Hi
We are looking to develop a game along the lines of Red Alert 1 for our company. We would like to retain the look and feel of RA1 as far as possible but we are not sure if there will be any legal ramifications of using their original artwork as-is. I know RA1 is now free but the EULA that comes with the free download is very particular about their rights over the artwork.
Since OpenRA is reusing a lot of the original artwork I thought I will ask the developers if they had to seek special permission from EA for doing so?
Some questions about the license and legal issues
If you're serious about your game, you should avoid using their art assets (especially if you plan to sell your game). OpenRA is different in this. First, the project is not commercial, so the creators aren't earning money based on somebody else's work. Also, the project offers the engine while the art assets are downloaded from EA itself. This doesn't mean EA can't interfere, but it's harder to say OpenRA is "stealing" art assets from another game and using it for personal gain.
For your game you said RA1-like game. Instead of copying the art assets themselves from RA1, copy the artistic principles and approaches that gave RA1 the feel it has. A few to mention:
*isometric graphics with fixed camera perspective (no 3d rotating, angle etc.)
*small units on the screen
*units have large parts made of house-colour (that colour that changes depending on the owner)
*deployed building animations
*units based on real-world tanks, aircraft, weapons (apc = m113 apc, hind = hind, apache = apache, heavy tank = t80 tank with 2 barrels etc.) Also, a different real-world unit can take the place a RA1 unit has. E.g. Cobra helicopter for Allied helicopter.
*weapons and devices from cold war fantasy and conspiracy theories
*Different housecolours. There's a big difference in what housecolours RTS games use today and what colours RA1 used.
For your game you said RA1-like game. Instead of copying the art assets themselves from RA1, copy the artistic principles and approaches that gave RA1 the feel it has. A few to mention:
*isometric graphics with fixed camera perspective (no 3d rotating, angle etc.)
*small units on the screen
*units have large parts made of house-colour (that colour that changes depending on the owner)
*deployed building animations
*units based on real-world tanks, aircraft, weapons (apc = m113 apc, hind = hind, apache = apache, heavy tank = t80 tank with 2 barrels etc.) Also, a different real-world unit can take the place a RA1 unit has. E.g. Cobra helicopter for Allied helicopter.
*weapons and devices from cold war fantasy and conspiracy theories
*Different housecolours. There's a big difference in what housecolours RTS games use today and what colours RA1 used.