Remaking models

[Landmine 10]

This may be a stupid question, but are (or could) there any legal issues one might face if one remakes one or more game models from a game to another? For example if I would really be interested on how would Batman from Batman Arkham Asylum (for example) would look like in the ArmAVerse, and I'd take a few hundred pictures and "remade" the model ingame use? Would that model be safe to be made available for the public (so to speak)?

[vilas 477]

other company (who made Batman game) may have claim against you

so better not import too much from other games , better do yourself cause every developer of game would not be nice to see his paid-content in another game (making more sales to competitive game)

[max power 21]

In terms of making an artistic interpretation of someone else's design for non profit, non commercial purposes I think is okay. That's fanart. Every once in a while, companies do make claims against people who make fan projects. It seems like often times the concern is some shoddy project may damage the company's brand. If you are going to do an interpretation of someone else's IP, I think the best practice would be to put huge labels all over your documentation acknowledging the authors and/or copyright holders and statements declaring that your work is an unofficial tribute.

Just to clarify, this applies to you making a whole new model based on someone else's concept, not a port of someone else's model or anything like that.

[Landmine 10]

Yep, not a port, a whole new model, which looks just like the one in-game.

What about changes to the original model, for example camouflage (of course with the "intellectual properties belong the their respective owners" tag)?

Thank you guys.

Edited March 1, 2012 by Landmine

[max power 21]

I guess if you're making an interpretation you are free to interpret it as you wish.

Regarding 'just like the one in-game', if it's too similar, there may be questions asked.

Also, remember that there's no cape simulation/animations in ArmA, and making a whole new model and rigging it is an extremely long process. Pufu estimates that a high quality character would take about one month full time, and then the LODs, rigging, and configuring would be another good chunk of a month to get all working correctly. This is a rough estimate- I haven't done a character in ArmA before. It will be a lot of effort to make someone in a bat costume (with no cape).

Edited March 1, 2012 by Max Power

[Landmine 10]

Batman was just an example which came in my mind since my brother was playing it right next to me. :P I have soldier characters, weapons in mind which are in other games with the thought on recreating them in ArmA. Of course I realize that if it's too similar I might get the mighty copyright zombies eat my brains for breakfast (mainly with this ACTA poo), but how can one contact a company to ask permission for example, when one can't find even a support e-mail address on their website?

[PuFu 4600]

Also, remember that there's no cape simulation/animations in ArmA, and making a whole new model and rigging it is an extremely long process. Pufu estimates that a high quality character would take about one month full time, and then the LODs, rigging, and configuring would be another good chunk of a month to get all working correctly. This is a rough estimate- I haven't done a character in ArmA before. It will be a lot of effort to make someone in a bat costume (with no cape).

It depends on a lot of things really. That is a bit of an exaggeration on my part (admitting it now). The whole LP mesh could be done in a day, but then again, the modelling part is not the hardest one. Around 1 month worth of work should get you from nil to a finished product (that includes textures, LODs, HP model etc)

Batman was just an example which came in my mind since my brother was playing it right next to me. :P I have soldier characters, weapons in mind which are in other games with the thought on recreating them in ArmA. Of course I realize that if it's too similar I might get the mighty copyright zombies eat my brains for breakfast (mainly with this ACTA poo), but how can one contact a company to ask permission for example, when one can't find even a support e-mail address on their website?

You really don't need permission if your license stipulates that the original IP belongs to X or Y.

Moreover, you won't really be able to reproduce their model in the exact same manner, hence your artistic interpretation belongs to you and you alone.

[vilas 477]

Yep, not a port, a whole new model, which looks just like the one in-game.

than it's completly other situation

noone can (or at least should) forbid you to make another Batman, another AK47, another futur-rifle, another Jeep Willys (from scratch) etc.

in OFP we had Jurrassic Park mod (my big respect to creators) and Rambo mod (once again , my big respect) and even Lego warriors (also)

in Arma others recreate Stargate movie, in OFP we had Star-Wars and now in A2 we have Stalker and AVP (from different addonmakers you have Predator and USCM)

[dmarkwick 261]

In almost all cases it's possible to assess the originality of the mesh by comparing it to the original/inspirational mesh. I don't think anyone can stop you making a mesh from scratch whatever it's inspiration.

[Landmine 10]

Well, I intend to remake the marines from Crysis(s). I think that their futuristic look should look good in ArmA2 or maybe ArmA3. I have the game and the sandbox editor which makes it really easy for me to take a couple hundred screens on their equipment and looks (not to mention their textures). I, in no way, intend to port the models directly, I just simply wish to remake them. Maybe with their Scars too.

It is not that I don't like realistic looking units... it's just that I am tired of seeing the same equipment redone again.

So, in short, I shouldn't have any problems as long as I acknowledge that these models are not my intellectual property, as I merely remade them to another game.

Edited March 5, 2012 by Landmine

[onlyrazor 11]

So, in short, I shouldn't have any problems as long as I acknowledge that these models are not my intellectual property, as I merely remade them to another game.

You're remaking them by yourself, which shouldn't be enough for any self-respecting company to go after you. Porting, on the other hand, is more controversial.

[max power 21]

If by controversial, you mean illegal in most cases.

[onlyrazor 11]

Indeed I do :bounce3: