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Aaron_Black
Warming Up

Posts: 18
Registered: 06-09

Hey all,

I have made a level of an old factory I used to work at. Is there any legal comeback if I released it? Just for reference, I am in England.

Thanks y'all!

06-26-09 20:44 #

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Snarboo
Senior Member

Posts: 1773
Registered: 09-04

Recreating an area in digital form shouldn't be illegal, but I'm not sure. I think as long as no trademarks are referenced and you don't have posters calling your boss a dumb ass all over, it should be okay. :)

06-26-09 20:49 #

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Maes
I like big butts!

Posts: 3764
Registered: 07-06

Always wondered about that. I guess it would be akin to taking a photo of the factory and uploading it on Flickr: there's always the chance that somebody might take offense at it, if he was a total control freak and feared for the company's image or some shit like that, depending on the context of course, but I don't know if he would have the right actually enforce a removal.

In general, the question is who does a photo or artistic representation of someone's property belong to, and IMO a Doom map belongs to the "artistic" category.

06-26-09 20:50 #

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Aaron_Black
Warming Up

Posts: 18
Registered: 06-09

Yeah I didn't think it would be a 'Crime' persay, but maybe a civil issue. Of course I make no references to the company in the .wad and I actually got on with my Boss pretty well. I am not making it because I hated the place, more that I always thought it naturally would make a good DooM level.

Anyway, thanks for the advice guys!

Aaron

06-26-09 20:59 #

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Aliotroph?
postCount++

Posts: 579
Registered: 03-02

Things like photos always belong to the person who takes them, regardless of content. Exceptions made for photos taken illegally.

Recreating a building is common. Nobody cares unless there's something about the architecture they want to hide. Whether or not that can change in the UK I have no idea.

06-26-09 21:21 #

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printz
CRAZY DUMB ZEALOT

Posts: 3316
Registered: 06-06

What if the wad contains classified data disguised as monsters and switch hunts?

06-26-09 21:46 #

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HackNeyed
Member

Posts: 295
Registered: 08-04

I'd worry too about making any schools or work places where things are getting shot... I doubt it's illegal but it might get you on a 'list' or two if all the common sense has evaporated from this little wet rock we call Earth.

lol

Anyway, I'd play it. :)

__________________
"I'm an outsider by choice, but not truly. It's the unpleasantness of the system that keeps me out. I'd rather be in, in a good system. That's where my discontent comes from: being forced to choose to stay outside" - George Carlin

06-27-09 00:53 #

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Krispavera
Forum Regular

Posts: 971
Registered: 07-08

Is it a pretty accurate replica of your factory? Cause if not, I wouldn't see a big problem. And even if it is, who's gonna know? It's not like you're selling it anyways.

06-27-09 00:59 #

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TheeXile
Haha owned

Posts: 631
Registered: 02-09

I've heard of kids getting expelled for making their schools into maps, but I really think you'd have to push pretty hard to find legal grounds to penalize a doom map.

But what do I know. I'm no lawyer. :P

06-27-09 01:13 #

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myk
Super Charge

Posts: 13086
Registered: 04-02

Buildings can't be copyrighted, although plans and blueprints can, so this would be a problem only if you were to base your level on someone's map of the factory.

Otherwise, other than some contract clause not allowing you to disclose what's in the building, I doubt anything could get you in trouble.

There are some maps in idgames that do this, mostly based on office buildings DOOM fans worked at, but also other places. Talking about England, there's one of Trinity College which became rather popular because it was an early level using custom resources.

06-27-09 02:03 #

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Aaron_Black
Warming Up

Posts: 18
Registered: 06-09

It is a pretty accurate representative of the factory. Obviously I have Doomified it quite a bit, but the layout is pretty accurate. I did not use a blueprint to make it, I did it totally from memory. If I get legal action taken against me I shall let you all know lol

06-27-09 13:55 #

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Mr. Chris
Forum Staple

Posts: 2148
Registered: 07-02

You should try and add some things that are not part of the building.

06-27-09 15:31 #

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Aaron_Black
Warming Up

Posts: 18
Registered: 06-09

Mr. Chris said:
You should try and add some things that are not part of the building.

You know what, I think I will test the water. What is the worst that can happen?? lol

06-27-09 19:02 #

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Airman266
Loser

Posts: 197
Registered: 08-04

Thats the spirit

06-27-09 19:34 #

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deathbringer
Post invalidated by first word being "uhhh"

Posts: 3181
Registered: 04-02

uhhhhhhhh

Just upload it, how many of your colleagues are also doomers? I'm guessing 0-1 at the very most. Who's going to know?

Incedentally i did want to create a replica of where i used to work in a planned "zombies on an oil rig" wad, but of course instead of a lab on a small industrial park in Cambridge it would be all metally and would have pipes everywhere and would become a lab on an oil rig.

But like all of my projects it stalled in the very early sprite-making stages. The template zombie was just way too thin to look good in Doom, and i never got around to tweaking it.

06-27-09 20:44 #

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Aaron_Black
Warming Up

Posts: 18
Registered: 06-09

My level is not far from completetion so should be publishing it soon. I may change some of the textures at a later date and re-release it, but thats not a priority at the moment. Have another DooM build project in the pipeline.

None of my old workmates are doomers, but a lot know I am building it. To be fair, like everything I ever release (DooM and Non-DooM alike) I use a 'Pen Name' anyway so if they wanted to take me to court they would first have to prove that Aaron Black is me, good luck to them lol.

06-28-09 17:46 #

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Maes
I like big butts!

Posts: 3764
Registered: 07-06

In the unlikely case you're taken to court on such a frivolous issue, use the Chewbacca defense and pwn them, for great justice.

06-28-09 18:13 #

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GhostlyDeath
Member

Posts: 255
Registered: 08-05

As long as there are no mass murders at the factory, because if there are you could have planned it out by mapping the factory.

06-28-09 18:14 #

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Maes
I like big butts!

Posts: 3764
Registered: 07-06

Well, then at most there will be a re-airing of Columbine-era stock footage accusing Doom for breeding violence, and mentioning Doom as "one of the current best selling violent action games influencing out youth" and shit.

06-28-09 18:21 #

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Aaron_Black
Warming Up

Posts: 18
Registered: 06-09

GhostlyDeath said:
As long as there are no mass murders at the factory, because if there are you could have planned it out by mapping the factory.

I will run the risk. At then end of the day, if someone is mentally unstable enough to committ mass-murder then making a DooM map is the least influential of possible variables involved IMO.

06-28-09 18:45 #

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Aaron_Black
Warming Up

Posts: 18
Registered: 06-09

Maes said:
In the unlikely case you're taken to court on such a frivolous issue, use the Chewbacca defense and pwn them, for great justice.

Lol - Works everytime.....

06-28-09 18:46 #

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Hellbent
Forum Staple

Posts: 2232
Registered: 06-00

I wouldn't do it. It's very likely some higher up at the factory will come to this website, find your level in /newstuff, be an avid Doomer, play the level, recognize it as the factory, not at all be amused, become furious and take litigious action against you. I really wouldn't do it.

Aaron_Black said:
None of my old workmates are doomers, but a lot know I am building it. To be fair, like everything I ever release (DooM and Non-DooM alike) I use a 'Pen Name' anyway so if they wanted to take me to court they would first have to prove that Aaron Black is me, good luck to them lol.

Except you just gave yourself away!! Now you really can't publish it! You dummy!

06-28-09 18:55 #

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Aaron_Black
Warming Up

Posts: 18
Registered: 06-09

Hellbent said:
Except you just gave yourself away!! Now you really can't publish it! You dummy!

Somehow I think you totally missed my point, so I shall explain it a little simpler. What I was trying to say is KNOWING it is me, and PROVING it is me is two different things, and EVEN if they choose to press charges, first they would need to prove that I (*INSERT REAL NAME HERE*) am Aaron Black before they could even think about pressing charges for the DooM map. So the question is, is it worth the financial cost for a small cheese factory??

To be fair, when it gets released they will know who made it anyway. Proving it is a different kettle of fish.

Aaron Black is my pen name, if you hadn't gathered that Hellbent.lol

06-28-09 19:47 #

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Hellbent
Forum Staple

Posts: 2232
Registered: 06-00

Well, regardless.. you may want to think about getting a lawyer.... I can recommend one if you want. My friend just finished law school, though he isn't a doomer.

06-28-09 20:34 #

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