Back in November 2010 I reported on reports that Battlestar Galactica content was being removed from Second Life after allegations that Universal City Studios Inc. had complained to Linden Lab about Intellectual Property issues, the post is here.
Today, thanks to a ginger bird who eats too much cheese .. Suella Ember updating a blogrum post about the issue with updated information, news is being circulated that a deal has been struck to allow Battlestar Galactica roleplay within Second Life. Suella links to this story here at the Harrisburg Second Life Examiner, who were instrumental in breaking the original news about the takedown, so seem to be a trustworthy source on this issue.
The crux of the matter is that an agreement has been struck to allow roleplay to continue, as long as it doesn’t involve the creation and sales of real or virtual items related to Battlestar Galactica.
The Harrisburg Second Life examiner reports that Second Life resident Ntanel Swordthain received the following reply regarding the issue:
“Thank you for your patience. After some internal discussion regarding Second Life BSG and the use of our owned intellectual property, we are happy to inform you that users may continue to create and interact with each other as BSG fans, so long as such interaction does not include the creation and sales of unlicensed of real-life or virtual items featuring our intellectual property.
We hope BSG fans will continue to enjoy the franchise in all its iterations, including Second Life.
Thank you,
This is a positive move and shows that corporations aren’t always the evil empire and that by seeking permission and clarifying issues, progress can be made. However I’m sure there may be some twists and turns to this story yet, especially if roleplay sim owners don’t grasp intellectual property issues. This is where sim owners can work together and general merchants can also work with roleplay sim owners on the issue of intellectual property rights, because you don’t generally find too many content theft posters on roleplay sims, you find them in fashion stores, but the issues are the same whether it’s an inworld store whose content is being stolen or a big corporation, just because they’re outside of Second Life, doesn’t mean their fair game, and that includes textures uploaded inworld from external sources.
Intellectual property is of course a very complicated issue, some people unwittingly infringe and fan art and fiction are areas where lines can be crossed without intent, but it basically boils down to not nicking other people’s stuff.
Where this story has its good points is with regards to conversation, a realisation that it’s good publicity for Universal and the Battlestar Galactica brand to allow such roleplay and for roleplayers inworld. However, as I commented in my orginal article regarding the takedown, it would be better if some official licenses were available to commercially sell such content inworld and this way corporations get a foothold in Second Life and roleplayers get to enjoy said content.
I own a roleplay sim, we’ve made up our own story, but there are specific challenges facing roleplay sims in terms of finance, selling content is one way of being able to support a roleplaying sim and whereas I understand there are complications regarding trademarks and intellectual property, it really would be advantageous to corporations to strike official deals with content creators to use these brand names for sales, it extends reach for the franchise and it also allows them to sell items in new envrionments, but the deal needs to be a sensible one.
However for now, it’s nice to see that a deal does appear to have been struck on the roleplay aspect itself.
“Today, thanks to
a ginger bird who eats too much cheese.. Suella Ember updating a blogrum post about the issue …”I’m gonna kick your frakking metal arse for that you damn toaster!
Promises Promises :p
I credited you for your lovely contribution didn’t I, what more do you want???? 😉
“…what more do you want???”
Since you are asking, the full Blu-ray box set of BSG please. All this talk has made me want to watch if from the start again.
I had to go and listen to this for some reminiscing (and because it rocks) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixdp35Zpy7s (Ermmm … does posting that link count as fair use or are Universal gonna be mad at me?! 😀 )
Oh yes – I also want a cheese sandwich.
Ta!
You come to my blog, abuse me, post questionable links, demand gifts and cheese??? Woman behave yourself, I have a reputation to uphold.
Although the cheese sarnie has potential!
Good music on that link!
Ciaran, you don’t address though how roleplay will survive, for those who follow the rules, when nobody can legitimately create BSG content in Second Life to use in said roleplay. I’ve never been a fan of Battle Star Galactica nor seen BSG roleplay in SL but I can imagine that BSG outfits and gear are recognizable enough to be seen as copyrighted work rather than generic outfits.
That’s going to be interesting to see how it pans out Gordon, at this moment in time the reply is a little ambiguous, is it an AND gate or an OR gate. If they mean content cannot be created AND sold, then it suggests uniforms will be ok for roleplay as long as they’re free.
If it means nothing can be created, then all that’s getting the green light really is to use BSG in your sim description and group names, which would be a very diluted roleplay route.
Hopefully it’ll at least allow creation for personal use in roleplay. That would still limit people who can’t or won’t create their own BSG gear but the alternative is that only already created and owned gear would be (possibly) allowed, and even then that’s questionable.
It is a little vague I guess, but I’m assuming it means you can create for rolelpay use as long as you don’t sell.