Date   : Wed, 16 Mar 2005 21:10:10 -0000
From   : "Jeremy Grayson" <jeremy.grayson@...>
Subject: Re: Beebem question / game copyright question

Hiya,


>   b) Copyright issues on classic games. Running one of the "greats" on
> the emulator would seem like a good choice - something like Repton,
> Manic Miner, Citadel etc.   Issue there is copyright. Are any of these
> out of copyright, or if not does anyone have contact details for the
> relevant people in order to get permission? Doing things legally is
> obviously a priority when it comes to TV...

Pretty much all of the Superior output from the acquisition of Acornsoft's
gaming assets in 1986 onwards (games-wise that means Galaforce and newer) is
still available from Steve Hanson and thus, I believe, still under
copyright. This includes the non-Superior items on the label's Play it
Again, Sam compilations.

Similarly I would imagine anything David Bradforth may have acquired the
rights to (incl. Repton as mentioned in a previous answer, plus those games
on the very hard to find Play it Again, Sams 19 and 20) over the years still
to be under copyright unless anyone can advise otherwise; the only exception
I know of is XLCR, which did appear on PIAS19 but has long since been
released into the public domain by its author Michael Grant.

What does that leave left over from the classic games? Well, Manic Miner is
still fair game AFAIA; ditto Chuckie Egg, Boffin, Football Manager, Castle
Quest, Twin Kingdom Valley etc etc.


>   c) Of course buying a copy of the original media would also presumably
> cover these people when making a disk image of the media to run on an
> emulator. Which begs the question; is anyone still selling the media
> other than the stuff found in a cupboard that appears on EBay?

Largely covered in the previous answer; Superior still welcome enquiries  /
mail order requests via ordacsehi@... . Cronosoft's brand new games
for the old, old Beeb can be purchased via www.cronosoft.co.uk . In terms of
reputable, non-Ebay sellers of old Beeb games - mostly in very, very good
condition - the best would be;

- Ace Software (Alan Cresswell t/a Ace Software,18 High Street, Geddington,
Northants NN14 1BD; email aces@... ),
- Retrogames (Jason Moore t/a Retrogames, 6 Baccara Grove, Bletchley, Milton
Keynes MK2 3AS; email retrobloke@... )
- High Street Micro (Tony Cank t/a High Street Micro, First Floor, 20 - 22
High Street, Crewe, Cheshire CW2 7BN; email tonycank@...)

I also always have a stack of BBC and Electron tapes and disks for sale,
should anyone be interested - more or less all secondhand, but every last
one playtested and working. Please email me for a list.

Hope this helps!

Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)


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