3 replies to this topic

[ollybobbles]

Just a couple of quick questions for the devs....

I submitted a copyright question a few weeks back regarding the creating of courses, re trademarks and copyright.

The answers i received were a little ambiguous to say the least.

Can i ask....

Using course forge, we will be able to import a golf course from bing maps which will supply us with both the terrain and course layout. Will this provide any issues when it comes to trademark protections, course layout protections etc. I am aware that PP are looking to get the go-ahead for licensed courses as part of their tv coverage deal but hope and pray that individuals will still be able to utilise course forge to provide their interpretation of a named course without issues of copyright etc.

I am sure that a standalone website would be a great place to house the user created content and this way it can be ranked and downloaded without any issues or avenues of profiteering ...this can be then monitored and all above board.

Watch the 'import course forge from bing video' on vimeo to see what i mean.

I look forward to a detailed response and the stance of PP devs on the issues outlined.

Thanks for your time.

Regards

Ollybobbles

 

[MERACE]

I believe anyone using CF can make and release for the PG community any real course without permission from the course owner. However, the created real course could not be sold without the permission (licensing) from the course owner.

I also believe the PGA courses that PP is creating for TV broadcasting will need licensing and if released to the PG community would most likely be a paid DLC.

Hopefully, someone from the PP will comment further on this.


-MERACE

[Dazmaniac]

M,

 

Would be interesting about the paid DLC aspect for real courses.

 

Back when Links got the APCD (originally with Links 2001) and then the P2P (Purchase to Play) element arrived, the stipulation was that if anyone released a real course recreation they couldn't charge for it, it was released as a free download. Only fictional/fantasy courses could be offered as P2P.

 

Will be interesting to see what the situation is should PP get the greenlight for any real life tour courses to come to Perfect Golf.

 

[shimonko]

The answers are ambiguous because the laws are general in nature (and thus ambiguous) and always subject to the interpretation of the court. There is no clause saying "3d renditions of real golf courses are breaches of 112b(ii)."

I suggest PP's quietness on this matter is because they haven't received legal advice yet, have received vague legal advice, or have been given advice not in the game's best interests.

Importing from Bing is however no issue as the imported imagery are used purely as blueprints, and data, such as elevation data, typically can not be copyrighted. Making a panorama from Google Earth without keeping Google's watermark intact would be against Google's EULA. 'Fair use' can be claimed in some countries (e.g. the US), but not others.

You're looking for firm answers where few exist, and even if they did, vary from country to country. What's important is only what is likely to happen, and for people creating courses without profiting or causing loss to someone else, that is either nothing or the course host (e.g. Steam) simply removes the course.