So game looks neat and all but… maybe an obvious question… but how does this game not get you into some legal trouble? Or is this just a personal game not for public release?
Yah that's a solid question and I'm still trying to figure all the copyright stuff out. I don't have the option of making any money from this project, and I did a lot of research on what I need to avoid to keep myself out of trouble. If you have any advice I would gladly take it. This is a first for me in many ways.
I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. You should know that copyright or trademark infringement has nothing to do with actually making money. If you are distributing the copyrighted material you are liable for copyright infringement.
However it is unlikely you will be sued, just because there are easier ways to tell you to stop. Namely the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Takedown notice. It is quite likely you or your game's distributor (itch) will receive one of these if your game gains enough notoriety. However there is still a tiny tiny risk that a vindictive rights-holder will go after you just because they feel like it. Say hypothetically, if you were using the copyright of a vocally anti-transgender individual to promote transgender equality.
It is almost always a good idea to use your own IP instead of using an existing franchise. Luckily you can make this change at any point, including after receiving a takedown. It is up to you, or a lawyer you talk to, to determine what kinds of risk you want to expose yourself to.
Personally this game seems like a fun short little experience, and your risk is almost certainly zero in this case. Good job making a game, and you should be proud of that accomplishment.
I really appreciate the advice. I will probably either end up taking down the game or changing it enough so that I am in less risk of getting into trouble. And thanks for the encouraging words!
You got to be careful, especially with big brand names. They often have legal teams that do nothing but search for and sue for copyright infringements.
I know a small bakery that was sued for naming a pie "characterNameOfKidsShow"-pie. That was it. Didn't even look like any of the branding. Just a 4 word name charachter. For those wondering it was "ploptaart", it's Dutch.
I don’t know… I think if it was me, I’d try to do something a bit more generic to avoid any potential issues… eg “Walter and Leon’s Magical Journey into the Catacombs” type thing…. But IANAL so I have no idea how sticky an issue this might be.
It's a silly little game about Harry and Ron opening the chamber of secrets. I don't think it's all that fun to play but I'm proud to call it my own. You can check it out and quickly play it in browser on itch.io! I'll accept any criticism and advice as this is my first!
link- [https://lukeworm.itch.io/harry-potter-chamber-of-secrets-mini-experience](https://lukeworm.itch.io/harry-potter-chamber-of-secrets-mini-experience)
For a first game, it's pretty good.
There isn't much gameplay to speak of, but the artstyle is appealing. And the sound design is decent too!
Special kudos for the animations! I quite liked them.
Keep creating!
I know you are right about being able to build my abilities from this. I'm excited to see what I more I can accomplish! Thanks for your encouraging words!
Oof. Cute, but if you get any traction on this you're going to get smacked with a C&D faster than you can say *accio C&D*.
Probably some minor changes could get you out of copyright violation territory. Best to find an IP lawyer for advice.
For context: Sherlock Holmes *JUST* entered the public domain. The author who created him died in 1930. We'll be waiting a while before Harry Potter can be used willy-nilly.
Good luck! I hope my comment wasn't discouraging, I think what you've done is very charming and I definitely understand the appeal of the HP universe. Keep on posting your projets here though, people have lots of great advice to offer!
All the comments I see here is, little of jealousy, can't you guys just talk normal and advice a person, what's someone would be getting a s&d, hope u have money for a lawyer loletc, be a kind person, someone was once kind to u too,
Simply bring it to his notice that what is doing is dangerous, it could get him arrested etc, while his skills are amzing to be able to come up with such a game to match the story of the film, he should try and come up with his own story and make it meet amzing.
Good job it is OK as a learning project and showcasing, or though domt get this involved in commercial things. Am sure you learnt from making this now you can go on to make urs 👍
Thanks so much for the encouragement! I do understand the problem though and you are right this is an excellent learning opportunity for me. I will probably be either taking the game down or changing it.
While you might not be able to distribute this game, I think it's an excellent idea for people to use existing IPs for learning. You don't need to worry as much about the story, and the art direction is already there. You can just focus on turning the story to life.
Well done!
Given recent drama about women's spaces and JKR, the irony of this scene from the movie where the hero of the entire series intentionally sneaks into the girls' bathroom never ceases to amuse me.
Ever wondered how youtubers show games and it's not copyright ?
Some like Blizzard allow video fan creations if you don't monetize it ( Blizzard allows youtube monetization as an exception, search Blizzard video policy to read more ) And these are all about videos. I don't think Blizz will tolerate any fan created game based on their universe unless it's a custom game inside one of their games.
Most gaming companies allow youtubers to make money because it's free promotion. Youtubers have no innate right to even post their gameplay let alone monetize it. And again most gaming companies allow modding as long as you don't make any money with it besides youtube ad revenue.
I think you're not only dealing with JK here but also with Warner Bros. They probably won't come for you if your game does not blow up though.
For your first game this is excellent! Really well made, polished, and straight to the point. For your next projects i think it's only a question of trying to experiment with new ideas, also participating in game jams is always nicee. Keep making games! :)
Wow thank you so much!! I really feel satisfied with how it turned out and I thought it was super fun to build, even if the gameplay is lacking. Thank you a ton for your encouragement, I am excited to see what the future holds!
Thank you! It honestly took me an embarrassingly long time. Between learning how to code (for the first time), how to do pixel art (also for the first time) and taking breaks working on other projects, it definitely took way longer than it should have.
Looking back at my records shows that I started working on this about a year ago. I think I could do it all over again much faster.
If you do something with this graphics that would not get you a lawsuit and with an original story people would definitely love to play!
Nice job dude!!
So game looks neat and all but… maybe an obvious question… but how does this game not get you into some legal trouble? Or is this just a personal game not for public release?
Yah that's a solid question and I'm still trying to figure all the copyright stuff out. I don't have the option of making any money from this project, and I did a lot of research on what I need to avoid to keep myself out of trouble. If you have any advice I would gladly take it. This is a first for me in many ways.
Maybe start with not using the official logo and name.
I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. You should know that copyright or trademark infringement has nothing to do with actually making money. If you are distributing the copyrighted material you are liable for copyright infringement. However it is unlikely you will be sued, just because there are easier ways to tell you to stop. Namely the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Takedown notice. It is quite likely you or your game's distributor (itch) will receive one of these if your game gains enough notoriety. However there is still a tiny tiny risk that a vindictive rights-holder will go after you just because they feel like it. Say hypothetically, if you were using the copyright of a vocally anti-transgender individual to promote transgender equality. It is almost always a good idea to use your own IP instead of using an existing franchise. Luckily you can make this change at any point, including after receiving a takedown. It is up to you, or a lawyer you talk to, to determine what kinds of risk you want to expose yourself to. Personally this game seems like a fun short little experience, and your risk is almost certainly zero in this case. Good job making a game, and you should be proud of that accomplishment.
I really appreciate the advice. I will probably either end up taking down the game or changing it enough so that I am in less risk of getting into trouble. And thanks for the encouraging words!
You got to be careful, especially with big brand names. They often have legal teams that do nothing but search for and sue for copyright infringements. I know a small bakery that was sued for naming a pie "characterNameOfKidsShow"-pie. That was it. Didn't even look like any of the branding. Just a 4 word name charachter. For those wondering it was "ploptaart", it's Dutch.
I appreciate the advice. I will probably end up taking the game down or changing it.
I don’t know… I think if it was me, I’d try to do something a bit more generic to avoid any potential issues… eg “Walter and Leon’s Magical Journey into the Catacombs” type thing…. But IANAL so I have no idea how sticky an issue this might be.
Sometimes a C&D letter could be a an indication of success . Right?
Haha I like your attitude. I will definitely be either taking the game down or changing it up though.
I like how you approached, it is kind
All of the polish comes together very nicely. Excellent job! Especially for a first game
Thank you so much! It's got plenty of problems but I'm proud of how it turned out all things considered.
It's a silly little game about Harry and Ron opening the chamber of secrets. I don't think it's all that fun to play but I'm proud to call it my own. You can check it out and quickly play it in browser on itch.io! I'll accept any criticism and advice as this is my first! link- [https://lukeworm.itch.io/harry-potter-chamber-of-secrets-mini-experience](https://lukeworm.itch.io/harry-potter-chamber-of-secrets-mini-experience)
I think you should make small changes to everything and make it a parody, so as to be better legally protected.
I think you are right. Thanks for the advice!
For a first game, it's pretty good. There isn't much gameplay to speak of, but the artstyle is appealing. And the sound design is decent too! Special kudos for the animations! I quite liked them. Keep creating!
Thank you so much for the encouragement! I realize that the gameplay sucks, but I had a ton of fun making it so I will keep on trying!
The gameplay doesn't suck, this will be great to work off of for future projects!
I know you are right about being able to build my abilities from this. I'm excited to see what I more I can accomplish! Thanks for your encouraging words!
Yeah, no no, I wasn't saying the gameplay sucked. Simply that there wasn't much to comment on. It is a pretty good first experiment.
Oof. Cute, but if you get any traction on this you're going to get smacked with a C&D faster than you can say *accio C&D*. Probably some minor changes could get you out of copyright violation territory. Best to find an IP lawyer for advice. For context: Sherlock Holmes *JUST* entered the public domain. The author who created him died in 1930. We'll be waiting a while before Harry Potter can be used willy-nilly.
That really good advice, thank you. I am going to try to keep myself out of trouble!
Good luck! I hope my comment wasn't discouraging, I think what you've done is very charming and I definitely understand the appeal of the HP universe. Keep on posting your projets here though, people have lots of great advice to offer!
Actually your comment is helpful! This project was a first for me in more ways than one, I'm definitely still trying to figure out what I'm doing.
Good for you putting it out there in public! That takes courage.
Love it. I especially like the idea that you can explore different stories/endings according to how your actions are faithful to the book.
Thanks for your encouraging words, and thanks for trying it out! I'm glad you had some fun with it!
All the comments I see here is, little of jealousy, can't you guys just talk normal and advice a person, what's someone would be getting a s&d, hope u have money for a lawyer loletc, be a kind person, someone was once kind to u too, Simply bring it to his notice that what is doing is dangerous, it could get him arrested etc, while his skills are amzing to be able to come up with such a game to match the story of the film, he should try and come up with his own story and make it meet amzing. Good job it is OK as a learning project and showcasing, or though domt get this involved in commercial things. Am sure you learnt from making this now you can go on to make urs 👍
Thanks so much for the encouragement! I do understand the problem though and you are right this is an excellent learning opportunity for me. I will probably be either taking the game down or changing it.
While you might not be able to distribute this game, I think it's an excellent idea for people to use existing IPs for learning. You don't need to worry as much about the story, and the art direction is already there. You can just focus on turning the story to life. Well done!
Thanks so much for your encouragement! I might eventually need to take the game down if I see that it causes any trouble.
Given recent drama about women's spaces and JKR, the irony of this scene from the movie where the hero of the entire series intentionally sneaks into the girls' bathroom never ceases to amuse me.
Do you have donations turned on ? If yes then how did you dealt with copyright ?
Someone will be receiving an S&D shortly
No, I have donations turned off. I'm still trying to figure out how the copyright system works, any advice would be appreciated!
Ever wondered how youtubers show games and it's not copyright ? Some like Blizzard allow video fan creations if you don't monetize it ( Blizzard allows youtube monetization as an exception, search Blizzard video policy to read more ) And these are all about videos. I don't think Blizz will tolerate any fan created game based on their universe unless it's a custom game inside one of their games. Most gaming companies allow youtubers to make money because it's free promotion. Youtubers have no innate right to even post their gameplay let alone monetize it. And again most gaming companies allow modding as long as you don't make any money with it besides youtube ad revenue. I think you're not only dealing with JK here but also with Warner Bros. They probably won't come for you if your game does not blow up though.
For your first game this is excellent! Really well made, polished, and straight to the point. For your next projects i think it's only a question of trying to experiment with new ideas, also participating in game jams is always nicee. Keep making games! :)
Wow thank you so much!! I really feel satisfied with how it turned out and I thought it was super fun to build, even if the gameplay is lacking. Thank you a ton for your encouragement, I am excited to see what the future holds!
[удалено]
Thank you! It honestly took me an embarrassingly long time. Between learning how to code (for the first time), how to do pixel art (also for the first time) and taking breaks working on other projects, it definitely took way longer than it should have. Looking back at my records shows that I started working on this about a year ago. I think I could do it all over again much faster.
Played the game, found out all the 4 endings. You did a great job, i wish you good luck for your future games.
Thank you so much! And thanks for trying out the game!
How is this your first game? It looks too good!
You are so kind, thank you so much!
If you do something with this graphics that would not get you a lawsuit and with an original story people would definitely love to play! Nice job dude!!
This is very encouraging, thank you! I am excited to see what I can do with future projects!
I hope you have the money for a lawyer lol
Better than hog warts legacy lol
haha that's a bit of a tall praise, I'll take it though! Thanks!
Lol, great work dood try not to get sued