copyrights and restrictions

[British Fiend]

Here is my question, if indeed, the designers of Exult knew all there was about Ultima7, and infact had the source code for it- would you make changes that might infringe copyrights in the process to create a better Ultima?
Do you know whether or not you've already broke any copyrights? I mean it kinda seems a bit on the shady side when you're editing graphics and putting your own text into the game, so I'd say, if its illegal to mix original stuff w/ copyrighted stuff, you've probly already broken a copyright eh?

[drcode]

I think it's technically illegal to mix original content with copyrighted, but that would make all the Ultima/StarTrek/DrWho/etc. fan sites illegal.

[SB-X]

Twentieth Century FOX among other companies has been known to close down fan sites with threats to litigation to the webservers just because they use small graphics from television shows, movies, or comics. I think they let up on that recently though.

[Sslaxx]

Conversely, the BBC have pretty much given implied permission for fanfic at least, by running competitions about it on their websites. They also link to known fan sites (such as http://www.gallifreyone.com/ Outpost Gallifrey).

[EbeneezerSquid]

I *THINK* that it is not a violation of copyright if. . .
1) You don't sell or otherwise charge for the altered material
and
2) You require that all the users have a purchased copy of the original, unaltered material in order to use the altered.

Which means, If I am correct, Exult is legal - but it does skate a thin line. If EA *DOES* want to make an issue of Exult, it would be able to boggle us with so much paperwork as to halt all progress even if we were completely in our rights - so let's try not to piss them off, eh?

[Petrell]

I would image adding/editing content of games is perfectly legal at least as long as mods dont include the game it self. Otherwise it would mean that ALL game mods available would be illegal.

What I image to be illegal :
1) distributing copyrighted material and/or using them in other products (at least if you charge from them, some allow their use in freeware products, some dont, if they want you to stop they'll win in any court)

2) hacking intentionally decrybted/protected parts of the game without permission, breaking anti-copy protections. All this especially if you distribute the info you obtain by doing so. (Technically at least here where I live its legal to do about anything with product you bought as long as you dont share/distribute your findings)

Some game companies have even closed down fan translation projects (but it seems mostly that they fear these translations competing their own localised products)

Game companies do have the means to stop almost any fan project using their copyrighted material so in the end its all up to the game companies to decide what to allow and what to prevent.

[Anept]

Who really cares? I mean if this website was being hosted by a mexican internet company, and the so called 'owner' of this site lived there too, then the stuipid whingy corperations couldn't do nothing!

Some people are just so self-obsessed about their own rights that they have lost the picture.

Rights are a Privilege! You're lucky to have them so don't abuse them.

If crappy companies such as EA and FOX have a go at you, then stuff them! Seriously, if they think they could stop this site then they are horribly wrong. You need only get someone from a country that does not comply with 'mainstream' copyrights and make them host it.

[Dominus]

What you are forgetting is that even if the site is hosted somewhere these coorperations can't get it to shut down, they can still sue the content provider (which could result in arrest the next time you get to America).
And before we all just reheat old debates with "beliefs" but not facts just calm down. Nothing has happened yet and probably nothing will.

To the original question:
I *THINK* (yes, those crappy believs again) that we violated copyright in more than one way already. Take the soundpacks for example, or the custom art, which is in some cases just conversion of SI-art.
As to how illegal adding content to copyrighted material is you need to check on your local copyrights.

As for the source to U7, it's lost in the days that predated backups (stupid Origin) and even if it were still there it would be very strange if we could get a copy. And then we couldn't even use it as that would mean using/rewriting copyrighted code. After all, it doesn't matter anymore as we have come very far without having the code and we will manage to "finish" Exult in time.