Ghostbusters without paying for rights to IP?

[ZekThePenguin]

Y'know, when a game/movie is OBVIOUSLY ripping off something and there really is only the slightest attempt to be original, I'm not really interested.

[Bumblings]

Originally posted by ZekThePenguin:

Y'know, when a game/movie is OBVIOUSLY ripping off something and there really is only the slightest attempt to be original, I'm not really interested.

the game is inspired by the original commodore 64 game from D. Crane yes indeed. As well as from some other games. but there is enough originality to this game that makes it not just a rip-off. Is it just the setting (ghosts) you are talking about, or what makes you think that way? take time, try the demo and tell us what you think afterwards. Just blaming without examples does not give us the opportunity to discuss things.

looking forward for a more detailed comment and the demo might turn your opinion.

there you can download GCI with the first 5 missions as Demo
http://www.application-systems.co.uk/ghostcontrolinc/downloads.html


thanks,
Roman
GhostControl Inc. - Community-team

[ZekThePenguin]

Mainly it is the setting. You have people in jumpsuits being called to capture ghosts (kinda like pest-control), they use backpack gun things.. Even the lightning-looking effect when the ghost is defeated is similar the effect seen in Ghostbusters. I mean, I don't know if it is a tongue-in-cheek satire of Busters, kinda like Luigi's Mansion, but it seems too close to the inspiring material to me.

[Bumblings]

the game has of course a humoristic perspective on some things, but in my opinion it´s not like a copy of any ghost hunting games i know. and if you play some time, you´ll definitely find things that aren´t like ordinary "ghostbusters" would do. give it a chance and try the demo..

thanks Roman

[Mistermistoffoless]

I'm actually with the original poster on this one. Way too close to that other ghost controlling IP, so much so that I found it way too off putting. And this is coming from a guy who loves him some turn based gaming.

Not to mention even at 50% off $7.50 is a hard sale for something that seems to blatantly plagerize a very well known source (even the name isn't far off).

[Insanity Claus]

Why should they pay for the rights to the Ghostbusters IP? Do you have any idea how expensive that is? Besides, Ghostbusters doesn't own the rights to ghostbusting. Movies, TV shows, comics, and books about ghost exterminators have been around for a long time.

Yes, this is an obvious homage to Ghostbusters, but I think it says a lot about how underutilized the genre of ghost extermination is that the only thing a lot of people can think of is Ghostbusters, which came out in the mid-80's. (fun fact: Ghostbusters paid Filmation to license the name after it was discovered that there was a 1970's TV show called The Ghost Busters)

[Feesh]

Well, I guess you could pick up a console from the 80's to play an official Ghostbusters strategy game instead. Perhaps a Commodore 64. It's not like this specifially rips off another game, and the old Ghostbusters titles were pretty poor, to be honest.

[Jeff Kaos]

Hey, do you remeber the Ghostbuster's cartoon in the 80's? Remember how they called it "The Real" Ghostbusters? Do you know why they had to put "The Real" in the title? Because after the success of the movie another cartoon came out called The Ghost Busters. It had a gorilla and a flying car and was completely wierd. Want to know something ironic? That cartoon with the gorilla was actually based on a live action kids show from the 70's and it could be argued that they were, in fact the, "Real" Ghostbusters. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ghost_Busters. Everybody rips everybody else off. But most of the time the ones who make the most $cratch are the ones who become known as "The Real" deal.

[Lumpeh]

The Mastersystem got the best version of the official game IMHO :) used to play it alot on the Spectrum (sega too expensive) but so hard to complete and the replay codes never ever worked.

[Habadacus]

Originally posted by Jeff Kaos:

Hey, do you remeber the Ghostbuster's cartoon in the 80's? Remember how they called it "The Real" Ghostbusters? Do you know why they had to put "The Real" in the title? Because after the success of the movie another cartoon came out called The Ghost Busters. It had a gorilla and a flying car and was completely wierd. Want to know something ironic? That cartoon with the gorilla was actually based on a live action kids show from the 70's and it could be argued that they were, in fact the, "Real" Ghostbusters. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ghost_Busters. Everybody rips everybody else off. But most of the time the ones who make the most $cratch are the ones who become known as "The Real" deal.

Mind. Blown.

[Mario, Lawyer in Black]

I don't rememver the part where they used vacuum cleaners in the Ghostbuster films? Or where any of them went insane? Or used a red VW Bug? Or battled with a liche? Look, I'm a believer in IP rights. Huge. Huuuuuuge. Dear friends are IP lawyers. I almost went that way myself.

Is this confusingly similar to the Ghostbuster IP? No. Not unless you're absolutely !%#%#ing stupid.

Is it inspired parody? Yes. Wonderful. And in America, probably within the ambit of the 1A.

Why not get upset for the use of the VW Bug instead of comparisons to a film? Does it feature music from the films? Characters? Images? Storylines? Text? Anything beyond some vaguely similar nifty ideas? Just because McDonalds made the chicken McNugget doesn't mean only McDonalds can make chicken nuggets.

There are laws for this kind of thing. You could read them. Or go to law school. My bottom line? This thread is about as foolish as banning Tropico 5 in Thailand because it may resemble the military junta there.


/Eod.

[Tassilo]

I love Ghostbusters. And I'd have loved to do a Ghostbusters game out of this. Then I got into contact with David Crane. Know what he told me? Go without a license and be happy about it. You've got freedom to do whatever you want. Get a license and you lose that freedom.
By the way: I just met Dan Aykroyd and he loved the idea of GhostControl Inc. He's taken a copy of the game home - I didn't hear any feedback so far though.

[Mario, Lawyer in Black]

That's a pretty awesome story.

[Twelvefield]

Dan Aykroyd: Great Canadian. Wonderful man. Talented actor. Mediocre football team. Lousy vodka. Cool bottle, though.

[Dorok]

Originally posted by Bumblings:

there you can download GCI with the first 5 missions as Demo
http://www.application-systems.co.uk/ghostcontrolinc/downloads.html

Thank you, I didn't knew there was a demo, downloading the Mac demo right now.

[Bumblings]

Great, thats the way it should be...

hope you like our game :D

Roman
GhostControl Inc. - Community Team