Unofficial Is This Copyright Infringement Thread

[Solarverse]

So I have noticed over the years these threads about copyright infringement pop up from time to time. Primarily because there seems to be a fine line between "that is too close to the original character" and "It's all good, you are far away enough that you should be okay."

 

So, I figured I would give a good example as to what is a clear knock off of another character, but far away enough that it is free from infringement.

 

If all goes well, people can post their knock-offs here to get opinions on if it is too close or not. Hopefully this could lead to a "safe from the nerf bat" future for players who want to create homage characters.

 

I will go first; although I am fairly certain I already know the answer, I will post up my homage character.

 

His name is (I know, all caps sucks, promise he is my only one with all caps, but, he is a homage to a character who is ever spoken with all caps, so there, lol) CUSS.

 

[WanderingAries]

Wait, we have textured pants now? God I've been away too long.

[Solarverse]

1 hour ago, WanderingAries said:

Wait, we have textured pants now? God I've been away too long.

 

Yeah, we have had those for a good long minute now, heh.

[Without_Pause]

I think it should be fine. You aren't even referencing one of the many versions of Hulk. I don't think any big green skinned guy = Hulk needs to really happen considering the trope of green Martians. I'm not sure how much adding in a bio would help the case, but it wouldn't be difficult to give the character a bio which further pushed it away from Hulk. In short, if this character is an issue, then pretty every time I log in I see a character in violation. It is kind of frustrating that you could simply make a non-green skinned guy and no one thinks about Hulk although I wouldn't recommend being red skinned. 

[Etched]

3 minutes ago, Without_Pause said:

 although I wouldn't recommend being red skinned. 

 

Could be a demon. With the spike/horns, i personally would assume a demon like being more than the Red Hulk.

That's just me thou.

 

@Etched

[Without_Pause]

Just now, Etched said:

 

Could be a demon. With the spike/horns, i personally would assume a demon like being more than the Red Hulk.

That's just me thou.

 

@Etched

I thought about that after posting. People would instantly go that direction in terms of thinking before ever really thinking Red Hulk. This is why it is so simple to avoid being so obvious, and yet people feel like they have to do an outright copy.

[BjorJlen]

As a huge comic fan and even collector threw the decades, there is no way CUSS would ever be considered the Hulk. Maybe a green skinned Demon, sure, but there is no policy that states we can't make those in any way we want, so your all good. Save an exact duplicate of a in game one, but even then we have a actual "costume" that does that itself, so even that line has been crossed by the Dev's. Just don't make Statesman, and you'll be ok... 😉

[Solarverse]

4 hours ago, Without_Pause said:

 I'm not sure how much adding in a bio would help the case, but it wouldn't be difficult to give the character a bio which further pushed it away from Hulk.

 

 

His bio is actually Troll who was forced to OD on Superdine. It's not super detailed, but that is the gist of it.

[Etched]

As said preior it wouldn't even come across as a Hulk Homage. Troll would make since so your bio would make perfect since.

[Captain Fabulous]

CUSS SMASH!!!

[BjorJlen]

40 minutes ago, Captain Fabulous said:

CUSS SMASH!!!

 

Sorry, Cuss is too busy Cussing them out to Smash.

   Come back tomorrow, when Cuss will be too tired to Cuss things out, so a Smashing he will go... 😉

[Greldek]

Idk but I see so many obvious superman ripoffs , costume, powers, some of them deep into vet levels.

 

It's one thing to do a ripoff character.. it's another to ripoff such a lame character? Who's your next inspiration going to be, Darrel from Accounting?

[lemming]

16 minutes ago, Greldek said:

Idk but I see so many obvious superman ripoffs , costume, powers, some of them deep into vet levels.

 

It's one thing to do a ripoff character.. it's another to ripoff such a lame character? Who's your next inspiration going to be, Darrel from Accounting?

You mean Arthur?

[Bionic_Flea]

Who?

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2023 by Bionic_Flea

[Solarverse]

2 hours ago, Bionic_Flea said:

Who?

 

 

 

 

Okay, now you're dreaming. Arthur did not have a six pack. A keg, maybe. Not a six pack.  😄

[BjorJlen]

A keg... MAYBE???
   Uhhh, nope. Arthur didn't just have a Keg, he had TWO lol... 😋

(Too bad we can't have that stomach option in game... 😞)

[Solarverse]

5 hours ago, BjorJlen said:

A keg... MAYBE???
   Uhhh, nope. Arthur didn't just have a Keg, he had TWO lol... 😋

(Too bad we can't have that stomach option in game... 😞)

 

I agree, not every hero was in super shape. Most...but not all. I'm sure that would lead to a lot of insulting behavior though, I can only imagine somebody creating an obese character and naming it something super offensive. That could be why they don't add that body type. Just a guess. However, for those of us mature, I wish I had the option.

[Scarlet Shocker]

On 8/13/2023 at 6:42 PM, Solarverse said:

 

 

His bio is actually Troll who was forced to OD on Superdine. It's not superadine, but that is the gist of it.

 

 

Fixt that for you

[SeraphimKensai]

On 8/14/2023 at 3:51 PM, Solarverse said:

I can only imagine somebody creating an obese character and naming it something super offensive.

So Blob from Marvel?

[srmalloy]

On 8/14/2023 at 12:51 PM, Solarverse said:

I can only imagine somebody creating an obese character and naming it something super offensive.

And it may not be immediately apparent that it is offensive. Kuchadyerma (Кучадерма). Tawagoto no Yama (たわごとの山). Emvolia Perittomata (Εμβόλια περιττώματα). Paska Kasa. Gandagee Ka Dher (गंदगी का ढेर).

[UltraAlt]

On 8/12/2023 at 8:07 AM, Solarverse said:

If all goes well, people can post their knock-offs here to get opinions on if it is too close or not. Hopefully this could lead to a "safe from the nerf bat" future for players who want to create homage characters.

 

[Solarverse]

6 hours ago, UltraAlt said:

 

 

Best sig ever.  🙂

[biostem]

On 8/14/2023 at 3:51 PM, Solarverse said:

I can only imagine somebody creating an obese character and naming it something super offensive

Well, it's not like overweight people are the only targets of offensive names.  Heck, we have a male chest option that has leather straps and nipple piercings, and female top and bottom options that probably wouldn't be legal on a non-nude beach...

[Herotu]

On 8/13/2023 at 6:42 PM, Solarverse said:

 

 

His bio is actually Troll who was forced to OD on Superdine. It's not super detailed, but that is the gist of it.

Superadine sounds an awful lot like GammaRays to me...

[Solarverse]

1 hour ago, Herotu said:

Superadine sounds an awful lot like GammaRays to me...

 

Well, I have the shield wall of knowing Superadine is a drug in this game.  🙂

 

You do have a point, if memory serves, Superadine is also green in color, most likely an invention in combination with Bane's Venom and Hulks Gamma Radiation.