I make RedAlert, will not upload to github again

You don't need to be nervous. Blizzard asking you to take down your copy of their assets is inevitable. No need to sweat it more than that, it's a fact of life. Here's something interesting, an open source Warcraft II style engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratagus You'll have to adapt the same strategy as they do, or any other engine remake: Host and share your engine, require the user to themselves supply the…

See also https://www.openttd.org a remake of Transport Tycoon Deluxe.

Re: Show HN: HTML5 version of StarCraft

#49

Post by SXX »

kzrdude wrote: post #43
gloomyson wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To replace sprite images and sounds in my game will easily change it to another RTS like Red Alert, but i'm nervous about the copyright now, I just want to produce my own game for fun so if I make RedAlert, will not upload to github again

You don't need to be nervous. Blizzard asking you to take down your copy of their assets is inevitable. No need to sweat it more than that, it's a fact of life. Here's something interesting, an open source Warcraft II style engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratagus You'll have to adapt the same strategy as they do, or any other engine remake: Host and share your engine, require the user to themselves supply the…

> That way your project is just a mod.

Little correction needed. "Mod" usually mean derivative work of original game, but open source engine projects are not derivative work.

So it's just an engine that have nothing to do with original game or it's copyright holder.

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