[roschdal]

I would advise you to stop working on this project immediately, and instead focus your efforts on creating a game with original game content. EA owns the trademarks and copyright to the material.

You'll be much better off by starting your own project, instead of cloning a commercial product. Yes, the source code of command and conquer might have been released by EA, but EA still owns the trademaks.

(speaking as someone who as tried recreating a popular turn based strategy game using HTML5..)

[artmageddon]

I can see EA getting up in arms over a game like this since they are still selling Command & Conquer Games (Tiberian Dawn was part of Command & Conquer: The First Decade which came out a few years ago), but what about for other games that aren't being sold? The author here is giving proper attribution and isn't making any money off of it, as far as I understand. What about remaking games from companies that don't exist anymore?

/not an expert on copyright and honestly curious

[rmc]

There was an article on HN recently about how many people (esp. young people) have a different idea about copyright from the law, and seem to think that so long as you attribute something, and especially if it's not taking sales away, then it's OK. That is one idea of copyright, the law has a different idea.

In short, the Command and Conquer trademark is still in use, so EA are legally required to sue you.

The copyright on the art work is fully covered or for the next 50 years (or maybe more).

It doesn't matter if the company doesn't exist anymore (their assets, incl. IP) belong to someone. It doesn't matter if a copyrighted content is not being commerical exploited anymore, it's still copyright.

If this sounds outragous to you, talk to your politicans, read Free Culture by Lessig, talk to a Pirate Party.

[ceejayoz]

> What about remaking games from companies that don't exist anymore?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abandonware#Enforcement_of_copy...

[atomicdog]

That explains distrubuting abandonware, but what about recreating it/porting it to another platform and charging for it?

[pwf]

There's ads on the game site, so he must be making some money off of it.

[artmageddon]

Didn't see those and HN won't let me edit my comment. Thanks!

[davedx]

Ads and a donate button.

[robertmrangel]

I'm in a similar boat.. I'm trying to recreate Squad Leader by Avalon Hill in a browser. I think Hasbro might own the trademark, but I don't think copyright applies to game rules:

http://www.battle-board.com/minisl/

If they send a cease and desist I guess I'll just take it offline. I don't think there are any damages in my case, but I'd still hate to be sued!

[smallblacksun]

The ideas in the rules cannot be copyrighted, but the specific text of the rules can be (see http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html). Also, game mechanics can be patented.

[Serentiynow]

Yes, I'm afraid game mechanics can be patented. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Taxi_(series)#Legalities

The green arrow on top of the screen. http://screenshots.en.sftcdn.net/en/scrn/22000/22606/crazy-t...

[rmc]

Probably not game rules, but be careful with logos (of the game and of game pieces).

[eru]

And careful with the names, too.

[atesti]

Did EA really release the source code of command and conquer? I could not find it!

[muro]

which game did you try to recreate?

[roschdal]

https://github.com/freecivnet/freeciv-web