DoctorDitko Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 (edited) Well, now you can make that character you've been itching to create, based on Cthulhu, Steamboat Willie, or Tigger!* Yes, it's Public Domain Day 2024! Many cool works came home at last this year. And it only took 95 years (or a century, in the case of music)! https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2024/ https://publicdomainreview.org/blog/2024/01/public-domain-day-2024/ The tldr is that all published works are part of the public domain. Some countries, like the US, came up with a scheme to detour these works temporarily to benefit the authors/creators, to encourage creation of new works. Over the years, copyright law has been distorted by politicians and lobbyists (*ahem*Disney*ahem*) to the current system. It's a shame, because many works are now lost. It is estimated that over half of early (mostly silent) films rotted in the cans while archivists waited for them to become public domain, and thus legally safe to preserve. At any rate, let's celebrate what we have! * Their first appearances only! And Disney has a trademark on Mickey Mouse that will last till the end of time, so watch those names! Edited January 2 by DoctorDitko ocd 5 Disclaimer: Not a medical doctor. Do not take medical advice from Doctor Ditko. Also, not a physicist. Do not take advice on consensus reality from Doctor Ditko. But games? He used to pay his bills with games. (He's recovering well, thanks for asking!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snarky Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 While evil corporate giants are….ahem…evil. (I’m looking at your mediocre butt TEdison with a zillion patents that should belong to your cubicle monkeys…) It is still important to honor someone’s work rather than blatantly ripping it off the day after they create it. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorDitko Posted January 2 Author Share Posted January 2 Agreed. But the continuous extension of copyright, long past the life of the author, seems to be a case of redoubling effort while losing sight of the goal! 3 Disclaimer: Not a medical doctor. Do not take medical advice from Doctor Ditko. Also, not a physicist. Do not take advice on consensus reality from Doctor Ditko. But games? He used to pay his bills with games. (He's recovering well, thanks for asking!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clave Dark 5 Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Copyright law at this points is stagnating our culture for the purpose of enriching large companies who own the rights. Extreme-long-term copyright is one reason we are still awash in Star Trek, Batman, Star wars, etc. and won't be free of the for the foreseeable future (note: those large companies rarely actually create these, this is why Disney went and bought Marvel and Star Wars). Wouldn't it be nice to see something new made, rather than another Star Wars show, or a new-ish shoe somehow shoehorned into the pre-existing franchise?Name something like say Popeye, and someone somewhere owns rights to the character and is currently trying to squeeze some more pennies out of them. Meanwhile, these things have become parts of our shared culture, the myths of our times. Copyright law shouldn't allow anyone to own parts of our culture, it last about 20 years and then end; that allows plenty of time to earn from your creation (not from creations you own) and then to release it if it's remained culturally relevant. 1 3 ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ Clave's Sure-Fire Secrets to Enjoying City Of Heroes Ignore those farming chores, skip your market homework, play any power sets that you want, and ignore anyone who says otherwise. This game isn't hard work, it's easy! Go have fun! ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorDitko Posted January 2 Author Share Posted January 2 (edited) True words! Think of all the nifty uses of Sherlock Holmes over the years. We'll never have Batman like that, partly from bloated copyright duration, and partly because he's trademarked six ways from Sunday. Batarang, Batmobile, even Batcave are registered trademarks. We're lucky we can still name our kids Alfred! It's a shame. Edited January 2 by DoctorDitko ocd 1 Disclaimer: Not a medical doctor. Do not take medical advice from Doctor Ditko. Also, not a physicist. Do not take advice on consensus reality from Doctor Ditko. But games? He used to pay his bills with games. (He's recovering well, thanks for asking!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clave Dark 5 Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 And not only just that, it hampers new creation. Disney required Marvel (then another company) to redesign Howard the Duck because they felt he was too close to Donald the Duck. 2 ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ Clave's Sure-Fire Secrets to Enjoying City Of Heroes Ignore those farming chores, skip your market homework, play any power sets that you want, and ignore anyone who says otherwise. This game isn't hard work, it's easy! Go have fun! ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techwright Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 I'm a bit confused over the Steamboat Willie one. Disney's been using the steamboat and original mouse version repeatedly in works over the years as a marquee mascot in various movies and video works, and I believe the boat and mouse have even appeared in video games, though I think those are cameos. Would that not be considered new material and reset the timer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorDitko Posted January 2 Author Share Posted January 2 (edited) Sort of. You can't use any of the later versions, even if they look pretty much the same. But the original doesn't get refreshed without changing the law (which Disney used to lobby for, and win, on the regular). The 1998 law extension was even nicknamed "The Mickey Mouse Protection Act." Fun fact: "Steamboat Willie" was itself a parody/homage/knock-off of Buster Keaton's "Steamboat Bill, Jr." Which is also public domain as of today! Edited January 3 by DoctorDitko 2 Disclaimer: Not a medical doctor. Do not take medical advice from Doctor Ditko. Also, not a physicist. Do not take advice on consensus reality from Doctor Ditko. But games? He used to pay his bills with games. (He's recovering well, thanks for asking!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fabulous Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 And just because it's public domain doesn't mean companies like Disney can't continue to use and profit off them. It just means others can too. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Game Master GM Crumpet Posted January 2 Game Master Share Posted January 2 The Tolkien estate isn't going to be happy now his works are heading for public domain. In 20 years it will be in the public domain in every country except the US. They better milk that series hard as soon they won't be able to sue anyone. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasperStone Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Winnie the Pooh's copyright expired. Gave us this ... gem https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19623240/ 4 /e poofgone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyhawke Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Didn't take long: https://www.ign.com/articles/mickey-mouse-inspired-horror-game-infestation-88-announced 3 Sky-Hawke: Rad/WP Brute Alts galore. So...soooo many alts. Originally Pinnacle Server, then Indomitable and now Excelsior Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlet Shocker Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 I'm glad we're all able to see images of Cthulhu now, despite the fact we're not supposed to look upon him 1 1 The Ghost Slaying Axe. The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherspectre in the room, accept no substitutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snarky Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 17 minutes ago, Scarlet Shocker said: I'm glad we're all able to see images of Cthulhu now, despite the fact we're not supposed to look upon him What the H was in Hellboy if it wasnt Cthulu monsters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlet Shocker Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 8 minutes ago, Snarky said: What the H was in Hellboy if it wasnt Cthulu monsters? Noodly appendages from the Flying Spaghetti Monster? The Ghost Slaying Axe. The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherspectre in the room, accept no substitutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoru-hime Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 It's not that people can't look at him, it'll just shatter their sanity. Nothing anyone around here would even notice. 😄 1 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlet Shocker Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 1 hour ago, Yoru-hime said: It's not that people can't look at him, it'll just shatter their sanity. Nothing anyone around here would even notice. 😄 Wibble splort corandic and finglwump. Splummits of groobs splort habblethwap. Bargroom druffle with a reddo finge of pimblesop! 1 1 The Ghost Slaying Axe. The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherspectre in the room, accept no substitutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemming Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 15 minutes ago, Scarlet Shocker said: Wibble splort corandic and finglwump. Splummits of groobs splort habblethwap. Bargroom druffle with a reddo finge of pimblesop! See! They get it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasperStone Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 24 minutes ago, Scarlet Shocker said: Wibble splort corandic and finglwump. Splummits of groobs splort habblethwap. Bargroom druffle with a reddo finge of pimblesop! This is just ... brilliantly said. /e poofgone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger Inferno Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Cthulhu has been in the Public Domain for a very long time, since 1969 I think. But even before that, H.P. Lovecraft himself explicitly stated that he gave permission for others to use his works as the basis for their own. I just wish we had tentacle face options in the game... Of course, doing that runs the risk of Hasbro coming after you for Illithid copyrights, sigh... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jprewitt73 Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 1 hour ago, Tiger Inferno said: Cthulhu has been in the Public Domain for a very long time, since 1969 I think. But even before that, H.P. Lovecraft himself explicitly stated that he gave permission for others to use his works as the basis for their own. I just wish we had tentacle face options in the game... Of course, doing that runs the risk of Hasbro coming after you for Illithid copyrights, sigh... I've seen enough online to know that the fewer tentacles options available the better. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlet Shocker Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 (edited) via https://inspirobot.me/ As an aside, Steamboat Willie can be solved with just a short course of antibiotics and proper hygene Edited January 2 by Scarlet Shocker 1 2 The Ghost Slaying Axe. The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherspectre in the room, accept no substitutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Without_Pause Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 7 hours ago, GM Crumpet said: The Tolkien estate isn't going to be happy now his works are heading for public domain. In 20 years it will be in the public domain in every country except the US. They better milk that series hard as soon they won't be able to sue anyone. I know people have issue with Peter Jackson's take on LotR, but I think it and the books have me covered. Amazon is already proving it isn't easy to take that IP and make good with it. 1 Top 10 Most Fun 50s. 1. Without Mercy: Claws/ea Scrapper. 2. Outsmart: Fort 3. Sneakers: Stj/ea Stalker. 4. Waterpark: Water/temp Blaster. 5. Project Next: Ice/stone Brute. 6. Mighty Matt: Rad/bio Brute. 7. Without Pause: Claws/wp Brute. 8. Emma Strange: Ill/dark. 9. Nothing But Flowers: Plant/storm Controller. 10. Obsidian Smoke: Fire/dark Corr. "Downtime is for mortals." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srmalloy Posted January 3 Share Posted January 3 On 1/1/2024 at 8:56 PM, DoctorDitko said: w (which Disney used to lobby for, and win) on the regular). The Mickey Mouse Perpetual Protection Act. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fabulous Posted January 3 Share Posted January 3 This didn't take long either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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