| fastyxx said: The copyright laws make sense, but aren't certain parodies and homages to copyrighted work permissable, legally? I wonder if there could be some wiggle room somewhere. I'm sure people lost some brilliant levels. |
Yes, there are instances where a tribute level/homage might fall under 'fair use,' and those that qualify have not been moderated off the online system. The most egregious violators aren't just making tributes though, instead they are using the EyeToy to capture product images or art assets from other games and importing them into LBP. Others are simply recreating Super Mario Bros. World 1-1 and publishing it with the title "Super Mario Bros World 1-1."
That's not a tribute. That's a blatant rip-off. The end users infringing on other designs aren't the ones liable here either, Sony and Mm are, so they are right to just nip the thing in the bud and get rid of the offending content, much like what YouTube has to do.
The LBP Workshop forums are a trainwreck right now with a few vocal idiots crying foul and stomping off to the corner with their, "I'm selling my LBP copy and here's why!" childish rants. It's a bunch of B.S. Sorry, but Mm isn't stifling anyones' creativity. Look, if the only thing you can come up with out of the powerful LBP toolbox is a Super Mario Bros World 1-1 imitation, you weren't that eff'ing creative to begin with!
