Legality of fan projects.

[Louis the Hedgehog]

Also, let me know when you're holding auditions for voice casting! I would love to try-out for Knuckles!

I highly doubt that knuckles would show up in this project. Or if he does he would be a small child. Remember the time-frame I'm working at here.

[Crystal Chaotix 3]

Would Eggman show up then?

[Louis the Hedgehog]

If by "Eggman" you mean Julian, he does not show up until later in the series. But Dr. Ivo Julian does eventually show up.

Most of everyone here does not understand what this project is about. I'm trying to create something that will unite the entire fandom. But mostly, it's what the older fans have been screaming (in pain) for all these years.

What this is not is another thing pumped out by sonic team. It instead will be what SEGA should have done all along. But for the sake of fandom unity, I will try to include elements from all the universes. There will be just one SonicX element, but has also been seen elsewhere.

It has been revealed that Sonic's home planet and Earth are the same planet, but at different times and locations in the galaxy. Yet you can reach those places on a vessel with warp travel. Imagine that the galaxy is a giant clock, and as Earth/Mobius travels through the galaxy, it also travels through time.

Believe it or not, but a similar effect may be true in reality. A friend of mine told me that some physicists are convinced that in the direction of Orion's belt relative to the Earth is the direction of the future.

[Honey the Cat]

SEGA doesn't care as long as you don't make money off of it.

Exactly. It's the same with any other fan-made thing. Just don't put a price tag and you're fine.

Hey, if you're taking auditions for voice actors, lemme know!

[Louis the Hedgehog]

I guess everyone here has answered my question. Although I would prefer it it were answered by an actual SEGA employee.

[ShadiWulf]

I guess everyone here has answered my question. Although I would prefer it it were answered by an actual SEGA employee.

They don't care :lol: that's why your question isn't being answered.

[ChaosBlade]

I guess everyone here has answered my question. Although I would prefer it it were answered by an actual SEGA employee.

They don't care :lol: that's why your question isn't being answered.

Exactly! But, if you truly need someone from SEGA to answer it for you, try PMing one of the mods on this forum. They are representatives of SEGA, afterall.

[ShadiWulf]

I guess everyone here has answered my question. Although I would prefer it it were answered by an actual SEGA employee.

They don't care :lol: that's why your question isn't being answered.

Exactly! But, if you truly need someone from SEGA to answer it for you, try PMing one of the mods on this forum. They are representatives of SEGA, afterall.

most of the mods and admins here are volunteers, try to PM either Clumsyorchid or RubyEclipse they both work for SEGA

[88MilesPrower]

Technically, SEGA owns anything they have created and have sole rights to those things and they have a right to prosecute any person or entity that uses their property for personal gain.

I'll go over a few things about this that may help you:

1. Fraudulent Misrepresentation is the act of deceit where one party misrepresents the facts and makes other people believe that those misrepresented facts are true. To summarize, SEGA may prosecute if you choose to use Sonic or any other material in ways that damage the brand. This definitely falls under the lines of trademark dilution. (15 U.S.C. Section 1125)

2. Copyrighted material, such as the Sonic franchise is protected under US copyright laws as it is considered a pictorial/graphic work. Whenever an idea or work is copied, this is considered copyright infringement. Even partial recreations are subject to this rule. The Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. Sections 101 et seq.) can be enforced and be used to charge the guilty party up to $150,000 and/or prosecution as a criminal. The exception to this rule is the Fair Use exception. The fair use section can be applied by considering the following:

a. Is the work used for commercial or nonprofit means?
b. What is the nature of the copyrighted work?
c. How much of the copyrighted work is used?
d. The effect the new work or project has on the market in which the copyrighted work exists


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To summarize my discussion, I believe that even though SEGA generally doesn't care (chooses not to enforce) that fans use their copyrighted material, it still can be subject to the same laws. From the looks of it, your work will not violate the commercial use clause. However, the nature in which you use it as well as the consistency in which you use it can be subject to copyright infringement. As for the effect on the market, your work likely will have a small cult following if any, but if it grows too big it may be shut down by SEGA. Gaming companies [Nintendo] have shut down fan projects in the past when they felt that it grew too large and had too much of a following. Even when no one makes any money on it, it can still effect the market.

I hope my discussion helps and I hope you excel on your project, but just keep in mind that SEGA can at any time stop you from continuing your work. (Generally they warn/shut down a project before they choose to prosecute just because they don't want that negative legal press to go mainstream.)

[ShadiWulf]

SEGA isn't stupid like Nintendo, they don't shut down major fan projects.

That's why you see more SEGA related stuff on the internet then you ever will Nintendo

Nintendo sued one of the suicide girls just for mentioning them on her blog.... yeah..... big difference between the 2 companies.