Original TTD midi files recorded with high quality soundfont

[Misda]

Has anyone tried this before?

I played the original "midi"-files with Winamp and the SGMV2_01 SoundFont (which is loaded into the first midi bank of my X-Fi) and recorded the output to "wav"-files. Then I converted it to mp3 and edited the mp3 tags with the real title names.

The result: High quality jazz music - it is really interesting how good the "midi"-files sounds with an excellent soundfont.

Is it legal to upload all files for you or can this be a copyright problem?

[planetmaker]

Is it legal to upload all files for you or can this be a copyright problem?

Posting copyright protected material which you have no license for distribution is illegal. Nearly everywhere on the world. How do you think this would differ from you posting the mp3 of the current no1 chart of your country?

[Core Xii]

Yet it was sanctioned here.

[orudge]

There are some high quality versions on my site. Are yours any better? I wouldn't advocate posting your MP3s in the OpenTTD section though, since that's somewhat off-topic. I've moved this to the Transport Tycoon Deluxe forum.

[michael blunck]

[copyrighted music distributed by tt-forums.net]

Yet it was sanctioned here.

No, it was not. Please read that thread again. It was just Born Acorn (a moderator of this forums!) who tried to sanction it.

As a derivative work (resampling) it is clearly an infringement of the original copyright. And it´s also illegal to keep it here for further distribution. The runners of this forums are obliged to remove it.

regards
Michael

[orudge]

As a derivative work (resampling) it is clearly an infringement of the original copyright. And it´s also illegal to keep it here for further distribution. The runners of this forums are obliged to remove it.

Nevertheless, as Born Acorn pointed out in that old thread, we have historically distributed "modified" graphics and so on. While it may not technically be legal, we have not received any complaints about it so far. Should Chris Sawyer, his agency, Atari or whomever else may be responsible request its removal, then we shall of course comply. Otherwise, I don't see it's worth making a fuss over.

This is not to say that it would be legal to distribute it with, say, OpenTTD, of course (but then, that was never the question).

[michael blunck]

Nevertheless, as Born Acorn pointed out in that old thread, we have historically distributed "modified" graphics and so on. While it may not technically be legal, we have not received any complaints about it so far. Should Chris Sawyer, his agency, Atari or whomever else may be responsible request its removal, then we shall of course comply. Otherwise, I don't see it's worth making a fuss over.

Well, having acted wrong in the past doesn´t give a free ticket to act wrong all the time in the future. You should be happy that those times are gone.

And having not received any "complaints" on acting not legally doesn´t justify that wrong behaviour. In fact, you´re trying to turn facts upside down. Would it be OK for everybody taking your car, and you´d have to run around in town and "complain" to get it back? I doubt it. And in the same way you may not infringe legal copyright "as long as there are no complaints". Weird attitude.

Besides, Zernebok Hosting is a limited company registered in Scotland (company number SC355615), and it´d take me wonder if it´ll be in the company´s interest to allow tt-forums.net being a well-known place if it´s about copyright violation.

regards
Michael

[Dave]

What do you suggest Owen does then Michael?

Should he ruin everyone's fun, take away a huge community of players and push the game underground because we're using uncontested copyright?

Is it illegal? Or is it grounds for legal action? If it's the latter, the only way any action can be taken is if a complaint is actually lodged. At least that's how I understand the criminal/civil law divide in the UK. Scotland, with devolved judicial powers, may differ, of course.

[orudge]

Well, having acted wrong in the past doesn´t give a free ticket to act wrong all the time in the future.

Well, no, and we do have limits on what we allow on the forums (e.g., actually posting TTD itself or its main data files would not be allowed). But in the case of something like music, yes, it is copyrighted. Whoever actually owns that copyright could well request it be taken down, and we would happily comply, of course. I'm making nothing financially from having a user post a single track on the forums, though, and I honestly don't see what harm it is doing to anybody by having it up. (Is somebody really going to say, "well, I've heard all the TTD music now, so as a result, I'm not buy a copy of the actual game!", or something like that?)

Plus, while "abandonware" is of course not a valid legal concept, I'd argue it pretty much applies here. Once again, should people demand it be removed, or should a "Transport Tycoon Soundtrack - Special Edition" be released or something, then we will of course comply. Otherwise, I don't see that it's hurting anybody.

With regards to Zernebok, should Zernebok request (or receive a request) that the files be taken down, then as our web hosts we would of course comply.


Also, having just checked that previous thread - at no point in these particular topics has any music actually been uploaded to the forums themselves! Linking to something is not (yet) a crime...

[Born Acorn]

We aren't sharing the latest blockbuster games here.

I really don't think any of the rights holders would want to spend the cash to take any legal action. They'd ask. We'd remove. Problem solved.

But as this is a 17 year old game (which wasn't that popular), and isn't even being sold as new anymore, I seriously doubt that would happen.

[insulfrog]

I can see both sides of the legal argument here about doing remakes and remixes on the original TTD music(or anything for that matter).

There are many people out there which do remixes and remakes of computer game music and that has been going on and posted onto the internet for quite a while now (check out vgmusic.com and overclocked remix and see for yourself).

I agree you must ask permission from the composer first (if possible) because it's their original work. If you do make a remix or a remake, just make sure you give credit to the original composer.

If the original game(s) which do contain the music is classed as abandonware(like Transport Tycoon (Deluxe)), freeeware or at a similar status. Then the classic assumption is that the posting of remixed/remade music of that particular game should be fine as long as you give credit. But some may not so to be and could cause A LOT of trouble.

It might be worth checking out your own country's law on this as well as the license and other legal agreements before doing anything which may cause trouble so it is wise to be careful on what you do.

As Born Acorn and orudge says, if the original composer requested that the music files to be taken down, we must do so.

In my own personal view, I can't see too much of a problem because what I have seen on vgmusic.com (for midi files) and overclocked remix (for mp3 files) since they host remixed/remade music of games released upto 2003. It also should be fine to do remakes and remixes of transport tycoon (deluxe) music posted here as long as we give credit to the original composer. If the original composer does not want it up, the forum staff can take it off.

[michael blunck]

[...]
If the original game(s) which do contain the music is classed as abandonware(like Transport Tycoon (Deluxe)), [...]

Point is that TTDLX is not. In fact, the term "abandonware" doesn´t even exist in "reality".

As Born Acorn and orudge says, if the original composer requested that the music files to be taken down, we must do so.

Of course. But even w/o prior request it would have to be done.

[...] If the original composer does not want it up, the forum staff can take it off.

It´s impossible for an author/composer/etc to search the "world wide net" every day or week to take notice of possible copyright infringements of his work.

But that does not transform the internet into an area not regulated by law.

regards
Michael

[Amandom]

......5 years later - JUST PLAY THE BLOODY ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK! Surely it would be a compliment to the author that people want to hear it?
I love the old tunes from the orig TT. The new ones are lame by comparison.