Legal Status on Copying an Old Game?

[Stargoat]

I have just re-started a project I dropped 4 years ago!

Back in university I decided to try and rebuild e-mail x-com. The game used to be a turn based strategy game wich you could play on the same pc or via e-mail. Basically Hasbro stopped supporting the game ad its on-line functionality ceased to exist.

I intend on rebuilding the game using its graphics and probably some of the sounds too. I will try to imitate most of the game play and will add on-line play.

Now here is the question, what is the legal status of me releasing such a game? I will release if as freeware although it will probably have links to instantfail.com - I will give full credits to thew authors and original publisher.

Is the current owner of the francise going to turn around and try to sue me?

Chances are I may never finish this project, although I just spend £75 on some new development software purely for this reason. If worst comes to worst I will have to get some new graphics made up and use custom sounds... although thats lot of work and time.

So, will this project end up as Instant Win :banana:

Instant Fail :yeti:

or just die :mad:

?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-COM:_Email_games

[Trowar]

To be honest I have no idea, to be safe I would remake the game but use custom graphics?

Make the game using the original tile set and make a competition to redesign new tiles and sprites? I'm sure you can easily re do any sounds and the interface yourself... also then you would be able t brand the program however you like!

Instant Fail: Forums Wars

Have the program detect the member list on the forums and name chats after them :P, then during combat spurt out random quotes?

You can see why I don't work for a game developer!

OK, Maybe not the second part... but may the first half of my post is sensible?

Just finish the project, then worry about the rest :P