Metroid fan games and the future...?

[Zero Dozer]

I was watching a thread on the Metroid Database forums for fan-made upgrades for Samus' suit and for some reason I caught myself thinking here. With all that AM2R mess, DoctorM64 retiring from fan game making along with his team and all, and Nintendo's witch-hunt, I am left wondering.

First, is the Metroid fan gaming scene as big as the ROM hacking scene is? Regardless, will there be a future for this, or people will be intimidated by those events and jump ship?

I'm not making this thread to jab Nintendo on their recent actions, but rather to discuss the future for fan gaming community after this entire mess. Metroid has quite the potential in the hands of a creative mind, but our greatest minds are gone now, Doc included. So, my question right now seems to be: "What now? Can the fan gaming community persevere through this?"

I made it to the 15th post, it seems.

[thedopefish]

One need only look at the sheer volume of fan or indie games out there that brand themselves as "Metroidvania" (some accurately, others not so much) to realize that this scene is as strong as it has ever been.

If you're worried specifically about fan games that feature Samus as a playable character and have assets that look very similar to the ones in official Metroid games, then yes, those are in jeopardy.  But then they've always been.

[Quietus]

It seems like a mountain being made out of a mole hill. One game gets shut down, and you're making it sound like the world is going to implode. Yes, it's a shame that AM2R was shut down, but a month from now, AM2R will be mostly forgotten, and nothing will have changed - one way or the other.

[-DC-]

The way I see it is that it'll end up pretty much the same way as the Chrono Trigger fan game that was being worked on and shut down.

What would help is if they just changed the game name and slightly changed the character appearances and names, then it would classify as a parody or similar work. Then they couldn't touch it unless they felt like spending hundreds of thousands to gain absolutely nothing. Pretty sure they wouldn't try to come after it if the name and character name alone were changed, item names n stuff are far more general and too broad to have much of a case to file a lawsuit for. They aren't trademarked, either, like the name Metroid or Samus Aran.

[Zero Dozer]

It seems like a mountain being made out of a mole hill. One game gets shut down, and you're making it sound like the world is going to implode.

Actually it was some 565 games on the span of a month, all by Nintendo. (Okay, the Game Jolt case is a problem since they monetized with ads.)

I don't think that AM2R will be forgotten. And I may be a newbie when it comes to the fan gaming community, but doesn't that witch hunt change a lot of things on the scenery? Nintendo's legal team has put quite the big act following AM2R's takedown.

@-DC-: No Mario's Sky could disagree with you on the parody part, as it was also taken down by Nintendo. The game's makers changed it to DMCA's Sky though, but it has left a bad, sour mark on them.

[-DC-]

@-DC-: No Mario's Sky could disagree with you on the parody part, as it was also taken down by Nintendo. The game's makers changed it to DMCA's Sky though, but it has left a bad, sour mark on them.

You kinda answered your own reply there, it literally has Mario's name in the title, which is the highest trademarked property of Nintendo besides Nintendo's own name.

[Quietus]

Actually it was some 565 games on the span of a month, all by Nintendo.

But the majority of your grumble was brought about by AM2R. My point is that nothing will change: People who want to create a game using Metroid material, knowing full well that they may be taken down, will continue to do so, much as before. Those who want to avoid it can clearly create 'Metroidvanias', as dozens of other games have proved, and Nintendo can't do anything about it.

[Zero Dozer]

But the majority of your grumble was brought about by AM2R. My point is that nothing will change: People who want to create a game using Metroid material, knowing full well that they may be taken down, will continue to do so, much as before. Those who want to avoid it can clearly create 'Metroidvanias', as dozens of other games have proved, and Nintendo can't do anything about it.

I understand perfectly what you're saying. The song remains quite the same, Nintendo wanting it or not. Is that what you mean?

[Quietus]

Yup. There might be a lull while the initial impact takes effect, but it'll then be much as it always was.

[Zero One]

Yeah, fangames are definitely going to continue. It'd also be pretty easy to receive a DMCA, and then just remove all copyrighted content. Take Galaxy in Turmoil as an example. It started out as a Star Wars fangame to make a proper Battlefront III. LucasArts DMCA'd it because of contracts with EA. To their credit, LucasArt did try and get EA to approve it, but EA wasn't having it. So now, Galaxy in Turmoil is becoming a completely original, Battlefront-styled game, which takes place in its own, rich universe and has absolutely no connection to Star Wars at all.


The fundamentals of the game haven't changed one bit; it's simply just not a Star Wars fangame anymore.


Also, it makes sense that Doc would quit fangames for multiple reasons, a big one being: it's a major timesink, for no money. Given that he is now employed as a professional programmer, there's probably no way a fangame could ever again be a priority.

[RT-55J]

Nintendo seeking to hire an "Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator."

[personitis]

Maintains databases used to track, report and analyze data in support of Internet enforcement activities and the seizure of unauthorized products

It's been a good run guys! /uncertainsarcasm

Somewhat curious if they'll attempt to do something about all the ROM hacking scenes aside from trying to cut ROM hosting sites.

[Zero Dozer]

Nintendo seeking to hire an "Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator."

Nintendo is really trying to flash-fry their reputation on an oil cooker, aren't they?

[Dark-SA-X]

Maintains databases used to track, report and analyze data in support of Internet enforcement activities and the seizure of unauthorized products

It's been a good run guys! /uncertainsarcasm

Somewhat curious if they'll attempt to do something about all the ROM hacking scenes aside from trying to cut ROM hosting sites.

Its a sure fire bet they will do something, if they don't already have plans going on now.
For rom hackers and rom flasher makers it'll hit us real soon probably by the end of year or starting in 2017.
http://skirmishfrogs.com/2016/03/19/nintendo-tells-website-to-remove-2200-roms-including-hacks/
If anything nintento would aim at "EP" website first to get the message across real fast and yes there quite of number rom hacks on it with their game IP games.

[Zero Dozer]

So it means Nintendo's aiming at EVERYONE.

If this news are true, it'll throw the RHDN community at a panic.

[Dark-SA-X]

No if your active rom hacker, if you pirate games for sale, or flash games onto carts for sale...
They will be the ones they look at first before sending out a dcma.
The normal gamers don't have anything to worry about.

[Zero Dozer]

No if your active rom hacker, if you pirate games for sale, or flash games onto carts for sale...
They will be the ones they look at first before sending out a dcma.
The normal gamers don't have anything to worry about.

I'm worried as fuck for the ROM hacking community with those news. As for the piracy side, arr, matey, I download a lot around and I even share some things on 4shared, but I'd rather not even dream of trying to profit on this, it feels like stealing to me.

[personitis]

I wouldn't be all that worried with ROM hacking until something happens to be honest. If there's something to be worried about (should anything happen), it's how they'll be able to do something about it. Again, we don't directly distribute their games or resources, but they'd also be the ones with the lawyers... Not to mention it's really easy to take down or remove something when it's centralized, but when it gets beyond that, the process gets more complicated.

[Zero Dozer]

I wouldn't be all that worried with ROM hacking until something happens to be honest. If there's something to be worried about (should anything happen), it's how they'll be able to do something about it. Again, we don't directly distribute their games or resources, but they'd also be the ones with the lawyers... Not to mention it's really easy to take down or remove something when it's centralized, but when it gets beyond that, the process gets more complicated.

That much is the purest truth, and torrents are the living proof to that.

[crazyal02]

Nintendo seeking to hire an "Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator."

Nintendo is really trying to flash-fry their reputation on an oil cooker, aren't they?

On the other hand, this listing's existence implies that they fired the old one  :heheh:

[Zero Dozer]

On the other hand, this listing's existence implies that they fired the old one  :heheh:

Doesn't seem much better when they fire a trigger-happy asshole to hire another that can be worse.

[Steel Sparkle]

Would be a real kick in the pants if they ever targeted ROM hacking sites like this one. Im not too worried but i have my eye's peeled just in case.

[Quietus]

It feels a bit counterproductive, almost like they're shooting themselves in the foot. Nintendo fans are waiting for the next great game in various franchises, and they seem uninterested in producing one, and it's the fans' love of the games that keeps them fresh and in people's minds. Shutting everything down almost feels like if they don't then release a good game in a series, the series will die completely.

[Dark-SA-X]

Shutting everything down almost feels like if they don't then release a good game in a series, the series will die completely.

This is why fan gamers eventually made acmlm, rhdn, smwc, metroidconstruction and zeldix.
Because  shigeru miyamoto won't make any series progress into the future "metroid fusion" the hackers will do it.
Whether hackers or fan gamers get shot down, more will pop up to make a point about the series and progress it.

[PonchGaming]

Because shigeru miyamoto won't make any series progress into the future "metroid fusion" the hackers will do it.
Whether hackers or fan gamers get shot down, more will pop up to make a point about the series and progress it.

What? That doesn't make sense. Miyamoto doesn't make games anymore. Well, at least not a lot of them. All he does is green light things and stuff.