Include ideas from the original Doom games - Copyright issue ?

[4everDoomed]

I just found my first map in which I've pasted an area from Doom II directly to learn how the Doombuilder works. I was simply fooling around, changing textures, adding stuff, whatever else to see "what happens when"... it was a "learning wad" you can say. 

 

I'm currently working on a level that takes place inside a base and I remembered my creation that would fit into that level. I'd really like to use that tower but I'm not sure, although it's heavily changed, if I may use that in a wad (especially for adding it officially to the wad archives later). It looks different, has a 3D floor attached on the upper section, includes two switches and has a new backdoor with a key hidden in it, you can see that through a little window though. Just take a look on those pictures and you'll know what I mean. 

 

I'm not intending to steal such things all the time, I thought it could be some sort of an easter egg for those who know that game by hard. I'd surely credit that section properly, but still I want to know how people would like that and if there's a conflict. If so, I'll scrap that thing and do my own things as usual. 

 

 

[ketmar]

i'd say "meh". IANAL, of course, but from the description it looks like a homage, a nod to the original, and should be considered as "fair use".

[EarthQuake]

You are legally allowed to modify original maps/assets and include them in your own wads as long as your wad is intended to be used in the same game. It gets a bit iffy if you, say, include Doom-specific stuff in a Doom II pwad, but in general, no one really cares either way and no one will judge you for it, nor will Bethesda come knocking on your door (heheh, maybe).

[riderr3]

Play more PWADs and you will not needed to ripoff iwad stuff. Later you will generate proper layouts and situations just with your imagination. But not every person have talent for mapping.

[Stabbey]

There's nothing wrong with creating areas inspired by original levels. Perhaps don't just copy them whole and plop them into your own level though.

 

I once made an arena for part of a level based on Tower of Babel, keeping the dimensions, but I changed both the geometry and the aesthetic so it was distinctly different and played somewhat differently.

[4everDoomed]

Thanks for all your opinions, I'll keep them in mind.

I already changed a few more things, it's almost unrecognizable. At least I got a use out of it and may keep it in that map.