Fallout: Zero becomes Zero Project

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Brother None

This ghoul has seen it all
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Chewie send us a kind of press release about a whole new leaf being turned over for the former Fallout: Zero:<blockquote>Some weeks ago, the zero-project had a short dialog with Interplay via email. The team wanted to clear out the copyright issues about using fallout content in a fan based project. Interplay´s reply reads as follows:

"Well, we are currently developing a sequel to Fallout and feel that additional products based on the franchise could damage it because we won't have sufficient resources to review and approve the concept and design and such. I'll check further and get back to you if management decides otherwise, but you cannot use the Fallout contents or name at this time."

Well, after receiving this mail, the team decided not to let their baby die (again) - and we started a reorganisation. The main target of this reorganisation was to create a standalone cRPG without falloutish background. Therefore we removed Fallout-related content. This task was only a small one - because we didn´t have that much content from Fallout.

So - what´s the news? We are still developing a cRPG with post-nuclear background which takes place in Germany and some parts of Europe. Our engine is still FIFE - and both teams are working hard to achieve their targets.

To condense our work and to harden the network, several actions took place in the last few weeks:

The Zero-Project has now an own website, called zero.fifengine.de. There, we document our knowledge about FIFE from the modders point of view. We are working on an English section too - so be our guest if you want to inform yourself. If you can´t find what you are looking for, feel free to mail us or post your question at the forums.

FIFE, TeamX and Zero-Project are now sharing one IRC network - thanks to spy and v0id.

If some of you want to participate in Zero-Project - just let us now. There are many ways to contribute...

contact:
shadowrunner2003@web.de (Project leader)
chewie@zero.fifengine.de (Co-Leader)</blockquote>Best of luck to them, certainly, but I'm temporarily completely distracted and puzzled by this statement from Interplay:<blockquote>Well, we are currently developing a sequel to Fallout</blockquote>Say HUH?

Link: Zero-Project website
 
now please correct me if im wrong but isnt interplay dead ?
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No, they are currently developing a sequel to Fallout and feel that additional products based on the franchise could damage it in ways that F:BoS never could.
 
My apologies for being off-topic... Well, just a bit...
Here we're talking about total convertions, but what about us lone working modders? I find these news worrysome. Should those working on smaller projects carefully consider this problem?
 
Or better yet, just not talk to Interplay since they don't have the resources to hunt anyone down and put them to court anyway.
 
Sirren67 said:
My apologies for being off-topic... Well, just a bit...
Here we're talking about total convertions, but what about us lone working modders? I find these news worrysome. Should those working on smaller projects carefully consider this problem?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't bother too much about it. It depends on goals anyway, most modding falls under Fair Use, until you start editing the .exe or, possibly, making a Fallout-based game (rather than a mod).

No, suffer would not worry about it.
 
PhredBean:

Heh - great tip - but we had to clear the copyright-issues.

When advertising our project, we were confronted with a whole bunch of request, how we deal with copyright issues. Those people couldn´t be satisfied with our explanation, that we have "plan B" if the project comes into trouble. And they weren´t apt to join the project since we haven´t been clearing out the copyright issue.

They liked our ideas and the project itself - but they didn´t want to waste time and work.

At the end, this forced us to write the email to Interplay. Because there will be the time when we´ll need extra manpower. It was a simple calculation if we react now and reorganize our project at a early state or start reorganization when we are close to a release...

Sirren67:
My opinion about this issue: There is a very little chance that a small team will get sued because of copyright problems. But I guess, the whole thing is an endless story...unfortunately.
 
Thanks for your quick answer, Suffer.
I'm not touching the .exe, not directly. Just like many modders I'm using a loader creator: it tinkers/ backups / replaces the original .exe (not sure how it works). It is used to change stuff like starting date, PC appearence, it disables intro movies and so on.
The point I heavily relay on Fo2 /Fo2 bible background to back up my story, but my mod is set some 6/12 months BEFORE the war: whilst it's not a complete game it's a somewhat different thing from an add on... It's really a stand alone modification... I'd really have an heart attack should I get something in the line of a "Cease and desist" warning...
I really hope I'm worring about nothing.
What do you think?
See you.
EDIT, a few minutes later.
Chewie, I already delt a couples of times with money hungry people like those of Yply... Even if I'm not talking about videogames... I'm talking about people wasting what good stuff they had in theyr hands, making wrong decisions, and than blaming someone else for the damage they caused. Usually they sue / make trouble just for the sake of it, or to feel they're winners, or because of this kind of reasons. In many cases money is simply a pretext. O.k, probably I'm worring too much, just don't understimate this kind of people.
Best whishes to you and your team.
 
First post. Hey.

I'm so very confused here. Didn't Interplay stop functioning completely? Even so, Haven't they sold the franchise to Bethseda, Save for the MMORPG rights?

Meaning, They are working on some sort of Fallout MMORPG, I guess.
 
Mmh... perhaps it would be a good idea to make a spearate thread about this issue.

IMO there are way too few replies about zero.. :-D
 
Suffer said:
I wouldn't bother too much about it. It depends on goals anyway, most modding falls under Fair Use, until you start editing the .exe or, possibly, making a Fallout-based game (rather than a mod).

No, suffer would not worry about it.
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Heh, basing a new game on Fallout would still fall under fair use, usually. As long as people don't start asking money for it.

Also, if I were them, I'd just ignore this. Seriously. They're never going to be sued anyway.
 
Is is possible that the liscence Bethseda bought from Interplay somehow possibly included Interplays involvement in the Development of Fallout3?
 
Using the Fallout editor as a basis for a TC is perfectly legal, you can make something ten times bigger than FO2 if you want. You can't make money out of it, but besides that Interplay can't interfere.

Using other engines with Fallout assets is a bit less clear in legal terms, there shouldn't be much problems with it as long as no money is envolved, but this is indeed less clear.

For the record the assets from FO1 and 2 belong to Interplay and Bethesda can use them at will, while the Van Buren assets were bought by Obsidian.
 
Jaesun said:
Is is possible that the liscence Bethseda bought from Interplay somehow possibly included Interplays involvement in the Development of Fallout3?
Click to expand...
It's possible, but it didn't. Interplay has neither the manpower nor the money to develop anything right now. When they say 'we're developing' they're probably just talking about Bethesda developing.
 
My gues is they are trying to fool us into believing they are developing something. I just saw "The Hunt For The Holy Grail" by Monthy Python, and the "Bring out the dead"-scene comes to mind, "I'm not dead", "I'm getting better"...yeah right.
 
Kahgan said:
My gues is they are trying to fool us into believing they are developing something. I just saw "The Hunt For The Holy Grail" by Monthy Python, and the "Bring out the dead"-scene comes to mind, "I'm not dead", "I'm getting better"...yeah right.
Click to expand...

But... but the guy was getting better. He was fine, in fact, until the cart guy hit him over the head with a bludgeon. In this case, i guess the bludgeon would be bankruptcy.
 
Afaik, Interplay sold the single player licenses to Bethesda. If they're creating a sequel, then they are supposed to be working on MMORPG project. They only have MMORPG license now.

I too, don't think they have the resources for it, but if they managed to do that, it will surely blow up the entire MMORPG market.
 
I remeber seing something about a Fallout MMORPG from Interplay before, the issue was raised that they cost millions to make let alone maitain if they do make something i feel it would not rival the like of D&D, WoW and wharhammer online just as a few examples. i doubt it would make a real impact on the market except for us fans of fallout, but who knows if they are and it makes it onto the shelfs ill definatly be geting it. hopefully it revives Interplay so more qulity RPG's come out
 
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