Question How much time has been spent into researching if this is legal?

[MarkPlankwalker]

I was previously on a sideline of this issue and while I'm no legal eagle, my understanding is that Panda3D, the game engine used to create POTCO, is open source, available to all. This was true even when POTCO was active. And it was buggy as heck, and full of memory leaks even then. Currently Panda3D is hosted by Carnegie Mellon University, for free use to anyone and everyone. Disney's stance, beginning with Toontown, was that as long as any effort to remake a closed Disney game was not-for-profit, they would not interfere. Since they no longer hold the game engine in-house, there is almost no chance that they will come after this game, even when the new movie is released. They really can't. The game engine, and all associated files, are out there, in the ether, for the world.

They chose to put their corporate video game eggs into the Disney Infinity basket, which also didn't pan out.

One might be tempted to observe that the mouse doesn't seem to understand the video game biz. One might also not wish to enrage said rodent with such talk.

i also seriously doubt that anything would happen, but to say they can't is very wrong as the game incorporates their characters and ideas.

 

[Marc Daggerhound]

So, basically, there's always a chance that throughout this game's development, it will get shut down. Not that it's likely, but it can easily happen if Disney really cares to do something about it.

 

[Shamus The Brute]

It isn't legal. It is clearly against the Disney terms of use, they are using copyrighted and trademarked assets from Disney, and Disney has never given out permission nor would they to be honest. This is a case of abandonware:

There exist many many cases of abandonware across the internet: from old games no longer distributed, to very important programs needed for a specific purposes. I myself have used plenty of abadonware. It is useful, but ultimately illegal. One problem that could arise, that normally doesn't arise for other abadonware, is that the IP that POTCO is based on is in fact clearly still in use, and will continue to be for a long time.

Only time will tell on whether or not Disney will take action. But if they do decide to, know that it is in their legal right to defend their copyright, and they do nothing wrong by defending that. The TLOPO team is very respectful to Disney and their assets so I do not see it as an issue. However you really never can tell.

You're calling POTCO's source-code exactly what it is; abandonware. And also, you're right that OUR circumstance is unique (I would go so far as even calling it 'unprecedented') because it's IP or intellectual property is considered "active" all because of other things which involve the POTC brand. I can think of only the Star Wars IP property pertinent to the gaming remake @Davy Gunfish has both experienced and played which likely only comes close to OUR own circumstance. Other than that to which I am aware, most abandonware games do not have to deal nor worry with the same concerns TLOPO or other POTCO remakes face (not really even TTO remakes as they don't have a TTO movie coming out, now do they). *What's worse, there remains a lot of grey areas in how abandonware should be handled by a Company unwilling to let it go. Regardless, one has to only look so far as a game's terms of use to understand the implications.

*I wish things weren't so confusing because it really only compounds the problem as a whole to where you have a guy like me telling people to beware when all I really want to say to you is..."enjoy."

If anything I think they would be ecstatic about this reboot, they didn't really care about the original game, so this free publicity is probably a good thing for them, as it is no extra cost.

The original developers/those supporting POTCO up to the point before massive layoffs occurred did care about the game. It was not their fault that Disney decided to ditch such an effort (among 2 popular others) all for the sake of a "trend" which, btw, has proven to be more of a challenge to Disney than huge pay-off - I would argue.

Your last point holds merit. Here's something for everyone to remember; Disney values CODING. *Most importantly, it values CODING done by youth trying to learn coding/high tech. interests and...in OUR case...if you're going to toss that leverage to the wayside you're going to likely miss out on an incredible opportunity to explain to Disney how much a project like TLOPO aligns with that same belief, with what TLOPO is doing.

 

[Shamus The Brute]

So, basically, there's always a chance that throughout this game's development, it will get shut down. Not that it's likely, but it can easily happen if Disney really cares to do something about it.

TLOPO has been very kind and transparent to admit this. They always have. Also, we shouldn't live in fear of the worst but we should also keep options open. That's the argument I am most saying, today.

Also, I didn't mean to flame @TheGleamings nor @Josh Kenway earlier. Both of them (I believe) have apologized publicly and I only wanted to mention their names because a response to clarify things from them would mean more to everyone than coming from myself. In the end, we all make mistakes and when someone apologizes...that accounts for a lot.

 

[redscarelett]

After reading this conversation. I politely request, the next Meet & Greet Event. We pass the Captain Jack's Bottle of Rum. Enjoy the plundering and the next chest to be discovered.
Brisk winds and flat seas to all.

 

[ukebec]

Can you (or anyone) show me/prove to me where Disney has said this? If you (or anyone else) cannot, in the end it's only a rumor or an "assumption" being made.

No sir, I can't. I only purchased a laptop 3 months ago to replace my old computer which crashed almost 4 years ago. I believe I had saved a copy of the letter excerpt I saw at the time, but, as I said that was some time back and I have no access to it any longer. Without anything but my memory to offer, I retract my statement.

 

[Shamus The Brute]

No sir, I can't. I only purchased a laptop 3 months ago to replace my old computer which crashed almost 4 years ago. I believe I had saved a copy of the letter excerpt I saw at the time, but, as I said that was some time back and I have no access to it any longer. Without anything but my memory to offer, I retract my statement.

No worries. Also, I hope I didn't sound too gruff with the way in which I had asked you the question. It's just...so many things get flying around out there and it's difficult to understand where people are hearing these things if they don't bother to show some small proof.

As mentioned earlier, if what you did see dealt with Rewritten that claim has already been corrected. Kudos goes to @Tom O'fury for trying to correct this past misunderstanding across the internet.

 

[Melly]

If looking most at concerns which could/could not end things for all pirates of POTCO, how could you not take that seriously?

I can agree with this. I was more replying to the thought that one shouldn't play, or refer to friends, on the chance that this may go poof at some future time. I don't think the possibility of future problems should prevent anyone from enjoying playing now.

 

[Shamus The Brute]

I can agree with this. I was more replying to the thought that one shouldn't play, or refer to friends, on the chance that this may go poof at some future time. I don't think the possibility of future problems should prevent anyone from enjoying playing now.

Maybe you're right. Pondering on this, I can only answer in the sense from the perspective of myself (because there is no real way to 'tell' how others perceive not playing, unless a friend or two have explained it to us). All I really can share is...I've got a lot of baggage and most of it has to do with specific things going back to POTCO.

Perhaps it's just the kind of day I've had (or idk) but, I'm really in a melancholy mood at this point-in-time. As such, below remain the key reasons why I think I've delayed playing until certain (specific) things occur:

• After a (special) in-game event held prior to the end of POTCO's time organizers and myself were deliberately threatened by someone representing "the python group" whom took offense to the way unethical activities were thrust into the spotlight. (Mostly, the event itself was held to bring players in the community 'together' instead of further apart)
• I feel I have an obligation as an adult to set an example for younger people whom, despite their enjoyment, remain in violation of a thing
• I feel Disney is a mess and I feel they should be held accountable for not only the "way" they go about approaching things but also, the "way" they expect to hold something over people but yet refuse to enlighten people of why there remains a double-standard. It's more or less like walking on egg-shells to where they enjoy the empowerment of pouncing on people at any given point-in-time perhaps in response to the kind of mood their having. (If ye think about it, Disney is the one at fault for causing a rift between people because in truth, everyone has a conscience)