Including Colossus

[Hans de Goede]

Bruno Wolff III wrote:
> Colossus is a game written in java that didn't work using gcj, but does
> appear to work with icedtea. (Though I haven't done very extensive testing
> yet.) The program is GPL 2 licensed.
> The game is based on the classic Avalon Hill game Titan that is in the process
> of being reprinted by Valley Games.
> 
> The name change should avoid the main potential trademark issue, but Valley
> Games might still threaten to sue even if they don't have a good case.
> Some of the artwork is clearly too similar to the original artwork to use.
> (In particular on legion markers, but at least some alternate colors are
> provided with artwork that wasn't in the original game.)
> (Valley Games is redoing the artwork, but the original creators would still
> hold copyright on it.)
> Also the board design has potential copyright issues as well. The masterboard
> is fairly unique and the interconnections of the various terrain types may
> be copyrightable even if the artwork isn't the same as the original board.
> Also each of the battle boards also has terrain where the actual locations
> of particular terrain types might be copyrightable even if the artwork is
> different.
> The data for the maps can be changed and does include some variants, so it
> might be possible to ship the game with only some varient data and let
> people grab the "standard" maps from sourceforge.
> 
> I would be willing to try to package the game. (I've done the CLA
> but haven't packaged anything yet and don't have experience writing spec
> files from scratch, though I have mnade minor modifications to existing
> ones.)
> 

Sounds interesting and sounds like you've done your homework, so I say go for it.

Regards,

Hans