Okay, I regret to inform everybody that I have been contacted by ASCII Media Works: Dengeki Bunko and A-1 Pictures in regards to this mod.
To cut it short, they intend to seek legal action against me if I continue production of this mod, and fail to remove the files associated to the mod, as the Sword Art Online series is in copy-write to the above mentioned companies. It has also stated that all work that has been currently done will be considered the Intellectual Property of the above mentioned companies, which effectively prevents me from using what I have already worked on and continuing it for an alternate release under a different title.
It was also explained to me that the reason my mod is being targeted, where armor and weapon mods are not, is the fact that the release of it would cut in to their profits if they wanted to release a game in America and Europe. That makes me hopeful for a SAO game, but not exceedingly so.
This saddens me greatly, to know that the work that I have done so far has been, for lack of better terms, all for not. I will continue to make mods, and I look forward to releasing mods in the future. That won't change. But unfortunately for me, and all of the fans of SAO, this mod legally cannot be released now, and I must remove all files associated to it from the Nexus website. This also explains to me why no one has released a mod of this nature, which disappoints me, as we are not likely to see a SAO game in the Americas any time soon.
If you wish to contact me, feel free to do so. As I stated, I will continue to make mods, as this is a great hobby, and something to do in my spare time. So if you have a mod request let me know and pm me!
Also, I will keep this open so, with files removed, so that no other modder has to go through this if they decide they want to try to make a SAO mod in the nature that mine was based.
EDIT 09/2016:
I want to thank everyone personally for the overwhelming amount of support that I received during my time of inactivity. I Needed to take a much needed break from computers and gaming (I was at a point of spending 16-20 hours a day on my computer) to get my life back into a healthy place. My return, pretty much means that I have found that healthy place again.
To everyone who has supported the idea of my continuing this project; you have no idea how truly and deeply humbling it has been to return to over 100+ private messages regarding this project and regrets that it was never continued.
Knowing then what I do now, I would have happily fought ASCII's ceasement letter, as being a bit wiser now, I have come to realize that they had no legal basis for it.
While the original files to this were lost in my long time of inactivity, there may be a point that I take up this project again. Its been 3 years. And they have yet to release a game that satisfied my taste of SAO. Expect updates and news early 2017 when I get situated in my new house.
Cheers and thank you to everyone who has supported this project. <3
Yet another company that fails to understand how the market really works. Like I'd play a modded version of Skyrim as a replacement, unless: 1. Their game was craptacular. 2. I didn't really want to play their game at all anyway. 3. I really just want to play Skyrim and want more questing content.
I'm glad you brought this up.
I make it a point to boycott companies on purpose for doing stupid crap like this. Just to make the point that I decide how to enjoy my games. If what I want doesn't fit their package, it's theirs that gets the boot. It's my money.
Thank you ASCII.
If you had been a smart innovative company, you'd let this mod through, I'd play it, find out I love your lore, and play your game.
Now, I don't get to play this mod, and I never ever want to touch your products even if I could pirate it.
I agree to a point. While I LOVE the Sword Art Online series, I don't love the company who holds the copy-write for it. A lot of companies do not realize that something like what I was trying to do, only serves to PROMOTE their product. I can do all I want to to mimic to the best of my ability the feed of the product, but players are always going to want to have the experience to play it the way it was fully intended to be.
Lol, trust me I was looking forward to releasing this as a full working mod as well. I am really bummed about it, since over the last week I have spent a lot of time working on it. :/ But as I have said, this has been a HUGE learning experience, and you guys can definitely look forward to my future projects!
Hey, why not fight this? Get some support and a decent organized argument about why this would be a plus for them if they let it go through? After all, we should at least try some nice solid logic before giving up. Maybe they'll have some more sense than WB does on MERP.
On the other hand, even if they don't, why should it be a roadblock? Doing something of this nature but not actually referencing SAO could give you more room to work with things that are only vaguely introduced.
the main issue with fighting it is the amount of energy needed for it. Right now there really isn't much support for this mod, other than the 50 or so people who have commented. And considering it's not that far along, I can easily just start on a new project and use everything that I have learned from this one, without having to worry about any legal ramifications.
I am thinking of making a kind of battle tower. I don't know why but 100 floors is always a nice even number haha xD But this will be more so each floor just being a standard dungeon with mob spawns and such. Not quite as grand or exciting as SAO, but hey it's an idea (And maybe each floor you clear lock you into the next floor so the only way out is up ) (And maybe a shop hidden every few levels? :O )
I dont see why you couldnt just keep what you did, rename it something totally different change a few things around and keep going. Without the name attached to it they have nothing to really go on. I wouldnt give up all that hard work you did just change it a little i would think would work fine.
Have it so its still like a tower you have to go up but instead of an open area every level, make it so every 10 levels unlocks a new open area with a town maybe new venders etc. and just give the floor numbers different bosses. Like you could have a frost area at level 50 with a frost dragon, without it being on the same floor and following the same setup i dont see how they could then say its a copy. If you look close enough in any work of art it can be considered a copy, I mean SAO must of copy off of .hack right!! Same thing! Skyrim must of copy off of D& i mean it has dragons!
Without the open areas every level it would make it easier on you and alot different already then the normal SAO. With that maybe find a happy ground for everyone without having to lose the hard work you have already put into this, i wish you luck and hope it doesnt stop you from making a tower based mod as i cant wait to try one =)
How about doing the same thing you see in almost any anime and rename it to something close and change it by 20%. If you are creating models that are different, but similar there is little that they can do about it. Much like getting a tat. f*#@ em.
pure.....utter.....bullshit........Seriously? this just pisses me off beyond reason. Like seriously. First bethesda targets the guys who do things like SKywind and now this? seriously? THIS ISN'T A GAME IN OF ITSELF AS IT REQUIRES SKYRIM TO WORK. YOU AREN'T GETTING MONEY FROM IT, AND WHILE IT HAS THE SAO NAME IN IT IT ISN'T WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE CREATED ANYWAY! SO f*#@ YOU ASCII f*#@ YOU! I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH I LOVE SAO I AINT TOUCHING YOUR PRODUCTS EVER!
Make it a BIT different like remove some stuff from SaO and make up your own, still make the challenge 100 floors but make it different! I'd suggest to make a side-story to SaO. Like The main character is you instead of Kirito. And you find new players that arent from SaO. And then you get the message from you, the MOD creater, that you cant get out of the town. Then the quest to get out of the town starts.
Wow, what a shame ASCII demanded a cease and desist on this project. I was really looking forward to how it was shaping up. The worst part is, I never took the time to download it and just kept tracking it. *sighs*
....Hmm same mod...different name...Hammer Art Online...manicrad...qirito lol...just a thought... Good news is its on toonami now so the fan base will grow so the fan made content will too so well get kirito's, asuna's and others outffits and weapons and maby smaller quests that wouldent be targeted.
A mod rele4ased without the S>A>O in or on it canbe released! Many cars "resemble" each other in any city parking lot. They "look" alike but there is enough cosmetic "difference" (HINT-HINT! so no one can sue! Getting the hint? You don't need a magical school of ALTERation to get what I am saying. The show must go on! We have the middle finger, mwe just need to wag it. Perhaps a dark theme where we slay hordes of enemies with an "ASCII" on their foreheads, With a Lich King boss at the end called The Litigator. Or something lore-friendly. Don't just give up! Make This Thing ... But do what good car companies do: Improvise the design. Use a different logo. Add your own stuff. BTW itstrypp, like what I see in those modpics. pretty cool. SCREW ASCII, money hungry pricks will never get money from me!
aww, still, thank you sir for trying to make this. what you can get out of this is that they noticed and that means something about how good you make mods and such. we will be looking forward to more mods from you sir!
That is kind of a let down really. I looked forwarded to checking out this mod. But I wonder, in the anime at least, they did not show us all 100 floors. So, their argument to me is silly. How can you copyright what was never showed? Add that to if/when they wanted to make a game they could just add in their own floors. I am not sure how my statement will sound to others but that is just what I thought of after reading the post.
So just make a nonSAO mod. The idea of being trapped in a video game is hardly new (.hack, anyone?) so just turn your mod into something else. As long as SAO isn't directly referenced, as ArmedKevin117 pointed out, it isn't a copyright violation.
Also, if anyone from the actual companies that threatened you read this, FYI, SAO is .hack+harem-romance+too-cliche-to-be-good. It had potential...and then the romance was too quick, the plot line was resolved in the first book, almost every female falls for the male main character...if I wanted that I'd read a crappy shojo.
Think about it this way.Heeeey...SAO could stand for Sol Ac Oblivio. It stands for the sun extinction. Maybe one day the skies turned dark, and a tower rose in the middle of an unsuspecting town. Maybe vampires? Dwemer!? BOTH!? WHO KNOWS! Anyway, bam. Lore friendly. GO OUT THERE AND MAKE THAT MOD
Wow... I'm don't know what to say to that, except: The only thing you have copy-writed is the name "Sword Art Online". If you look at the images, it has nothing to do with SAO. This is a tiny city surrounded by walls, and its only part resemblin whatever the city of SAO name is are the walls in a circular shape and these walls aren't even 100% circular. Try removing the huge lamp-post from the center of the arena and they might go "Hm. It actually doesn't have anything to do with SAO... Let's still charge him with copy-write though.". I wonder if they pressed charges against Minecrafters who have 90%-99% accurate SAO buildings.
While writing this, now that I think about it, you really are taking advantage of their product (getting attention out of the name of their product) illegally by using its name (which is what I said, it's the only part that you're copy-writing + possibly the lamp-post on the center of the arena, who knows). Try doing it like low quality chinese products sold outside China, change the name from Nike to Niek or Naik and Adidas to Didas. I know it's just a switch on words but it is not the same thing and I don't think they can b&@*$ about it. Remove the central lamp-post and call it "Blade Arts City" or something, but you'll have to start over because this creation is already targeted.
this sucks, i only just found this after searching for quite awhile for a mod that added something that was like SAO to skyrim so i could atleast enjoy playing skyrim more than i do now as well as have a similar feeling to what those trapped in SAO had (if i could play it i would probably delete the save on the characters death to get the feeling of the presure they where put through), Since i have a feeling that the west will not be getting a SAO game any time soon (same goes for the attack on titan game the last wings of humanity for the 3ds). why can't ASCII Media Works; Dengeki Bunko and A-1 Pictures understand that the fans wish to experience the feeling of being suck in a game of death, like kirito and the others that got stuck in SAO in the anime but without having to wait for the human race to perfect VR and for some person to create a game like SAO then turn it into a game of death on the day of release and instead let us experience it in a rpg like skyrim where similar situations can be made without us having to wait so long or risk our lives.
I totally agree with you. I mean for one its just like bethesda says, they love modders and love that we make their game our own. it helps them find mistakes, helps them come up with DLC content for other consoles. They should have let this mod run through so they could get ideas.
put it back on, there are two games being made that are not owned by their companies which are Sword Art Online: Eternal World by a group of friends who like SAO and Age of Aincrad by Cardinal Games.
i would sign a petition if it helped get them to take back their decision and allow this mod. after all its not like your getting paid by each person downloading this mod, so your not getting any profits.
Kind of surprised they even bothered with this. I mean...this is a freaking Skyrim Mod.
Plus, their reasons are absolute Bull:
First off, this would only INCREASE their chances of making profits, drawing in more people to play the SAO Game if they liked this mod. Heck, this is free publicity. Japanese Companies are really stupid.
First of all This SHI* is Bull this is a F*King game Mod for crying out loud they shouldn't be attacking someone for this and second of all how can these people who say there apart of the company prove that they are apart of it hmmm i mean if they can't prove that there are then they have no standing. just a thought anyways i love SAO and skyrim mods so this would have been like the best thing ever and thanks anyways for ur work on this Peace
I should contact them and tell them im making a minecraft world of aincrad and theres nothing they can do about it They gonna take legal action over somebody because of a block based game?
In all seriousness though, i would have loved to see this if it were going to be how i imagine it would be with the towers going up to the ascending floors and whatnot. I bet you could start on again or continue the work on this mod since aniplex acquired the license for it and everyone and their mother is making s#*! that involves aincrad in some way shape or form. Google aincrad minecraft or SAO mods for skyrim and you'll find so many that refuse to take their s#*! down. I for one would have told A1 to stuff it because what are they going to do? Waste the time, effort, money, and resources on suing someone over a community mod?
To literally everyone who has commented on this. I am truly humbled. I had no idea this project would of gained so much support and to be honest the initial C& letter from ASCII really left a bitter taste in my mouth. (I had somewhere around 200 hours of work into this mod when they actually hit me with the letter, and it felt like a huge blow to me at the time.) I took time to myself to focus on my personal life the last couple years, getting myself to a place where I am happy again. (Tbh i originally started this project as a way to seclude myself from the world when I was going through a somewhat dark and depressive time in my life.)
I Have every intention to start making mods again. This will probably start happening early 2017, when I switch from working full time to running my own business from home.
I will say after a couple years of being logged out of Nexus I came back to over 100 Private messages regarding this project. I can't even begin to explain how humbling that is. Thank you everyone <3
I have been searching for SAO mods, and just found this, what a shame, but hope you're doing okay now, thou.. well was this mod still around (not to public or through some 3rd party site other then nexus? as since it has been few years sine SAO been on, and.. moreless chilled down finally
if not, this is still fantastic by what pictures I see that are left up, and still look forward to some other mods you might have
how does this mod cut into their profits i don't get it cause 1. your not making people pay to download this 2. shouldn't this mod make people get hyped up to play an sao game 3. its a mod not a game 4. they are clearly driven by profit which is not good for a company 5. they are just ruining their reputation further 6.they just destroyed all of your hard work without even thinking about the consequences 7. they aren't the overlords of the economies 8. they barely release any games on SAO 9 if they wanted more money they maybe could've charge people to watch it instead of trying to tell people to shut down a mod all because they are going to make a game that will possibly never be release Companies used to work for the reason of pleasing their fans now majority of them are all driven by profit all because they are greedy. What happened to the old days when modding was a great thing and when companies realize that modders are just trying to make their games better and more fun and this is by far the longest comment ive typed
what an id1ot1c and d*ck move, Japanese companies really have no idea how marketing or public relations works outside of Japan, they won't even release an SAO game for PC, some Japanese companies are backwards thinking
You know what Kirito said in Season 3, you sometimes just have to do what is right even when the law or authority in power restricts it. Then again, there are some things we simply shouldn't do even when the law or authority allows it. By this quote said by Kirito, that I am referencing from,I do not think the company that did this to you was right. I think the fans here including me are doing what's right by supporting you and showing this is a sort of injustice from their side. You were just showing how much you love SAO, it's not like you were claiming the characters for yourselves because you know who created SAO in the first place and I clearly see you aren't the type to steal stuff illegally. Being a fan myself, I think this was just like when the Laughing Coffin guild or any of the villains did anything evil like the maker of the game SAO trapping all the players in it. I relate myself to Kirito alot. I will find my Asuna one day, she's out there. SAO Fans UNITE!
Ghostrecon123,they actually did release an SAO game, it's called SAO Hollow Realization and I think there are more on the way. But I also think it's a different company with permissions who made these SAO games.
if this mod was targeted then why did the other anime mods for Skyrim not targeted? this isn't fair what they're doing to it anyways if this mod comes up then let us all know because Sao fractal bullet isn't fun like Skyrim is so please make the mod for Skyrim again.
That's hilarious, they already knew their games were going to be so low effort from the start that they were worried about getting shown up by a game mod, but HEY, i guess they had a right to be scared since the low tier trash they did end up releasing probably would have been subpar in comparison and would probably have lost to a game that's not even officially SAO, One of the reasons i enjoy mods so much are because when it's a true hobby and they aren't selling it you can genuinely tell they are putting their all into it because they aren't monetizing it therefore also aren't letting greed get in the way of their full potential.
Companies shouldn't be allowed to pull this bullshit. It's not like you were making money off of it, it's on a modding forum for an unrelated game purely for fun as a hobby.
this is nothing even remotely similar to SAO i don't see any armor's or monster's of similar design, its literally 100% skyrim based resource's they have no leg to stand on, just change the name to something like The 100 Floor's of Death.
Wow... they discontinue a free good looking mod, yet they don't create a good SAO game... srlsy, even an MMO in the world of SAO i would be happy...Even a SAO mod for skyrim... god... When will there be a SAO MMO?? am i the only smart person in the world that realize it would sell like water??
its really to bad they did this to you... ive been looking forward to the day when someone released a mod that would redo skyrim into swordart ... that would of been cool to play through.. hopefully in the future u can get the permissions u need to go forth with this mod and bring the SAO dream to reality
WHY DID THEY TAKE ACTION FOR SOMETHING FOR SKYRIM(Toei animation Funimation and Akira Toriyama should sue some of the people here) SKYRIM MODS SHOULD NOT BE TO CHARGE SOMEONE IN COURT OF LAW OVER
So... can we expect something similar to an SAO mod? Say released under another title with similarities to SAO to avoid copyright stuffs? I mean its a huge project if all 100 floors for Aincra- i mean a dungeon castle were to be made... far larger than the project to create all of Tamriel and that has tonnes of modders organized and working together! i guess you could scale it down but even then... Still would be cool to at least see the First floor! (I am a little surprised they shut down your project rather than limit the content since it would raise awareness of the anime and game... but i guess the guys shutting it down wernt able to make that call...)
I KNOW BUT CONTAINS LEGAL ACTION THAT CAN BE TAKEN TO CONTINUE IT DEVELOPMENT EVEN IF IT'S NOT GLOBAL As I do understand that their allowed to prevent you from further development on this mod publicly (it aggravates me that they would shut down a MOD for a SEPARATE game altogether since Skyrim will NEVER get the full feel of SAO). Although I'm pretty sure it's illegal for them to steal the work put into this mod without a proper contract. Anyone who can find proof of this being true or false please do not be afraid to post it and you must have full video, photo or link to a government site meaning official. Other than this a possibility to keep developing the mod is to get them to sign a contract with them that allow only a maximum of 25 testers for the mod meaning only these people will be able to use it till the game is made. Finallly there is no legal action (that I know of that can be taken for personal development ie. only for you. Proof of game development fro SAO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSGyccSU9-I
Sad to say thats a big thing with copyrights....use their name and anything of the sort, which the name does give it away, and the whole "Idea for a SAO overhaul, encompassing all 100 floors of Castle Aincrad" and because sao is copyrighted to them they can indeed take any work done by someone else if they are using the name and things related to it, no contract needed and all your time wasted and not even compensated for it, happens all the time
Well technically... copyright my ass. The way I understand it, you are creating this from scratch (using Skyrim as a platform to work from), based on an idea (being Sword Art Online). If anything this would increase their fanbase, not bring down the sales of a game that may or may not actually be made. From what I understand with copyright laws, all you need to do is change the name of the mod and say it's based on a similar idea to the anime/manga and that you drew some inspiration from it; that way, it's not SAO and they can't do anything about it.
Even then, this is Skyrim, SAO mod/overhaul or not; they had no right to stop you to begin with. Unless this was a paid mod (which it doesn't seem to be), released under the name "Sword Art Online", they can't do shit. It's a free world, you can do exactly what you want and they can't exactly sue you for (basically) anticipating the game so much that you made your own version of it within another game.
Like really, I'm dying for an SAO game (with or without the NervGear), but I honestly doubt it will happen or that it will be as awesome as people would expect it to be.
I say continue with the mod, but in a few years time if they haven't released the game or even mentioned it, release it under a different name. Heck, send those bastards an email and tell them that if there isn't an SAO game in a few years you may as well release your mod.
I came across this mod and was so ready to download it only to find that some company was frightened of losing a few fans because of a Skyrim mod. Please, I beg you, continue developing the mod, just don't release it for a few years. That way we all have something great to look forward to when you eventually release it. That will also give you more time to perfect it.
"Idea for a SAO overhaul, encompassing all 100 floors of Castle Aincrad" This right here is what killed it, if not for that and the name of the mod, he would most certainly been able to do this without anything going wrong, other then modding issues of course
Lol the owners of SAO can't do anything to you, they can't press charges against you, they can't remove your mod, and they can't tell you what you can or can't make using ANOTHER COMPANIES respective modding tool and game engine. They can't even harass you about this matter as that's illegal. Continue working on this mod, it's great and bethesda would get involved if you got sued by SAO for using vanilla textures or your own textures. Screw those guys. You can't be told what you can't do on another video game. Keep working on it please.
Not to sound mean, just seen this, been checking to see if they ever managed to bring it back, but they can take legal action because yes, as it is another game and engine and all, he is using the SAO name and such, and even stated what his plans were, and the SAO name itself and things involved with it is what caused the problem, and since they took the work and all nothing he can do, except if they really wanted start over, change the design and name, dont mention sao even in the slightest, and start over :P Loop holes everywhere
I will agree, It is definitely a shame that I had to abandon modding, and computers in general for a couple years. Honestly, I logged in today to an overwhelming amount of private messages and responses on this project.
I wont lie, I was not in a good mindset and was sinking 16-20 hours a day on my computer. It wasn't healthy and I ended up taking a much needed break from gaming and computers for the last few years. I finally am at a place that I am happy as me again, and can find that moderation that isn't going to leave me wondering where my life went.
I have every intention to start modding again, though I know over the next few months I am going to basically be relearning everything about working with the modding tool. I can't promise anything right away, but I will be releasing small mods for fun soon. ^_^
265 comments
To cut it short, they intend to seek legal action against me if I continue production of this mod, and fail to remove the files associated to the mod, as the Sword Art Online series is in copy-write to the above mentioned companies. It has also stated that all work that has been currently done will be considered the Intellectual Property of the above mentioned companies, which effectively prevents me from using what I have already worked on and continuing it for an alternate release under a different title.
It was also explained to me that the reason my mod is being targeted, where armor and weapon mods are not, is the fact that the release of it would cut in to their profits if they wanted to release a game in America and Europe. That makes me hopeful for a SAO game, but not exceedingly so.
This saddens me greatly, to know that the work that I have done so far has been, for lack of better terms, all for not. I will continue to make mods, and I look forward to releasing mods in the future. That won't change. But unfortunately for me, and all of the fans of SAO, this mod legally cannot be released now, and I must remove all files associated to it from the Nexus website. This also explains to me why no one has released a mod of this nature, which disappoints me, as we are not likely to see a SAO game in the Americas any time soon.
If you wish to contact me, feel free to do so. As I stated, I will continue to make mods, as this is a great hobby, and something to do in my spare time. So if you have a mod request let me know and pm me!
Also, I will keep this open so, with files removed, so that no other modder has to go through this if they decide they want to try to make a SAO mod in the nature that mine was based.
EDIT 09/2016:
I want to thank everyone personally for the overwhelming amount of support that I received during my time of inactivity. I Needed to take a much needed break from computers and gaming (I was at a point of spending 16-20 hours a day on my computer) to get my life back into a healthy place. My return, pretty much means that I have found that healthy place again.
To everyone who has supported the idea of my continuing this project; you have no idea how truly and deeply humbling it has been to return to over 100+ private messages regarding this project and regrets that it was never continued.
Knowing then what I do now, I would have happily fought ASCII's ceasement letter, as being a bit wiser now, I have come to realize that they had no legal basis for it.
While the original files to this were lost in my long time of inactivity, there may be a point that I take up this project again. Its been 3 years. And they have yet to release a game that satisfied my taste of SAO. Expect updates and news early 2017 when I get situated in my new house.
Cheers and thank you to everyone who has supported this project. <3
1. Their game was craptacular.
2. I didn't really want to play their game at all anyway.
3. I really just want to play Skyrim and want more questing content.
I'm glad you brought this up.
I make it a point to boycott companies on purpose for doing stupid crap like this. Just to make the point that I decide how to enjoy my games. If what I want doesn't fit their package, it's theirs that gets the boot. It's my money.
Thank you ASCII.
If you had been a smart innovative company, you'd let this mod through, I'd play it, find out I love your lore, and play your game.
Now, I don't get to play this mod, and I never ever want to touch your products even if I could pirate it.
Hmm. We should continue this in the underground. Just kidding. Haha
:S
On the other hand, even if they don't, why should it be a roadblock? Doing something of this nature but not actually referencing SAO could give you more room to work with things that are only vaguely introduced.
You'd think expanding the name of SAO would be a good way of getting free publicity and advertising.
I am thinking of making a kind of battle tower. I don't know why but 100 floors is always a nice even number haha xD But this will be more so each floor just being a standard dungeon with mob spawns and such. Not quite as grand or exciting as SAO, but hey it's an idea
Have it so its still like a tower you have to go up but instead of an open area every level, make it so every 10 levels unlocks a new open area with a town maybe new venders etc. and just give the floor numbers different bosses. Like you could have a frost area at level 50 with a frost dragon, without it being on the same floor and following the same setup i dont see how they could then say its a copy. If you look close enough in any work of art it can be considered a copy, I mean SAO must of copy off of .hack right!! Same thing! Skyrim must of copy off of D&
Without the open areas every level it would make it easier on you and alot different already then the normal SAO. With that maybe find a happy ground for everyone without having to lose the hard work you have already put into this, i wish you luck and hope it doesnt stop you from making a tower based mod as i cant wait to try one =)
i.e. McRonalds
I know how to keep this running.
Make it a BIT different like remove some stuff from SaO and make up your own, still make the challenge 100 floors but make it different!
I'd suggest to make a side-story to SaO.
Like The main character is you instead of Kirito.
And you find new players that arent from SaO.
And then you get the message from you, the MOD creater, that you cant get out of the town.
Then the quest to get out of the town starts.
Let me know if you like my idea. ^_^
-Atsuma821
Good news is its on toonami now so the fan base will grow so the fan made content will too so well get kirito's, asuna's and others outffits and weapons and maby smaller quests that wouldent be targeted.
Also, if anyone from the actual companies that threatened you read this, FYI, SAO is .hack+harem-romance+too-cliche-to-be-good. It had potential...and then the romance was too quick, the plot line was resolved in the first book, almost every female falls for the male main character...if I wanted that I'd read a crappy shojo.
While writing this, now that I think about it, you really are taking advantage of their product (getting attention out of the name of their product) illegally by using its name (which is what I said, it's the only part that you're copy-writing + possibly the lamp-post on the center of the arena, who knows). Try doing it like low quality chinese products sold outside China, change the name from Nike to Niek or Naik and Adidas to Didas. I know it's just a switch on words but it is not the same thing and I don't think they can b&@*$ about it. Remove the central lamp-post and call it "Blade Arts City" or something, but you'll have to start over because this creation is already targeted.
Plus, their reasons are absolute Bull:
First off, this would only INCREASE their chances of making profits, drawing in more people to play the SAO Game if they liked this mod. Heck, this is free publicity. Japanese Companies are really stupid.
I hope they get what's coming to them.
They gonna take legal action over somebody because of a block based game?
In all seriousness though, i would have loved to see this if it were going to be how i imagine it would be with the towers going up to the ascending floors and whatnot. I bet you could start on again or continue the work on this mod since aniplex acquired the license for it and everyone and their mother is making s#*! that involves aincrad in some way shape or form. Google aincrad minecraft or SAO mods for skyrim and you'll find so many that refuse to take their s#*! down. I for one would have told A1 to stuff it because what are they going to do? Waste the time, effort, money, and resources on suing someone over a community mod?
I'd make a new persona for that, as well :s
I Have every intention to start making mods again. This will probably start happening early 2017, when I switch from working full time to running my own business from home.
I will say after a couple years of being logged out of Nexus I came back to over 100 Private messages regarding this project. I can't even begin to explain how humbling that is. Thank you everyone <3
thou.. well was this mod still around (not to public or through some 3rd party site other then nexus? as since it has been few years sine SAO been on, and.. moreless chilled down finally
if not, this is still fantastic by what pictures I see that are left up, and still look forward to some other mods you might have
1. your not making people pay to download this
2. shouldn't this mod make people get hyped up to play an sao game
3. its a mod not a game
4. they are clearly driven by profit which is not good for a company
5. they are just ruining their reputation further
6.they just destroyed all of your hard work without even thinking about the consequences
7. they aren't the overlords of the economies
8. they barely release any games on SAO
9 if they wanted more money they maybe could've charge people to watch it instead of trying to tell people to shut down a mod all because they are going to make a game that will possibly never be release
Companies used to work for the reason of pleasing their fans now majority of them are all driven by profit all because they are greedy. What happened to the old days when modding was a great thing and when companies realize that modders are just trying to make their games better and more fun and this is by far the longest comment ive typed
anyways if this mod comes up then let us all know because Sao fractal bullet isn't fun like Skyrim is so please make the mod for Skyrim again.
its literally 100% skyrim based resource's they have no leg to stand on, just change the name to something like The 100 Floor's of Death.
claim it to be a generic dungeon mod.
Seems like i should not do it.
Still would be cool to at least see the First floor!
(I am a little surprised they shut down your project rather than limit the content since it would raise awareness of the anime and game... but i guess the guys shutting it down wernt able to make that call...)
As I do understand that their allowed to prevent you from further development on this mod publicly (it aggravates me that they would shut down a MOD for a SEPARATE game altogether since Skyrim will NEVER get the full feel of SAO).
Although I'm pretty sure it's illegal for them to steal the work put into this mod without a proper contract.
Anyone who can find proof of this being true or false please do not be afraid to post it and you must have full video, photo or link to a government site meaning official. Other than this a possibility to keep developing the mod is to get them to sign a contract with them that allow only a maximum of 25 testers for the mod meaning only these people will be able to use it till the game is made.
Finallly there is no legal action (that I know of that can be taken for personal development ie. only for you.
Proof of game development fro SAO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSGyccSU9-I
read the statement DuoMaxwell2x4
EDIT:forgot to add i support this mod idea
The way I understand it, you are creating this from scratch (using Skyrim as a platform to work from), based on an idea (being Sword Art Online). If anything this would increase their fanbase, not bring down the sales of a game that may or may not actually be made. From what I understand with copyright laws, all you need to do is change the name of the mod and say it's based on a similar idea to the anime/manga and that you drew some inspiration from it; that way, it's not SAO and they can't do anything about it.
Even then, this is Skyrim, SAO mod/overhaul or not; they had no right to stop you to begin with. Unless this was a paid mod (which it doesn't seem to be), released under the name "Sword Art Online", they can't do shit. It's a free world, you can do exactly what you want and they can't exactly sue you for (basically) anticipating the game so much that you made your own version of it within another game.
Like really, I'm dying for an SAO game (with or without the NervGear), but I honestly doubt it will happen or that it will be as awesome as people would expect it to be.
I say continue with the mod, but in a few years time if they haven't released the game or even mentioned it, release it under a different name. Heck, send those bastards an email and tell them that if there isn't an SAO game in a few years you may as well release your mod.
I came across this mod and was so ready to download it only to find that some company was frightened of losing a few fans because of a Skyrim mod. Please, I beg you, continue developing the mod, just don't release it for a few years. That way we all have something great to look forward to when you eventually release it. That will also give you more time to perfect it.
Continue working on this mod, it's great and bethesda would get involved if you got sued by SAO for using vanilla textures or your own textures. Screw those guys. You can't be told what you can't do on another video game. Keep working on it please.
I wont lie, I was not in a good mindset and was sinking 16-20 hours a day on my computer. It wasn't healthy and I ended up taking a much needed break from gaming and computers for the last few years. I finally am at a place that I am happy as me again, and can find that moderation that isn't going to leave me wondering where my life went.
I have every intention to start modding again, though I know over the next few months I am going to basically be relearning everything about working with the modding tool. I can't promise anything right away, but I will be releasing small mods for fun soon. ^_^