Can I Get Sued For This?

[soren7550]

Ok, I've been trying to figure this out before anything gets moving.

Story: Perfect Dark Zero inspired me to write up a story (and yes, I do wish for this to become a book if possible.) about spies in the future. I decided to pay homage to the game that inspired the whole thing by naming the MC Joanna and she has a pistol called the Colt M2020 (the year Perfect Dark Zero takes place in.). Now, I don't know if this crosses any copyright laws and if this some how becomes published, I don't want to be sued up the ass by Rare because I violated some copyright laws. Help please!

P.S. - Don't know if this manners, but I'm in New York and I'm 17 (laws could be different by state/age of the offender, right? Sorry, don't really know the finer points of copyright laws.)

 

[JRCB]

I think you are allowed to write fan fictions. If you pay homage to something, there's nothing wrong with it. There won't be any sort of inquisition.

 

[Starnerf]

No. Just giving your character the same name as another one doesn't count as copyright infringement.

 

[HT_Black]

No. Plain and simple. It's called an in-joke; a cameo, an homage. Whatever it is, it's completely unpunishable.

...and if it isn't, we're both in deep s**T.

 

[Lyiat]

You can write a fanfic... but I'd talk to them before you publish anything. You might have to pay them royalties.

 

[Bassman_2]

A name's a name amd 2020 is just a number.

Seriously, I doubt they have trademarked the name and the number.

 

[Meado]

Joanna is a generic person's name and cannot be copyrighted. Nor can you copyright a date, so calling the gun a "Colt M2020" is fine. You're completely in the clear mate.

Edit: I do however demand a pun around the guns name. Have someone shot in the eye and say they have 20-20 vision.
*dances*

 

[Trendkill6]

No it's just a reference/allusion/whatever you wanna call it.
They can't really copyright a first name and a number.

Just don't give her the last name Dark, that might get you in a little trouble...

 

[maddawg IAJI]

If your so afraid of it then change the name and keep the gun. It's still a homage to the game. Just a less recongnizable one.

 

[sneakypenguin]

Joanna is a generic person's name and cannot be copyrighted. Nor can you copyright a date, so calling the gun a "Colt M2020" is fine. You're completely in the clear mate.

Edit: I do however demand a pun around the guns name. Have someone shot in the eye and say they have 20-20 vision.
*dances*

Ha, that was chuckle worthy, bad but chuckle worthy.

 

[Dr. Gorgenflex]

If your story has nothing to do with Perfect Dark Zero there is no problem with a name, even if there is a problem with the name you can say it's coincidence.

 

[soren7550]

Joanna is a generic person's name and cannot be copyrighted. Nor can you copyright a date, so calling the gun a "Colt M2020" is fine. You're completely in the clear mate.

Edit: I do however demand a pun around the guns name. Have someone shot in the eye and say they have 20-20 vision.
*dances*

*laughs* Alright, I'll try to squeeze that in somehow. (either this one or the next one if I can't get it in/work with the first [yes, I'm already planing sequels and I haven't even gotten this one off the ground. A bit sad, I know.])

 

[Tommy.223]

If your story has nothing to do with Perfect Dark Zero there is no problem with a name, even if there is a problem with the name you can say it's coincidence.

unless of course someone tracks down this thread...but anyway you shouldnt get in trouble for anything that you described about the book

p.s. let me know where 2 find the book when it gets out, it sounds interesting.

 

[Pegghead]

Switch some things around, maybe don't make Joanna your main character, maybe just a side character. Though if it has anything to do with steampunk, Pegghead shall buy your book!

 

[ElephantGuts]

Are you genuinely asking if a name and a year are copyrighted?

I'm not sure what to say to that.

 

[SomeUnregPunk]

http://www.chillingeffects.org/fanfic/

that site should help you with any questions you have about the legal ramifications...

 

[tristow]

Well in Back in the USSA (a collection of short stories were the USA becomes the Soviet Union in 1917 not Russia) Hannibal Lecter is the head of the Department of Health and Rambo helps train Vietnamese Communists but these were recognised as homage?s to the original characters.

 

[Booze Zombie]

Yes, run!

Not the face!

 

[willic767]

you would have to get consent to say her name or any thing about the game if you cant get consent use a name that has the letters mixed around or one that sounds like her's

 

[cleverlymadeup]

no you can name people what ever you want, sure you might have gotten the name from a game but it's legal, as long as you don't copy the story. as for the gun, it's like what other people said just a homage and a bit of an in-joke, writers and film makers do it all the time

to use a prime example, look up the history of the James Bond books by Ian Flemming