Fans Petition to Save Ambitious Lord of the Rings Mod
- Thread starter Fanghawk
- Start date
Signed.
I think they're jealous as how much better this might be than their own creations. Last time I checked, more people learning and becoming interested in your story/IP/Product was a good thing.
I think they're jealous as how much better this might be than their own creations. Last time I checked, more people learning and becoming interested in your story/IP/Product was a good thing.
If I had to guess the issue is simply that a Skyrim-like game based on Middle Earth is something that someone with the liscence might conceivably want to do, even if there are no plans to do so right now, thus there is an interest in not seeing fans do it for free.
That said, I don't know all of the relevent laws here and whether this would fall under "fair use" or not. In the end it doesn't matter if the guys making the mod don't have the resources to fight it in court, which is likely since they are doing it for free.
I can see both ends of it, it will be interesting to see what happens in the long run.
I'll also say that this kind of thing is one of the big arguements for anonimity on the internet, while also being why corperations are tryng to do away with it. The internet being an intellectual free for all (as low brow as it might get) was kind of the point, and why it's also a threat. To be honest if these modders were all anonymous guys using handles, operating through an anonymously run site perhaps based outside of the US, there wouldn't be an issue, but of course that's why corperations scream bloody murder about it... and to be entirely fair such anonimity tends to be used for things far more insidious than fan mods.
The point of the above paragraph is to non-judgementally point out that this ties into other issues, albiet indirectly. A number of years ago there probably wouldn't have been an issue here because there would be no way to deliver a desist order in any meaningful or enforcable way, whether you consider that a good or bad thing is a matter of opinion.
I'll also say there is a reason why a lot of EMU projects and stuff try and stay under the radar as you can see.
That said, I don't know all of the relevent laws here and whether this would fall under "fair use" or not. In the end it doesn't matter if the guys making the mod don't have the resources to fight it in court, which is likely since they are doing it for free.
I can see both ends of it, it will be interesting to see what happens in the long run.
I'll also say that this kind of thing is one of the big arguements for anonimity on the internet, while also being why corperations are tryng to do away with it. The internet being an intellectual free for all (as low brow as it might get) was kind of the point, and why it's also a threat. To be honest if these modders were all anonymous guys using handles, operating through an anonymously run site perhaps based outside of the US, there wouldn't be an issue, but of course that's why corperations scream bloody murder about it... and to be entirely fair such anonimity tends to be used for things far more insidious than fan mods.
The point of the above paragraph is to non-judgementally point out that this ties into other issues, albiet indirectly. A number of years ago there probably wouldn't have been an issue here because there would be no way to deliver a desist order in any meaningful or enforcable way, whether you consider that a good or bad thing is a matter of opinion.
I'll also say there is a reason why a lot of EMU projects and stuff try and stay under the radar as you can see.
And instead of doing the sensible thing of licensing the game engine and hiring the modding team to turn their mod into an official game with WB's name on it and potentially making huge profits they instead issue a CnD letter.Krantos said:
I figured that they do base it on the books. But can't they just ask Christopher for permission, or does WB own everything related specifically to Lord of the Rings trilogy?
Hoping to see Barrow-downs and Tom, btw. Would make this near-mandatory Elder Scrolls beside my current Morrowind GOTY with Tamriel Rebuilt.
Hoping to see Barrow-downs and Tom, btw. Would make this near-mandatory Elder Scrolls beside my current Morrowind GOTY with Tamriel Rebuilt.
I am signer #3812 representing New Zealand, the very land of the elves, dwarves and hobbits!
This outrage cannot be ignored, this is hard honest work people have put into this and I don't see it damaging the IP at all.
This outrage cannot be ignored, this is hard honest work people have put into this and I don't see it damaging the IP at all.
Although I'm doubtful it will work I really hope they succeed. This looks like one of the most ambitious and well put together mods I've ever seen. It's unfair that they just have to stop it.
I'm no legal expert, but aren't people allowed to do what they like as long as they don't gain any money from someone else's IP? Shouldn't a free mod be allowed?
I'm no legal expert, but aren't people allowed to do what they like as long as they don't gain any money from someone else's IP? Shouldn't a free mod be allowed?
The only Lord of the Rings game that I actually enjoyed was The Two Towers for PS2. The other ones were complete crap. This is a mod for a great game that should be allowed to go through. However, with the recent state of things in the suing market, I'm actually surprised that Warner Brothers didn't sue the dev team for some random crap they'll make up later.
I now have a PC good enough, but it was bought for me on Xbox by my girlfriend, so re-buying it seems like it may be a waste of money when I could get something new. I will keep an eye on it for sales etc though, especially if this mod is able to stay and be available.Aesir23 said:
I have it for console as well, unfortunately it's for the PS3. It works pretty decently since the 1.5 patch but being excluded from DLC for the foreseeable future is annoying at best.chozo_hybrid said:
If this mod does become available I'll have to gather the funds and consult with my brother on how best to turn my four year old PC into a decent gaming rig. A mod like the one described would be too good to pass up.
Warner Bros as IP owners are just executives who could pay the most money to own and profit from someone else's creation.Boudica said:
The creator is long dead, and the modders aren't intending to make money off of it, Soooo fuck WB! Fuck them right in the ear!