Making a map with name from other games.

goresahde · May 2013

I'm making a quest from a game I played as a kid, that's not DnD. Could I use the character names from this game? Neverwinter being a free game, I figured there should be no problem.

thesabotender · May 2013

Neverwinter being free has nothing to do with it, its all up to the other game.

Copyright infringement means you stole copywrited information that you do not own the rights to. Most likely this "game you played as a kid" has protected the name of its characters.

It's technically not illegal to copy story though, so as long as you change all names, you should be ok.
That said, unless you are spesificly making a "remake" and you dont mind people knowing that, recreating other peoples work is generaly frowned upon.

Also note that not all names CAN be copyrighted, so for example: "Gandalf the Grey", can be as it is a unique name. Cloud Strife, can also be copyrighted. However "Strider" and "Cloud" can not, as they are common words.

nepht · May 2013

Heres a rule I live by in MMOS.

If you have to ask don't do it.

foundrymaker · May 2013

goresahde wrote: »

I'm making a quest from a game I played as a kid, that's not DnD. Could I use the character names from this game? Neverwinter being a free game, I figured there should be no problem.

As far as my knowledge. Perfect World Entertainment purchased the rights/license to the Dungeons and Dragons Franchise from the Owner, Wizards of the Coast. 'Thesabotender' is totally right that any copyrighted material NOT stated in this license would put you and PW up for copyright infringement (if the allowed it to be published)

The only way I can see you can do something different is to make modules/scenarios that are part of the Dungeons and Dragons franchise. I made a HUGE hosted world called "Ansalon - The World of Krynn" in Biowares Neverwinter Nights 1 and used likenesses and story lines form that, never heard a peep for anyone because it was (even being in the Dragonlance 'world'), it was still under the Dungeons and Dragons banner.

I'm assuming its the same here because I plan to make Dragonlance Themed episodes in Neverwinter. Being still under the Forgotten Realms and Dungeons and Dragons. (If I am in erorr I would appreciate and OFFICIAL response to this)

I tried making a NWN1 world based on Diablo II and summarily got mail from Blizzard telling me to cease and desist.

gtdcarthage · May 2013

I'd just like to chime in that PARODIES and postmodernist things such as self-/out-references (characters talking about real world things, no matter how out-of-character in the Forgotten Realms setting that might be) are considered fair use, and exempt from copyright.

You still can't name your quest NPC 'Cloud Strife' though.

goresahde · May 2013

I'm creating a game to pay homage to it and its creators. If I have to change the names, then so be it. I'm currently work on the first dungeon, sometime soon I hope to be done and publish it.

Making a map with name from other games.

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