May I use you Tank?
by James Laker (BurNinG) · in General Discussion · 10/07/2004 (1:09 am) · 8 replies
I was wondering just now... Say you make a tank game, and wanna
use realistic tanks from different countries...
Do you have to make arrangements with the millitary to use their
tanks in your game?
use realistic tanks from different countries...
Do you have to make arrangements with the millitary to use their
tanks in your game?
#2
10/07/2004 (2:41 am)
But you need to with cars... Why would this be different?
#3
10/07/2004 (3:01 am)
Because car designs belong to car companies, the tank designs do not belong to the army, they belong to companies like General Dynamics (Here in London, they make all of the medium to low armored tanks for the US army) and someone else builds the heavy armored tanks... You dont need to ask them though as they all share it... Plus the army is owned by the people (as a part of the government) so technically their part yours :D 
#4
To simply build a model of a tank and make it behave as your research tells you it should will cost you nothing, but to use an actual tank name and design you require permission from the MOD/ US Army etc.
Strangely enough Sam governments do actually own the designs for these tanks under the national securities act. This is why they are able to veto any sales of such artifacts abroad. This veto includes any products such as games, blueprints, maps etc that are deemed to compromise the national security.
You will find that most governments have broad reaching virtually unlimited powers when it comes to the banner of national security.
Having said all that, you'll find that most governments will turn a blind eye to games and such as long as you haven't called it Talaban Tank training simulator 2004 or something equally stupid!
10/07/2004 (3:39 am)
Actually to use actual tank designs apart from the superficial look of the tank, you DO need permission. To simply build a model of a tank and make it behave as your research tells you it should will cost you nothing, but to use an actual tank name and design you require permission from the MOD/ US Army etc.
Strangely enough Sam governments do actually own the designs for these tanks under the national securities act. This is why they are able to veto any sales of such artifacts abroad. This veto includes any products such as games, blueprints, maps etc that are deemed to compromise the national security.
You will find that most governments have broad reaching virtually unlimited powers when it comes to the banner of national security.
Having said all that, you'll find that most governments will turn a blind eye to games and such as long as you haven't called it Talaban Tank training simulator 2004 or something equally stupid!
#5
and if you want to see the tanks up close a personal contact them here! Honestly :P
I agree with what Peter says you can probably get away with similar shapes, but be careful with names and capabilities...
Nick
10/07/2004 (4:19 am)
In the spirit of better being safe than sorry you could contact the appropriate army directly. If its US hardware you want to simulate contact them hereand if you want to see the tanks up close a personal contact them here! Honestly :P
I agree with what Peter says you can probably get away with similar shapes, but be careful with names and capabilities...
Nick
#6
In regards to the USA, the equipment is owned by the government (ie...we the people). Every tank out there is owned by the taxpayers. The information about that equipment is covered under the security act, but the tank itself is owned by you and me. We're just not allowed to know everything about it.
If you want to use for example an Abrams tank in your game that's fine. You can make it according to publicly published specs like in Jane's for example.
On the other hand if you make it act according to "real" specs (ie...true classified specs), then you're going to get a surprise visit by someone you don't want to see.
As long as you make it a generic unit you should be ok too. For example, if I made a game about my old squadron I was with, they may get upset if I don't get their endorsement. But, if I make a game about a fictious squadron....nobody will care.
The military belongs to the people. You can write about it, make games about it, movies, etc. It 's the information about it you have to be careful with.
10/07/2004 (6:32 pm)
There's a difference to using a tank, plane, or whatever in your game and using one to classified specs.In regards to the USA, the equipment is owned by the government (ie...we the people). Every tank out there is owned by the taxpayers. The information about that equipment is covered under the security act, but the tank itself is owned by you and me. We're just not allowed to know everything about it.
If you want to use for example an Abrams tank in your game that's fine. You can make it according to publicly published specs like in Jane's for example.
On the other hand if you make it act according to "real" specs (ie...true classified specs), then you're going to get a surprise visit by someone you don't want to see.
As long as you make it a generic unit you should be ok too. For example, if I made a game about my old squadron I was with, they may get upset if I don't get their endorsement. But, if I make a game about a fictious squadron....nobody will care.
The military belongs to the people. You can write about it, make games about it, movies, etc. It 's the information about it you have to be careful with.
#7
Also designs of tanks (as mentioned before) are usually the intellectual property of a 3rd party, private company.
I'd still send off a quick email to the forces you which to include in your game. And let us know what they said about it :)
heh heh
Nick
10/08/2004 (2:28 am)
BUT ownership of something and using to create your own work is different. Example I buy a book, which I then own, but I can't make a movie about it without permission from the owner. Even if you 'the people' own the military it still restricts what you can do with it.Also designs of tanks (as mentioned before) are usually the intellectual property of a 3rd party, private company.
I'd still send off a quick email to the forces you which to include in your game. And let us know what they said about it :)
heh heh
Nick
#8
The way it turned out, however, they were left holding the bag when it was determined that BECAUSE the funding for the development of the aircraft came from the government - paid for by taxes by the general public, the use of the image, likeness, and publicly released information on the aircraft was therefore also public and free for use.
The trick as I understand it is that you may not use the brand name or company name in the description of the weapon. So a generic M-16 would be fine... but if your M-16 includes the "Colt" manufacturer name or anything like that, you could get a C&D order. If you even get noticed.
10/08/2004 (11:40 am)
This issue went around several years ago with the F/A:22 design. NovaLogic (I think) had gotten some kind of license from Lockheed Martin for the use of the aircraft. They THOUGHT they'd scored some kind of legal coupe as being the ONLY game company able to release the F-22 in a game.The way it turned out, however, they were left holding the bag when it was determined that BECAUSE the funding for the development of the aircraft came from the government - paid for by taxes by the general public, the use of the image, likeness, and publicly released information on the aircraft was therefore also public and free for use.
The trick as I understand it is that you may not use the brand name or company name in the description of the weapon. So a generic M-16 would be fine... but if your M-16 includes the "Colt" manufacturer name or anything like that, you could get a C&D order. If you even get noticed.
dakz0rz