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Corribus
Hero of Order
The Abyss Staring Back at You
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posted February 11, 2012 01:18 AM |
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Who owns a mod?
An interesting read on mods, community ownership and video games:
http://www.giantbomb.com/news/blizzard-disputing-valves-trademarking-of-dota/3979/
So in the event a team of fans create a mod for the game, who owns the rights to a sequel?
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I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. -Mitch Hedberg
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Drakon-Deus
Undefeatable Hero
Nixonite
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posted February 11, 2012 06:54 AM |
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Call my lawyer. Call Roger of Valkynborg. he'll know what to do... take their hearts out.
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SKPRIMUS
Promising
Supreme Hero
The One and the Prime
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posted February 11, 2012 07:03 AM |
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sorry I don't have time nor inclination to read all of it in detail...
it doesn't exactly look like a question of "ownership" as such
but it looks like a dispute where Valve wants to trademark the name "DOTA" & Blizzard is opposing it because the name belongs to the community?
If that's so, I would agree with Blizzard.
If it's a new game, just call it something else.
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Hope defeats despair - "a blatant clue"
too many idiots in VW
"to lose is to win, and he who wins shall lose"
bashing orcus 
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Doomforge
Admirable
Undefeatable Hero
Retired Hero
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posted February 11, 2012 10:40 AM |
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Given that they have already released a thousand dota-clones, it's really pointless to argue that this particular one shouldn't be released. And the name? Oh come on. If I call it "attack of mutant headless chickens", it will be still the same game, so what's the point -_-
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We reached to the stars and everything is now ours
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SKPRIMUS
Promising
Supreme Hero
The One and the Prime
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posted February 11, 2012 01:52 PM |
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Quote:
Given that they have already released a thousand dota-clones, it's really pointless to argue that this particular one shouldn't be released. And the name? Oh come on. If I call it "attack of mutant headless chickens", it will be still the same game, so what's the point -_-
It's not clear which side you are arguing for...I didn't know whether it was about whether the game should be released or not, but my understanding of trademark is that if Valve trademarks the name DOTA, then nobody else is allowed to use the name "DOTA" in their product except Valve, unless they are authorised. Does that seem right especially if it started out as a mod for a Blizzard product, not a Valve product?
Simply calling it another name isn't too hard, else they're just paying lawyers
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Hope defeats despair - "a blatant clue"
too many idiots in VW
"to lose is to win, and he who wins shall lose"
bashing orcus
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SKPRIMUS
Promising
Supreme Hero
The One and the Prime
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posted February 11, 2012 02:30 PM |
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Quote:
There was never much doubt..
o i c
facepalm
[ye I seen a few posts before by certain entities that they do that sort of thing]...{I'm outta here so don't bother with any weird replies please}
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Hope defeats despair - "a blatant clue"
too many idiots in VW
"to lose is to win, and he who wins shall lose"
bashing orcus
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Mytical
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
Chaos seeking Harmony
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posted February 11, 2012 03:51 PM |
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Edited by Mytical at 15:52, 11 Feb 2012.
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All rumors about me being bought by Meroe is pure speculation...oh um..I mean.....
Ok in all seriousness the company that made the original content would. After all, the mod was FOR that content, having material from that original content, which is clearly owned by the maker. For instance, you could not use Hagrid and Ron Weasley from Harry potter without express consent from the author. So when you make something for say a game..you are in essence a non paid intern for the company that makes the game, forfeiting all rights (unless you have an expressly written contract) to it.
Of course that is just my opinion, and any lawsuits etc that get a judgement to say the contrary would be acceptable to me also. IANAJ 
Edit : As for getting the copywrite to the name..it is almost like Disney trying to copywrite 'Brave' some things just should remain public domain...
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Message received.
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Khalbrae
Adventuring Hero
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posted February 12, 2012 04:20 AM |
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Dude! I was totally going to say that I own a mod... but then I got snowslapped...
Quote:
As for getting the copywrite to the name..it is almost like Disney trying to copywrite 'Brave' some things just should remain public domain...
I think Disney is getting sued by the Atlanta Braves actually over the name funny enough.
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shyranis
Promising
Supreme Hero
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posted February 12, 2012 06:49 AM |
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Quote:
Dude! I was totally going to say that I own a mod... but then I got snowslapped...
Damn right you did.
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Youtube has terminated my account without reason.
Please express why it should be reinstated on
Twitter.
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Zenofex
Responsible
Legendary Hero
Kreegan-atheist
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posted February 12, 2012 08:00 AM |
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Edited by Zenofex at 08:01, 12 Feb 2012.
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I don't think any "rights" should be involved here at all, the mods are almost exclusively freeware, made to improve/tweak the original game and are not meant to be anyone or anything's commercial competitor. The original game is already paid for by the players anyway (piracy excluded of course). So it's basically like selling someone an apartment in a block of flats built by you, the interior of which is later re-designed by the new owner, and subsequently claiming that you have rights over the re-shaped apartment because you constructed the whole building in the first place. Heh, sure. 
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Fauch
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted February 12, 2012 03:07 PM |
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why should someone own a mod?
the point of a mod is to improve a game. ownership is a big obstacle to that. if no one owns a mod, then everyone is free to use and improve it as he wills. eventually, even if people aren't working together, by allowing them to use each other works, something great can be eventually created.
the problem with ownership is that your own profit becomes more important than the product you want to deliver.
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