Legal Issues w/ Remakes etc
Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 8:20 pm
Derailed from the Ultima 7 HD thread.
To make a few things clear, NO Ultima remake project has EVER received a cease and desist order from EA. The truth of the matter is that EA doesn't even tend to reply to people who email them to ask for permission; presumably because legal red tape prevents them from giving the green light, so they stay quiet instead of shutting the projects down.
The Lazarus Team even had legal help during their development to straighten out the issues (if memory serves, their team lead's college provided legal assistance as Lazarus was a college project). They never had any issues at all with EA, except the lack of response - they very nearly shut down the project simply because they never got a reply.
As long as you don't distribute any assets that belong to Electronic Arts - like art or sounds - and as long as you don't try to charge for what you're doing, no one will bother you. Hell, look at the number of Ultima Online private servers that are up and running.
Now, if you try to remake a Lucasarts game, prepare to feel the legal bootheel cave in your creative ambitions!
To make a few things clear, NO Ultima remake project has EVER received a cease and desist order from EA. The truth of the matter is that EA doesn't even tend to reply to people who email them to ask for permission; presumably because legal red tape prevents them from giving the green light, so they stay quiet instead of shutting the projects down.
The Lazarus Team even had legal help during their development to straighten out the issues (if memory serves, their team lead's college provided legal assistance as Lazarus was a college project). They never had any issues at all with EA, except the lack of response - they very nearly shut down the project simply because they never got a reply.
As long as you don't distribute any assets that belong to Electronic Arts - like art or sounds - and as long as you don't try to charge for what you're doing, no one will bother you. Hell, look at the number of Ultima Online private servers that are up and running.
Now, if you try to remake a Lucasarts game, prepare to feel the legal bootheel cave in your creative ambitions!