Do you like fan games?
by Jason Haden · in General Discussion · 04/04/2009 (1:44 pm) · 13 replies
The reason I ask is because I'm using Torque to make a Halo fan game. Halo 4: The missions of Spartan-213. Screenshots coming soon! (My laptop only has 5 minutes left!)
#2
04/04/2009 (2:05 pm)
I don't think you'd have a shortage of people who would like to play a fan made game or mod. Just make sure you can make it without getting sued :)
#3
04/04/2009 (2:07 pm)
And a quick googling of "halo mod shut down" turns up loads of entries. I wouldn't risk it... 
#4
04/04/2009 (2:11 pm)
plus makin a spartan charecter form scartch would be iratating
#5
04/04/2009 (2:20 pm)
you don't want to mess with the big boys i think thats why no one builds fan games to much to risk. i don't think you want to loose $100ks or even mills just to put out a fan game as they will come after you. 
#6
04/04/2009 (4:19 pm)
Diabolical lawyers rise from their coffins at dusk to feast on the virgin blood of noobs who accidentally infringe on corporate intellectual property rights! Beware their wrath ... for it is monstrous and unholy....
#7
I can only do so much. I don't own Torque quite yet, so I can't distribute the beta, right?
04/04/2009 (6:41 pm)
Only... I'm making it by myself, and it's FREE! So no getting sued!(Or am I wrong?) Besides, I make fangames all the time, and I don't get in trouble!(This is the first 3d one!) I can only do so much. I don't own Torque quite yet, so I can't distribute the beta, right? 
#8
Besides, IMHO, the last thing the world of video games needs is yet another clone of a popular franchise. Don't you have any original ideas of your own?
04/04/2009 (6:48 pm)
@Jason - You are quite wrong. Profit is irrelevant where copyright and trademarks are concerned. And, the fact that you haven't been caught yet does not mean that you never will be.Besides, IMHO, the last thing the world of video games needs is yet another clone of a popular franchise. Don't you have any original ideas of your own?
#9
i think that even if its free you can get sued but as your not making money off it i do not know. as this is a fan game i think they will still try there best to sue you as these are the big boys and they want to keep there big hit games to there self's so they can keep making money instead of people giving what they work on so hard and spend so much money on and someone comes out with a free version.
i think one tried this already what your doing and they got sued but i not going to go look for that info as it will be to hard to find. i know one person as gotten sued for making a game thats was much like one of the fan games cant remember what one but i think he was selling it for money so that might of been his problem.
me i would go no where close to messing with the big company's way to much of a risk. i will never get a close to what your trying to do as that halo character looks way to much like there's so your looking not so good i think.
who said you have to have the game with the exact characters anyway. no one said you can make a game with different characters and buildings that might get to closer to not getting sued. the game did not become popular because of the 3d assets it became popular because how the game is played. graphics might of taken part into it as well. :P
i think the best bet is to made a mod for there game that there will keep you safe no matter what but making a hole new game for free is something different.
04/04/2009 (6:55 pm)
hmm i cant tell you that one i can only tell you what i think.i think that even if its free you can get sued but as your not making money off it i do not know. as this is a fan game i think they will still try there best to sue you as these are the big boys and they want to keep there big hit games to there self's so they can keep making money instead of people giving what they work on so hard and spend so much money on and someone comes out with a free version.
i think one tried this already what your doing and they got sued but i not going to go look for that info as it will be to hard to find. i know one person as gotten sued for making a game thats was much like one of the fan games cant remember what one but i think he was selling it for money so that might of been his problem.
me i would go no where close to messing with the big company's way to much of a risk. i will never get a close to what your trying to do as that halo character looks way to much like there's so your looking not so good i think.
who said you have to have the game with the exact characters anyway. no one said you can make a game with different characters and buildings that might get to closer to not getting sued. the game did not become popular because of the 3d assets it became popular because how the game is played. graphics might of taken part into it as well. :P
i think the best bet is to made a mod for there game that there will keep you safe no matter what but making a hole new game for free is something different.
#10
If you can make a fun game, then what does it matter if the main character looks like Master Chief, or a "Chief Sergeant" (still kinda close) character you create that doesn't look like him? It doesn't. So, if you can make a fun game, you can absolutely avoid any legal woes by creating your own characters for that game that don't infringe on someone else's property.
Fun trumps brand names. Make a fun game, and then put whatever characters you want in it. It's simple, and it works.
04/04/2009 (7:00 pm)
Sherman has a very good point. Think about it this way:If you can make a fun game, then what does it matter if the main character looks like Master Chief, or a "Chief Sergeant" (still kinda close) character you create that doesn't look like him? It doesn't. So, if you can make a fun game, you can absolutely avoid any legal woes by creating your own characters for that game that don't infringe on someone else's property.
Fun trumps brand names. Make a fun game, and then put whatever characters you want in it. It's simple, and it works.
#11
You know, to show my skills.
This is mainly for practice, anyway. BTW, I can't distribute my game at all until I buy Torque, right?
04/04/2009 (7:52 pm)
Yeah! Great idea, Ted! Right now, I'm playtesting 3 players over a LAN connection... what if I just only give this game to my friends?You know, to show my skills.
This is mainly for practice, anyway. BTW, I can't distribute my game at all until I buy Torque, right?
#12
04/04/2009 (8:32 pm)
No, not until you have bought Torque. If I were you, I'd scrap that idea and remove that screenshot soon. Think of something original, you'll have much more fun with it (and you won't get sued).
#13
I have a lot of gameplay mechanics working for my own game now, and it's all Korks and programmer art for the time being. Generally, you can go very far towards prototyping with stock art, and when it feels fun and you've worked out most of the bugs, you can get an artist or two to throw some nice shiny (original) art into it and then, viola! You've got a game :)
04/04/2009 (9:33 pm)
@Jason: Agreeing with Bryce here. It should be just as fun to play with the stock Kork in it.I have a lot of gameplay mechanics working for my own game now, and it's all Korks and programmer art for the time being. Generally, you can go very far towards prototyping with stock art, and when it feels fun and you've worked out most of the bugs, you can get an artist or two to throw some nice shiny (original) art into it and then, viola! You've got a game :)
Torque Owner Chris Ervin