Vic George 2K3 Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Just wondering why two of the rotating doors near the center of the screen on the left and right sides are just half-doors and not full doors like the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+johnnywc Posted January 23, 2006 Author Share Posted January 23, 2006 Just wondering why two of the rotating doors near the center of the screen on the left and right sides are just half-doors and not full doors like the rest. 1005225[/snapback] Still working on that. Not to be too technical, but that door crosses PF1 and PF2 so it's an odd ball. Good catch! Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic George 2K3 Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 My version of the Ladybug game label, close to how it would appear in the Atari late 1980s re-release style: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Helmet Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 My take on the label. As you can see, it's a coleco style label, but using their boxes as a template...I also took the coleco name off of the label, since it's not related to Coleco in any way...I made a similar label for my copy of Looping, which is in a spare 2600 coleco case I had lying around...looks pretty cool... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brpocock Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 My take on the label. As you can see, it's a coleco style label, but using their boxes as a template...I also took the coleco name off of the label, since it's not related to Coleco in any way...I made a similar label for my copy of Looping, which is in a spare 2600 coleco case I had lying around...looks pretty cool... 1005317[/snapback] IANAL, but, showing the arcade cabinet probably passes as "confusingly similar" with regards to trademark law. (Implies that whoever holds the rights to the arcade franchise these days had in some way authorized this version.) Also, even though the name "Ladybug" is available, the cabinet design is copyrighted, not trademarked, ergo it won't expire for about 75 years (from now). And, Coleco is still a viable trademark, ergo, the owners could get nasty. Luckily, the 2600's gfx and sfx are poor enough to (unless someone is really really seriously angry) avoid violating the videogame copyright (which includes artwork and sound fx), but the copyright on the design of the packaging, including titles with unique fonts, arcade cabinets, manuals, and so forth, are all protected by copyright which generally lasts at least 100 years from the publication date. As far as using a similar graphic for the title as the arcade version, it's a coin toss between trademark (which often expires after a relatively short period) and copyright. If the owners claim that you directly photographically duplicated the artwork, it violates copyright. If, on the other hand, it's reproduced in a "similar" (but slightly different) way, even if it's intentionally similar, it comes down to a matter of "confusing" the potential buyer into thinking that the original owner (Coleco, &c.) are in some way related to the new product. Think about e.g. the various public domain stories that Disney makes movies from, e.g. The Hunchback of Notre Dame. When some little league art company makes their own direct-to-DVD version of the story, they may have some characters who look similar to the Disney versions, even have a similar title font, but they're careful that someone seeing their box wouldn't think it is the Disney version. The short of it is, sticking Ladybug on there in similar typeface is great, but the cabinet is potentially treading on dangerous grounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybergoth Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Hi there! The short of it is, sticking Ladybug on there in similar typeface is great, but the cabinet is potentially treading on dangerous grounds. That's what I thought. With the trademark expired, it will basically get away as "clone" with the same name I just wasn't sure if the logo would be part of the trademark or wether it'd be considered a copyrighted drawing, as a scan of it was included in the U.S. trademark database record, so thanks for clarifying that. Well, the original logo ain't particular spectacular anyway, so a new design may even look better! Greetings, Manuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+johnnywc Posted January 23, 2006 Author Share Posted January 23, 2006 My plan is to hopefully have a label contest. I like the retro Coleco "what could of been" label but it won't be used for obvious reasons. I'm sure the talented artists here will come up with something much better anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy2600 Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 My plan is to hopefully have a label contest. I like the retro Coleco "what could of been" label but it won't be used for obvious reasons. I'm sure the talented artists here will come up with something much better anyway... 1005372[/snapback] Well you have your own style of made up label for your game but for me Ill just use the Coleco one for my self needs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nathan Strum Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Well you have your own style of made up label for your game but for me Ill just use the Coleco one for my self needs You ought to enter the contest when it rolls around. You never know what will get picked by the programmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Well you have your own style of made up label for your game but for me Ill just use the Coleco one for my self needs You ought to enter the contest when it rolls around. You never know what will get picked by the programmer. 1005567[/snapback] I second that! Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PacManPlus Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 I third it! You do such awesome work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawgWyld Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Hot damn! Ladybug for the 2600? Can't wait... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zach Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 (edited) Wow. I had no idea Ladybug was so endeared. Having just looked at screenshots, I thought it was just another Pac-Man/Mousetrap/Lock 'n Chase variant. The reaction on this thread has encouraged me to take another look. Edited January 24, 2006 by Zach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NovaXpress Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 The "Lady Bug" trademark as indicated on the logo has been cancelled on September 13, 1989 already, so it should be safe to release a "Lady Bug" game for the VCS. How so? What happened to it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawgWyld Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Wow. I had no idea Ladybug was so endeared. Having just looked at screenshots, I dismissed it as another Pac-Man/Mousetrap/Lock 'n Chase variant. The reaction on this thread has encouraged me to take another look. 1006078[/snapback] Well, of course it was (ahem!) inspired by Pac-Man, but Ladybug is a top-notch maze game in its own right. You can "alter" the playfield like you can in Mousetrap, "freeze" enemies like you can in Lock n' Chase and gobble up dots like Pac-Man. I dunno -- Ladybug just combines elements of those games quite well. Great fun. Looking forward to the homebrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+johnnywc Posted January 24, 2006 Author Share Posted January 24, 2006 (edited) Wow. I had no idea Ladybug was so endeared. Having just looked at screenshots, I thought it was just another Pac-Man/Mousetrap/Lock 'n Chase variant. The reaction on this thread has encouraged me to take another look. 1006078[/snapback] IMO, the differences in Ladybug that make it more than just a variant of Pacman/Mousetrap/etc are: - the subgoals of spelling EXTRA and SPECIAL - the doors and ever changing maze. Unlike Mousetrap where a button has to be pressed, the thrill of "slamming the door" behind an insect that's hot on your tail is very rewarding - the timer and sounds of each insect entering the maze gets intense as the levels progress - it introduces you to some exotic vegetables (bamboo shoot, anybody?) Edited June 12, 2006 by johnnywc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moycon Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Hmmm I wonder how many Donkey Kong cart will be sacrificed once this game is released??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panamajoe Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Wow. I had no idea Ladybug was so endeared. Having just looked at screenshots, I thought it was just another Pac-Man/Mousetrap/Lock 'n Chase variant. The reaction on this thread has encouraged me to take another look. 1006078[/snapback] Lady Bug is imho way better than Pac Man or Mousetrap. For me it´s what classic arcade games are all about. It has a fast, intense and very polished gameplay. Compared to "Lady Bug" "Pac Man" is plain boring... can´t wait to see this game on the 2600! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NovaXpress Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Can I ask again how you guys know that the Ladybug trademark has expired? You're not assuming this just because it's an old game, are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybergoth Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Hi there! Sorry, I didn't see that this morning... The "Lady Bug" trademark as indicated on the logo has been cancelled on September 13, 1989 already, so it should be safe to release a "Lady Bug" game for the VCS.How so? What happened to it? ...but actually I don't get either of the questions. Which part of "The "Lady Bug" trademark ... has been cancelled on September 13, 1989" don't you understand? Can I ask again how you guys know that the Ladybug trademark has expired? You're not assuming this just because it's an old game, are you? Certainly not. I looked it up in the online database of the "United States Patent and Trademark Office" Greetings, Manuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercat Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Can I ask again how you guys know that the Ladybug trademark has expired? You're not assuming this just because it's an old game, are you? 1006748[/snapback] The US Patent and Trademark Office has a website where one can look up trademarks and find their status. I think it's www.uspto.gov Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NovaXpress Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 This is awesome info. Could you tell me how you searched for it? I came up empty. Is the original game program from Universal expired or home versions? Is it the logo only? Please help because I think I could eventually dig up some fascinating stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanJr Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 I like Vic George's label a lot. Nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybergoth Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 Hi there! This is awesome info. Could you tell me how you searched for it? I came up empty. Ok, here's how I find it: - Go there: http://www.uspto.gov/ - In the left frame, under the topic "Trademarks" klick "Search" - On the TESS page that has opened klick "New User Form Search (Basic)" - Enter "Lady Bug" as search term (It's two separate words BTW, not "Ladybug"!) - Klick the "Dead" radio button - Klick "Submit Query" - In the results I get, it's record #44, serial number 73344904 Hope that helps Greetings, Manuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NovaXpress Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 Cool, I just checked it out. Now check this out . . . All of the Universal trademarks show up as cancelled, including Mr. Do. We know full well that Mr. Do has been worked since 1991, so somebody is at least using the copyright. Look up "Missile Command" and you'll see that it has been cancelled too! At least the arcade version. Atari later re-activated the trademarks for home usage. Now, remember that a trademark is not the same as a copyright. The copyright for the gameplay (the art) of LadyBug has either passed into public domain or is being quietly and perhaps unknowingly owned by someone out there. If the trademark (the logo and identifying fonts) is indeed up for grabs, that doesn't necessarily mean that the game is. I hope it's all good, but I don't think that we have all the answers yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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