Star Wars FPS Mod Gets LucasArts Permission
Thanks to UT2003Troopers.com for the news that their Unreal Tournament 2003 'Troopers' Star Wars-themed mod has been officially approved by LucasArts. This extremely rare step means the previously unlicensed mod is free to enter the Make Something Unreal competition without restriction, and the announcement continues: "The agreement made with LucasArts (after a long period of VERY friendly negotiations) also allows the Troopers Development Team to implement Star Wars assets and content directly from the movies and games. This means that, with the exception of the Star Wars music (which LucasArts doesn't own the rights to, and so therefore could not give us the rights to use), we can use anything we want."
If Lucas & co still wanting to see campfire outside theaters weeks before the release of Episode III why should they frustrate fans who like SW so much that they spend theirs free time developping stuffs that will surely help keeping the hype about Starwars alive?
Pushing the fans give away theirs fanatism is the best (possibly the only) way to turn a cult movie back to the "just movie" status.
So what it comes down to, is one particular team now is Lucas Arts 'pet team' and will be able to mow down the competition and win the prize. Nobody else will be able to compete on the same level, as Lucas Arts will be on them in a second if they do.
Hmmm, it does sound like there must have been 'very friendly negotigations.' I hope everybody played safe so there's no chance of an STD.
A Good Intro to NetBS
While I, as a mere gamesplayer, think this is a definite Good Thing, I just dread to think what the lawyers at Activision, who have already sued Paramount for diluting the Star Trek license, think - they publish the Jedi Knight games, don't they?
Who would splash down real cash for the frankly poor Jedi Outcast when there are better-looking mods for free?
"I Know You Are But What Am I?"