so this is the deal, i want to make a game based on history, like WW2 or something, what are teh legal aspects of using stuff that are real like army names, and everything like that, like images or something, woudl i need to pay royalty to someone, ask permission or something?

"odin" wrote:
>what are teh [sic] legal aspects of using stuff that are real...

Read this: http://www.sloperama.com/advice/faq61.htm.

ty man, i never got that far already in the lessons :/ :p

The Swastika is (c) Third Reich Holdings, GmbH.

LMAO

:/ imagine, for example for a WW 1 game that most stuff are actualy old, would i need to contact the countries that participated in the war and ask them if i can use the army names, signs, images and such?

No you don't. Most 'war stuff' - no. But 'stuff' people created themselves (such as drew a nazi flag) might be copyrighted. The idea or subject of a World War game is not copyrighted.

Also, things created & done over 95 years ago from January 2006 are in public domain. The "Public Domain" is a vast subject with intricate rules. If your game is simple and you develop ALL your content, this shouldn't be important at all. Just tossing it for your knowledge about copyrighted things and noncopyrighted things.

You might like to read more on public domain. THere might be artifacts etc. that you can use or ideas you can use if its in the public domain. I'm not exactly sure of your game plan and what you might use in your game (also, how serious you are about this).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain

so mostly you guys are saying that probably, names, emblems or such of factions that went to war in the world war 1 will most likele be public domain, what about planes and such, or weapons, they have being there for a long time; also i think that just to be sure a good permission note would be good to be on the safe side, what do you think? and will a email from a organization like the army, of a country will be sufficient prove as a permission or maybe a written letter would be better?

**According to my understanding**...

You don't need permission to use countries and their armies and stuff. You don't even need permission to use actual people, if you do it right. For example, you could include a famous historical figure in a game (Patton maybe?), but if you centered a game around PLAYING that character (and therefore would arguably profit off of his name) then you would probably bump into some legal issues with his descendents or whatever. I guess what I'm saying is that if you are including things for historical accuracy, I don't see how that that would be a problem. The History Channel certainly doesn't pay royalties to the families of every person they ever mention. No history documentaries would ever be made if that were the case.

Of course, if you ever were to widely distribute it you should check with an attorney or something to be safe.

ok ty everyone i will be sure to check with an attourney before doing anything atleast i know there will not be probably big deal about sending letters to all goverments :p