Me and a friend of mine want to make a game that closely resembles the old Strike series for the 16 bit consoles that featured a hellicopter. Also, there were a few more games like that for Playstation 1, and one more for PS2. All but the PS2 one "Thunder Strike" were made by Electronic Arts. Which I think included: Genesis and SNES: Jungle Strike, Desert Strike, Urban Strike. Playstation: Soviet Strike, Nuklear Strike. Well, we were planning on making a game like those that does have the word "Strike" in the title. We want to make it 3rd person as well as cockpit view and kinda takes after the PS1 game "Black Dawn", but with better graphics. Would that be legal or would we have to contact the guys at EA and talk it over with them? I mean, if they saw it, they wouldn't think we were trying to use they're concept without they're permission would they? Even though the Strike series was part of our inspiration? Thanks for any help.

Hi,

They can't sue you if you dont use any of theirs copyrighted files.

Quote:
Copyright law covers only the particular form or manner in which ideas or information have been manifested, the "form of material expression".
It is not designed or intended to cover the actual idea, concepts, facts, styles, or techniques which may be embodied in or represented by the copyright work. Copyright law provides scope for satirical or interpretive works which themselves may be copyrighted. See idea-expression divide.
more...

They can't sue you if you're not using any patented material/algorithm/...

Quote:
The exclusive right granted a patentee is the right to prevent others from making, using, selling, offering to sell or importing the claimed invention.
more...

So, short answer: no, you don't need to contact them!

Good luck with your game,
Jonathan

Doing a helicopter game with an action motif == no problems
Calling it SOMETHING Strike == potentially trademark infringement
Calling EA to ask if you can use their IP == NO

So.. call it something else, and make sure you use only original graphics. At that point, EA doesn't have anything to do with it (there are plenty of other arcade-style helicopter games). If you on life and death WANT to contact EA on this, please read this thread.

Strive to be original, even if you're inspired by a specific game. Warcraft's core mechanic was inspired by Dune II. Didn't mean Blizzard had any plans of calling up Westwood and asking if they could call the game Wardunes.

Allan

Quote: Original post by __ODIN__
Doing a helicopter game with an action motif == no problems
Calling it SOMETHING Strike == potentially trademark infringement
Calling EA to ask if you can use their IP == NO

So.. call it something else, and make sure you use only original graphics. At that point, EA doesn't have anything to do with it (there are plenty of other arcade-style helicopter games). If you on life and death WANT to contact EA on this, please read this thread.

Strive to be original, even if you're inspired by a specific game. Warcraft's core mechanic was inspired by Dune II. Didn't mean Blizzard had any plans of calling up Westwood and asking if they could call the game Wardunes.

Allan

What exactly do you mean by IP? On that note, how exactly would it be trademark infringement? I mean EA didn't invent the word Strike right? And some other company already made another hellicopter game called Thunder Strike. And it doesn't look like they got sued or anything.
We do plan to put all of our own content in the game.

IP == Intellectual Property

The work strike isn't copygihted.

[edit] i made an error[/edit]
The use of xxxx Strike, CANT be protected by a trademark.

Quote:
A trademark or trade mark[1] is a distinctive sign of some kind which is used by a business to uniquely identify itself and its products and services to consumers, and to distinguish the business and its products or services from those of other businesses. A trademark is a type of industrial property which is distinct from other forms of intellectual property.
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Look in here for patent & trademarks registred in the USA: United States and Trademark Office

They are others sites like this for almost every country, since copyright & trademark are on a per country basis.

That's it!
Jonathan

Quote: Original post by double O seven

Quote: Original post by __ODIN__
Doing a helicopter game with an action motif == no problems
Calling it SOMETHING Strike == potentially trademark infringement
Calling EA to ask if you can use their IP == NO

So.. call it something else, and make sure you use only original graphics. At that point, EA doesn't have anything to do with it (there are plenty of other arcade-style helicopter games). If you on life and death WANT to contact EA on this, please read this thread.

Strive to be original, even if you're inspired by a specific game. Warcraft's core mechanic was inspired by Dune II. Didn't mean Blizzard had any plans of calling up Westwood and asking if they could call the game Wardunes.

Allan

What exactly do you mean by IP? On that note, how exactly would it be trademark infringement? I mean EA didn't invent the word Strike right? And some other company already made another hellicopter game called Thunder Strike. And it doesn't look like they got sued or anything.
We do plan to put all of our own content in the game.

Whoever created tetris can now sue anyone who uses the word tris in their game title. Just call it something else. _____ Bombardment, _____ Attack, Copter ______, just use your creative strength and think a bit on the name. You'll come up with something. Also, it sounds like you don't need a name quite yet anyway, so I'd just work on the game itself, and perhaps you will come up with something as you go along. Who knows? By the time you're done with your game, it might not even have a helicopter in it, it could change so much from concept to code.

Quote:
Whoever created tetris can now sue anyone who uses the word tris in their game title. ...

Sorry, but this is FALSE !

Jonathan

Quote: Original post by Servant of the Lord

Quote: Original post by double O seven

Quote: Original post by __ODIN__
Doing a helicopter game with an action motif == no problems
Calling it SOMETHING Strike == potentially trademark infringement
Calling EA to ask if you can use their IP == NO

So.. call it something else, and make sure you use only original graphics. At that point, EA doesn't have anything to do with it (there are plenty of other arcade-style helicopter games). If you on life and death WANT to contact EA on this, please read this thread.

Strive to be original, even if you're inspired by a specific game. Warcraft's core mechanic was inspired by Dune II. Didn't mean Blizzard had any plans of calling up Westwood and asking if they could call the game Wardunes.

Allan

What exactly do you mean by IP? On that note, how exactly would it be trademark infringement? I mean EA didn't invent the word Strike right? And some other company already made another hellicopter game called Thunder Strike. And it doesn't look like they got sued or anything.
We do plan to put all of our own content in the game.

Whoever created tetris can now sue anyone who uses the word tris in their game title. Just call it something else. _____ Bombardment, _____ Attack, Copter ______, just use your creative strength and think a bit on the name. You'll come up with something. Also, it sounds like you don't need a name quite yet anyway, so I'd just work on the game itself, and perhaps you will come up with something as you go along. Who knows? By the time you're done with your game, it might not even have a helicopter in it, it could change so much from concept to code.

Well, making a hellicopter game with the word Strike in the title was the whole idea. I just found out that Eidos made Thunderstrike, which by the way is all one word, not 2. And there were a few more games with the word Strike in the titles, but I think they were jet sims, not hellicopters. So I guess it all boils down to the question's, 1.) Should we do it and risk it, 2.) Give both companies a ring and take our chances of getting rejected and possibly babysitted, (so if we ever did release it they would check it and make sure we didn't do what they told us not to. 3.) Change the title, or 4.) change the whole damn concept.

Decision's!!!

I really do appreciate all ya'll's help though, thanks again.

Quote: Original post by LowRad

Quote:
Whoever created tetris can now sue anyone who uses the word tris in their game title. ...

Sorry, but this is FALSE !

Jonathan

Is it really? I heard that twice befor on this forum, but I guess I should have researched it. Mind giving proof just in case though?

Quote: Original post by Servant of the Lord

Quote: Original post by LowRad

Quote:
Whoever created tetris can now sue anyone who uses the word tris in their game title. ...

Sorry, but this is FALSE !

Jonathan

Is it really? I heard that twice befor on this forum, but I guess I should have researched it. Mind giving proof just in case though?

Humm,

First, patent infringement are only possible if you use the entire trademark name since, this is what it been registred.

Second, they cant sue you for Copyright Infrigment, since:
It is not designed or intended to cover the actual idea, concepts, facts, styles, or techniques which may be embodied in or represented by the copyright work... (look my previous post)

Third, nor they can sur you for Patent Infrigment, since: The exclusive right granted a patentee is the right to prevent others from making, using, selling, offering to sell or importing the claimed invention...(look my previous post)

Also, in the USA, i was not able to find a Trademark or a Patent on Tetris...

Jonathan