Updated BrickMod to work with new KSP

[Roboto]

No, I'm afraid I don't work for LEGO, and I found this thread after finding a review on it on youtube. My advice still stands though. But, hey, don't trust me, do a search on google and see for yourself. I'm sure there are hundreds of listings of copyright lawsuits that would show one way or the other.

All the parts are referred to as Bricks and mod is named Brickmod. The only place I use the term LEGO is in describing what you can do with it. Pretty sure in the download there is also a readme that states that it should be considered fan art.

http://boingboing.net/2005/11/17/judge-to-lego-your-p.html

[Hammer Tech]

This is absolutely the coolest KSP mod I have ever seen. I won't be getting it myself, as it doesn't fit my aesthetic and I don't have the RAM to spare, but I just wanted to express how absolutely awesome I think this is.

[Wahgineer]

Even though it is based off of Lego bricks, there wouldn't be any legal problems. Why? Because he isn't charging people to get his mod. As long as he doesn't charge any money and doesn't claim Lego as his own, he's find.

[NathanKell]

It's not like LDraw ever got sued, AFAIK.

[Scramble]

Even though it is based off of Lego bricks, there wouldn't be any legal problems. Why? Because he isn't charging people to get his mod. As long as he doesn't charge any money and doesn't claim Lego as his own, he's find.

IANAL and I don't know whether there would be a legal problem with this mod. What I do know is that for copyrighted or otherwise legally protected (e.g. patented) work, there is no universal right to distribute infringing works just because you're doing it for free and avoiding use of trademark names. It does not matter what alternative name you stick on the product or whether you are charging for it. You see this discussion all the time with open source software. It is important not to confuse the fact that you personally would like it to be something which can be freely distributed, with the objective fact whether it is actually something which according to law can be legally distributed or used without permission from rights holders.

I would be careful with this one; releasing this type of mod is IMHO not worth taking any personal risk. Also I am guessing that you would not get permission to do this by asking Lego. Why? Because Lego has nothing to gain from saying yes, and there is no incentive for the receiving person to say yes. Actually, saying yes could get you fired if some managers later find the mod to be a problem - "who is the idiot who approved this". It's just corporate politics, nothing personal. So in order to do this, you should plan on doing it without "permission", because you know you are not violating any legal rights (globally - there may be different rights held in different countries/regions depending on how the company has used legal protection and differences in copyright law), and you are not afraid of getting a phone call from Lego.

Also, one question I would ask myself, is whether using a Lego-style logo (which nobody would think is not intentional) to market a Lego-like product, is a good idea.

[Hammer Tech]

IANAL and I don't know whether there would be a legal problem with this mod. What I do know is that for copyrighted or otherwise legally protected (e.g. patented) work, there is no universal right to distribute infringing works just because you're doing it for free and avoiding use of trademark names. It does not matter what alternative name you stick on the product or whether you are charging for it. You see this discussion all the time with open source software. It is important not to confuse the fact that you personally would like it to be something which can be freely distributed, with the objective fact whether it is actually something which according to law can be legally distributed or used without permission from rights holders.

I would be careful with this one; releasing this type of mod is IMHO not worth taking any personal risk. Also I am guessing that you would not get permission to do this by asking Lego. Why? Because Lego has nothing to gain from saying yes, and there is no incentive for the receiving person to say yes. Actually, saying yes could get you fired if some managers later find the mod to be a problem - "who is the idiot who approved this". It's just corporate politics, nothing personal. So in order to do this, you should plan on doing it without "permission", because you know you are not violating any legal rights (globally - there may be different rights held in different countries/regions depending on how the company has used legal protection and differences in copyright law), and you are not afraid of getting a phone call from Lego.

Also, one question I would ask myself, is whether using a Lego-style logo (which nobody would think is not intentional) to market a Lego-like product, is a good idea.

This. If, some time down the line, you get a message from Lego then you can worry about permissions, but for now I reckon it'll be okay.

[spiritplumber]

Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship!

[Roboto]

Spaceship! Spaceship! ........

My thoughts exactly!

[CaptainKipard]

Let me just add that the patent on Lego ran out a long time ago, which is why we have Megablocks now.

[GavinZac]

Even though it is based off of Lego bricks, there wouldn't be any legal problems. Why? Because he isn't charging people to get his mod. As long as he doesn't charge any money and doesn't claim Lego as his own, he's find.

You have no idea what you're talking about. If I gave away truckloads of plastic bricks for free and called them LEGO, do you think that'd be fine with LEGO?

Let me just add that the patent on Lego ran out a long time ago, which is why we have Megablocks now.

Patent yes. Copyright, no. Note that Megablocks did not make a LEGO movie. nor LEGO computer games. The brand is protected. I'm sure no-one really cares, but yes, calling this LEGO BrickMod would be an infringement on trademark. Calling it "interconnecting plastic construction brick oy mod" wouldn't.

Edited March 24, 2014 by GavinZac

[Sinner_D]

youve gotta be kidding me, not gonna DL just yet(like my KSP realistic-ish) but omg WOW! kudos, looks amazingly like a childhood building block company's pieces in space. (hrmm i think they make toaster ready waffles too. lol)

Legally speaking, the closest thing you have to "copyright infringement" (given that your ingame parts have been scrubbed of all block company's trademark logos) your only major worry should be your "brickmod" logo, which is borderline at best. Go to any toysRus these days and Lego is not the soul owner of tiny blocks that can attach to each other and be used to construct things. Given you make no mention or attempt to utilize said companys logo/brand name anywhere ingame or on any distribution methods you partake, id say your pretty in the clear here. Needless to say its not 100% guarantied they wont come after you, however I'm pretty certain you have nothing to worry about if you follow above mentionings.

GL and Great work!

[AtomicTech]

Work has already begun to get this mod working in KSP 1.12.x!

 

[linuxgurugamer]

1 hour ago, AtomicTech said:

Work has already begun to get this mod working in KSP 1.12.x!

 

One of the greatest necroposts ever