Stargate mod, important!

[redpride 0]

Just rename the project name for Petes sake..something like Warpgate or Sungate,whatever. They can't legally touch this project then.Anything after that is just corporate terrorism.

I already boycot bullywood

[wipman 1]

Hi, is truly sad to see how the laws of the civilized countrys sue people for make private companys profit, even when they wasn't loosing any money for any action made by the target to bleed his money out of his/her bank account to the big enterprise pouches.

Sorry about this mod, i'll never had installed an Stargate mod, that to me by the films... looks like something, just bad.

Sorry ppl. Let's C ya

[Guest RKSL-Rock]

I can’t believe some people in this community.  Missing the point and blaming the wrong people.

The reason that MGM and Gecko are getting "aggressive" about protecting their copyright is really simple.  They are trying to prevent any competition to their planned PC and Console Games.

Its not some dark plot to spoil modder's fun.  Its quite simple.  If you make a mod in OFP, while you may release it for free it promotes OFP which may increase its sales (something that MGM/Gecko don’t receive any royalties) and provide a cheaper more competitive alternative to any official Stargate game.

As to why OFPC.de are getting flak for this.... under international copyright law which includes EVERY EU country you may not distribute or allow the distribution of pirated/illegally reproduced materials or Intellectual property form your website or any service that you provide.  This includes web pages and forums although proving a case for loss of revenue (the best way to win a copyright case) on a public forum is hard.

HOWEVER, and this is where OFPC.de are being held to ransom.  Since they are “promoting 3rd party content†and in doing so are technically receiving monies for doing so in the form of banner adverts etc they are in a very poor legal position.

The “legal†issue isn’t that there is a mod using the Stargate name, its that OFPC.de has been seen to be promoting/advertising the mod and is making money (for what ever purpose) by doing so.

The only solution for OFPC.de is to comply with MGM’s demands and warn the community, which they have done.

As for the Stargate mod itself they can contact MGM and ask permission to use their trademark etc or they can change their name and content to something legally distinct fro the SG-1/Stargate brand.  Bearing in mind that the Gate device and associated characters are all the IP of MGM etc.

Don’t you just love the “lawâ€!  (that’s sarcasm btw)

[mattxr 9]

if they asked me for a list of all site with sg on i would of said i have no idea, i just say i run my site and only my site. if they wanted a list id tell them to go looking for one.

[redpride 0]

"They are trying to prevent any competition to their planned PC and Console Games."

HEHE! Honestly I really doubt they're going to go dirt poor because of some third party community mod for Operation Flash Point! If anything community mods such as this do is help give them FREE PUBLIC ADVERTISING For the next crap software/game/movie they plan on releasing. Let these fine folks have their hobby, no one is truely suffering from it but the commercial gravy wagon hoppers! Hehe.

[somebloke 0]

It doesn't matter to MGM if it's free or not, it's competetion in their eyes, and they'll eliminate competition anyway they can.

[4 IN 1 0]

is it only me who think that it is a cheaper way to start working on that dame game and started to make profit instead of paying a huge sum of money(which could used to pay for another developers) to lawyers to ban this and ban that while not finding another team of developer to keep on working on the game and waste money on the old engine license?

[benreeper 0]

Are there really only a handful of people in this forum that remotely understand the law and marketing. I had thought OFPers were more cerebral and knowledgable.

--Ben

[Thunnder Bunny 0]

Many people here know the law, but it still doesn't lessen the pain of losing an awesome ofp mod.

Plans for an official Stargate game has fallen flat time after time. And it's doubtful any official game will be as free form and open ended as this mod. I'm not that big of a SG fan to pay for a SG game ,considering it won't be anything like what we're playing now.

MGM has screwed with fans befor ,like cutting into the opening credits of the show just to add more commercials. The fans spoke up and MGM and friends took notice.

I'd say do the same thing here. You can write them and show support for this mod ,and maybe it will shape the official game.......anythings possible.

On a totally selfish note This is why I totally support the release of alpha and beta addons. Less chance of the stuff we see in pictures like the (SGC) being nabbed by greedy bigwigs and their underling bastard lawyers

[Llauma 0]

If any other site gets in problem with MGM they should join EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) or CCC (Chaos Computer Club) in Germany. They will take the case to court and pay for it.

I see that ofp.info still has the news about the mod. I assume that they are on the list MGM will receive. So are they planning to fight it or are they just arrogant about the possible consequences?

[Supernova 0]

Ive done law school before and it is possible to beat the big companies. I still cant believe they do this again and again its like every good thing i see is shut down like HALOGEN and now this.

[Ironsight 1]

Ive done law school before and it is possible to beat the big companies.

And you're an officer in the Bundeswehr. Army, law school, am I missing something?

[Supernova 0]

I did law school then I went in the military.

[somebloke 0]

I believe we were discussing the issue of the Stargate mod.

[mr burns 131]

I did law school then I went in the military.

pls don´t take this offtopic, get away.

@Llauma: good tip, thx for it. It´s kinda too late now but we´ll mind it if this shit should happen again, hope that´ll not be the case *fingers crossed*

[biggerdave 56]

Personally, as far as I can see, they're blackmailing you burns. As long as you've removed the content from your site they have nothing on you.

Quote[/b] ]They are trying to prevent any competition to their planned PC and Console Games.

So, why haven't newsites for HL2 and UT2k4 stargate mods been targeted? (HINT: The answer is "They'd fight back")

I'd go with what llauma said, it seems a good idea and they'l probabley back down if they aren't given an easy victory

[mr burns 131]

Personally, as far as I can see, they're blackmailing you burns. As long as you've removed the content from your site they have nothing on you.

I'd go with what llauma said, it seems a good idea and they'l probabley back down if they aren't given an easy victory

As said, it´s already too late. And also it was´nt me who received that ugly letter but our admins -poor guys.

We´ll mind Llaumas advice for the future, only hoping it´ll never happen again

[Chris Death 0]

uhmm - Dave i think it's not that easy  

They still could sue them for the time the sg content

was up on that site in combination with advertisements.

Sure they would probably be fine for now because it's

taken down, but the rule breaker was a given fact

even tho ofpc wasn't aware of doing so at given time.

EFF or CCC are also not magicans thus they cannot make

this unhappen. I can imagine that they would support you

as long as you're member of them and as long as you don't

break any rules. Such rules guidelines for hosting a website

in propper way you would then get from them once you're

a member.

They will for sure not go to court in a case where there are

no chances.

Quote[/b] ]So, why haven't newsites for HL2 and UT2k4 stargate mods been targeted? (HINT: The answer is "They'd fight back")

hmm - maybe they got permission because having asked before - who knows

btw - Universal - in my country if one made a law school

(or we call it: visit a university and study), and then become

a soldier - he wouldn't talk very loud about this - they're

here so called: civil life looser's (but that's Austria, and our

forces are nothing to be proud about)  

~S~ CD

[TheWraith 0]

i think what mgm are doing prity much sucks

im a big stargate fan, have been for years

ive been teased by Official stargate Game videos

and mgm have then pulled the plug and sacked the company

then out comes a new video legaly backed by mgm

then its spew'd again

mgm keep saying they'll make one then they sack it all off

in the mean time they hit on fans that work so fard to bring other fans something to play with

i guess they dont even understand that the people making the mods are fans, the people using the mods are fans

is this how a company should treat its fans

how to kill a Tv show lesson 1

send lawyers after anyone who creates anything that shows an artistic and creative apreciation for their favorite show

maybe gateworld should be talking to the stargate producers about this kinda of problem instead of trying to get the gossip wich they never realy spill in interviews anyway

the no adverts or links with adverts on the site

sounds a good way around it, but it'll be costly to host

mgm you only hurt the ones who made stargate as popular as it is, the fans......

[lukemax 0]

I think its a question of they dont actully understand what is it we are doing, they feel we make a new PC game that we might sell or take sales from stargate Worlds MMORPG or the stargate alliance PC game which is supposed to be comeing out in November, acording to MGM they will do a press release about it in november.

[philcommando 0]

err....I was wondering...WHAT THE HELL!!!....OFP has a bigger and larger fan base to any game adapted from movies, and furthermore MUCH MORE addons and flexibility than them, so why the hell do we need to copy or even use their models, tex, etc???!!!!!

Is ofp that rigid and its addonmakers so lousy in the creative department that we cannot create an alternate Sci-Fi world of our own based on our own understanding and concepts of science to look into the crystal ball of future tech, and come out with a concept, a storyline, addons and missions?

Heck!, with ofp fan base, legal touting and bullying game studios will drown in our piss should we decide to piss on them. POWER TO OFP FANS!!!

[RockIslandMarine 0]

PC is right If we can make cool ass mods like Carwarz and FFUR we can make are own wormhole storyline etc... hell if we do it they will back off and we can go about are business of mod making. POWER TO OFP FANS!!!

[JdB 151]

I think the people that base their stuff on anything fictional as conceived by someone else for a movie, book or a videogame are trying to get instant attention/popularity for their project, and hope it will attract more people to their team.

[johnwilso007 0]

JdB your a twit.

the people who are making these addons are doing it so that they can relive their Scifi fantasy in their favourite game, ofp is a very open soure game so its easily modible and the missions can be made into the storylines of the show. not cos they want popularity and to get more people in the team.

POWER TO THE OFP FANS.

(scifi bully MGM, MGM bully the fans)

[Thunnder Bunny 0]

I totally agree with PC about new mods based upon our own ideas. I know the SG stuff was made by fans for the fans, and not personal for gains of any kind. It's just to bad some greedy lawyers can't see it that way.

I wish MGM owned the company that was stealing addons and using them in military convoy training programs. Then the suing shoe would be on the other foot.