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c64 game remakes and the law?
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smila
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

why dont you just rename the games and do a slight change to the main character on those games, that should be enough to keep you safe i would imagine.
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Heavy Stylus
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok, digging deep here, with a bit of help from my friend Widdy:

"In the mid-1990s, Jay Smith generously placed the entire Vectrex product line into the public domain, opening up legal, not-for-profit distribution."

source:

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/...php?page=3

I wonder if there is any way of contacting Jay Smith to discuss the possibility of selling C64 ports of his games. Unfortunately I cannot imagine him being very easy to track down.
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Sigmoid
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 6:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think you should start selling empty EasyFlash cartridges, and give the ports away for free. Smile If it's a demoscene thing, like the Prince of Persia conv, nobody will bother about them.
(And well, we ARE talking about c64 conversions. It's a ridiculously small market. The chances of making it big is nil. The demoscene is not about making a profit. Copyright holders will likely just shrug and say to themselves "wow these nerds are pretty weird".)

BTW Yar's Revenge has an exact remake on iOS and in Flash on the Atari website.
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Isepic
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 6:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gianna Sisters was remade on Android and IOS. I can only guess that the author's permission was granted since the games aren't free.
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Heavy Stylus
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 6:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, that's the thing - the carts we use are proper, single use cartridges and not easyflash. I've thought of ways to do this... offering the carts for free in return for a donation, etc. But as pointed out above - there's just no legal way to do it without permission.

Oh, and I totally agree about the market - I have a regular customer base of between 50-150 people on my email list. And yes, I'm sure (looking at his history) that Jay Smith would say "go for it". But, I need to have that in writing.

And I've already said before, I'm not in this for the money, but rather the excitement of working with other talented C64 people to create a physical product for people to enjoy.


Last edited by Heavy Stylus on Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:38 pm; edited 1 time in total
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PaulKo64
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 6:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi James,

You are aware that someone already contacted Gary Stern for publishing Berzerk Redux in 2009? http://noname.c64.org/csdb/for...8028#69239

Regards,

Paul
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Heavy Stylus
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 8:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh, well I didn't realise that!

Unfortunately that trip6 guy isn't on CSDB anymore, so I don't know how to pick up the case. And of course, I've nothing to offer in return. Sad
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Heavy Stylus
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is kind of promising.

I'm chatting with Spencer Smith, Jay's son. I've outlined my proposal to sell TRSi's C64 conversions of their games on cartridge to a very small market (with their permission), and he said that he'll discuss this with his father when he returns from holiday.
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retrogamer-downunder
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 1:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

i'd like to see remakes of very popular arcade games on cartridge that were ruined by shoddy game companies! imagine a decent chase hq, double dragon, afterburner, or even street fighter!

what would be even better is compilations on carts of remakes.
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Mayhem
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 1:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've spoken to Jay Smith in the past, although in person and not via email, and I'd be fairly sure he'd go for it. Obviously officially confirmation would be great Smile

Isepic wrote:
Gianna Sisters was remade on Android and IOS. I can only guess that the author's permission was granted since the games aren't free.

It was remade afaik by the original author, or at least his studio. Same with the DS version. Before he sadly died in 2009.
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THEWIZ
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 5:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sigmoid wrote:
THEWIZ wrote:
There is no grey area. Without permission, you can't legally copy the game. Can you get away with it without getting a C&D? Maybe, it all depends. The fact you don't get caught doesn't make it a grey area.

The point you are missing is that "not getting caught" and "nobody out to get you" are two VERY DISTINCT and different things.

"Grey area" implies the legality or illegality is in question. Getting caught or not getting caught doesn't make it a grey area.
The the difference between "not getting caught" and "nobody out to get you" is a matter of risk. There are a few people who have said they don't care, there are other people who actually don't care (either because they don't know they own the rights, or they don't know about game) and then there are bigger companies who have been rereleasing games or remakes of games.
The OP was talking about remaking the games in flash with a potential audience of millions. Unless you for a FACT that "nobody out to get you" you are running the risk that there IS someone out to get you.
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Carlos
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

EvilKrisUK wrote:

...
Nexus and Saboteur-
anybody got any info on them? I'm actually wondering if they truly merit working on; they were both a little unique and more my preference than mosts.
...


There are a Nexus remake on the way... http://nexusreloaded.orx-project.org/
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retrogamer-downunder
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

a remake of bc bill in 3d! how about it?
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merman
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 10:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

(I've been thinking, and a touchscreen game that mixed elements of Nexus, Hacker, Saboteur and Security Alert would be a lot of fun...)
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EvilKrisUK
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 7:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a little update:
I got a reply from System 3 the other day.
Not sure if they'd want me to copy&paste the actual mail on here but here's the gist; they're currently looking at ways to adapt their games to modern formats but they're not in the habit of handing out their rights willy-nilly in order to protect their image. But they did say they would definitely entertain the idea of giving opportunities/and or working with those who can present a suitable demo and sketch out a few ideas for what they want to do with the product.
Pretty sweet huh? Not the cold 'bugger off' I was expecting!
I'm a little busy this month but I'll whip up a something for them to have a gander at when I have the time , and who knows? Last Ninja Flash might just be on the cards after all Smile
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Moloch
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 9:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I believe System 3 was one the companies that ripped people off left and right? Wink
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EvilKrisUK
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 8:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I've heard those rumors too. Actually direct
in an email from a pretty famous C64 developer.
But maybe they're running a tighter ship these days, and anyway it'll be a necessary risk in order to push forward with this thing. They'd have
more to lose than me in these days of instant and global cyber-slander.
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