Game Copyright Issues With Releasing Little Indie Trek Games for Free

[angry apple panda]

I'm casually working on a MUD-like textual role-playing game based in the Star Trek universe. It begins when you choose one of 26 different species for your character (I chose several from TMP, as well as all the classic races), and then you are deposited on Deep Space 9 just after the Dominion War has ended. From there, you can explore the station and then book passage to other planets, or eventually get a starship of your own, or go to Starfleet Academy and become an officer, or become a mercenary, or do trading runs, or whatever you want really.

It sounds more complex than it actually is, and there will be a limited number of places to explore, but it's one of those things I'm just filling out in my free time, and time will tell if I actually finish it or if it will be fun to play. It's a hobby, not a job.

That said, this is my question: How do I release it when it's done?

Does it somehow count as a Fan Production? Is there any way to release it for free without running into copyright issues? I know there are tons of silly little Trek games online, some historic in the context of early computer gaming that lack official licenses. There's also games that are specifically not Star Trek, but have options to use Star Trek nouns and verbs, like Prospector. Does that dodge copyright issues? I know, it's a gray area. I hate gray areas!

 

[angry apple panda]

I mean, I hardly feel like a free game that looks like this would attract attention, right?

 

[BillJ]

I would tend to think you'd be safe. But I'm no lawyer. There is a free game called 'NCC-1701' floating around and I don't think they've been pestered by CBS/Paramount or any of the license holders.

 

[angry apple panda]

Right. I hardly think a weird text game in 2016 would be in danger of threatening intellectual property and causing brand confusion. Still, you know, never hurts to be cautious.

 

[USS Triumphant]

When you're done with this, let us know! I used to love door games and such. I'd like to try it.

 

[angry apple panda]

I'll definitely post about it when I have something of substance.

Other screenshots:

The information and background of the various species I cobbled together from various sources, and on a couple of them I tried to ad-lib something logical when there literally wasn't any info on Memory Alpha or Beta. Apparently Worene from TMP is an Aulacri, but that's it for backstory, so I made up from scratch how they were a race of tree dwelling wolf-humanoids.

Each race has aptitudes (special advantages and abilities that grant bonuses) as well as inaptitudes (the opposite) as well as starting stats and equipment. Each race has a PSI rating which basically works as a measure of psionic stamina. Those who have more telepathic abilities have more PSI, and you use PSI when using your abilities. Races with no telepathic ability still have PSI, and this can be drained by psionic attacks, and you run into issues when it gets low due to neural trauma.

The idea is that you're a bit lost when you end up on DS9; you are young and wanted adventure and couldn't wait to get off your homeworld and hopped the first freighter you could find. So, from DS9, you can take many paths and join specific factions (Starfleet, among others), and we'll see how much world I can build before I turn red and fall over from exhaustion. DS9 is my focus right now, and I want to make it as thorough as possible, so I'm studying the maps right now. There will be a lot you can do on DS9, from buying trinkets or drinks at Quark's, to wandering the cargo areas and running into some Yridian or Nausicaan criminals (who maybe abduct you if you aren't careful), to doing errands for the Bajorans. I wanted originally to set the game just after the peace treaty is signed at the end of the show, but I might make it more towards the beginning of the show, since the galaxy seemed a bit more dangerous around then. I haven't committed yet to either idea.