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The rather epic looking Halo fan-game Installation 01 has a fresh new trailer and it's certainly got me excited for it!

For those that don't remember, it's a fan-made game that aims to re-create the experience of the older titles using Unity. They don't actually use anything from Halo directly, it's all either custom made, or from the Unity store.

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That was a damn fine trailer! Very exciting, especially as a fan of the early Halo games myself.

I really hope something good comes out of this, a decent Halo-like FPS on Linux would be pretty fantastic. It's quite amazing what people are able to create with tools like Unity.

For details about how they are able to do it, including licensing, see here. I really hope Microsoft don't somehow shut it down, as it looks very promising. The license they link to doesn't actually forbid what they are doing. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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17 comments

Kuduzkehpan May 25, 2017
i like it.
neowiz73 May 25, 2017
I really liked what they did with the aliens. that was cool seeing them in armor. looks like it will be fun :)
razing32 May 25, 2017
This looks too much like Halo.
Wonder what MS and their lawyers will do.
Nanobang May 25, 2017
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Just gimme a chance to download it, that's all I ask, and MS can piss off! It will be mine bwahahahaha!
Redface May 25, 2017
really cool trailer, I hope the game will be fun to play as well
pete910 May 25, 2017
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This looks too much like Halo.
Wonder what MS and their lawyers will do.
Naff all.

It also resembles the mass of team based FPS games out there too. Halo was the last game it reminded me of tbh
Ads20000 May 25, 2017
This looks too much like Halo.
Wonder what MS and their lawyers will do.

Well they reckon it's fine under this: http://www.xbox.com/en-us/developers/rules

Normally I wouldn't think it would work but those rules seem pretty generous for noncommercial use! Perhaps Microsoft didn't have in mind people making entire good-quality free games out of it but can you see anything specific in those rules preventing Installation 01 from doing what they're doing? I don't think they're doing reverse engineering, for example, just recreating?
Ads20000 May 25, 2017
Normally I wouldn't think it would work but those rules seem pretty generous for noncommercial use!

Having said that, what's Halo Online and why did it get shut down?
razing32 May 25, 2017
This looks too much like Halo.
Wonder what MS and their lawyers will do.

Well they reckon it's fine under this: http://www.xbox.com/en-us/developers/rules

Normally I wouldn't think it would work but those rules seem pretty generous for noncommercial use! Perhaps Microsoft didn't have in mind people making entire good-quality free games out of it but can you see anything specific in those rules preventing Installation 01 from doing what they're doing? I don't think they're doing reverse engineering, for example, just recreating?

That's the problem.
I've heard of cake shops in the US being shut down under copyright for drawing Disney characters on cakes.
Not sure how strong those rules are and what lawyers can and cannot do with them.
Would be really curios if we had a lawyer in our community.

EDIT:
Also I think a better Idea would have been to do the engine and offer the assets as separate downloads.
That way at least the engine survives even if assets do not.


Last edited by razing32 on 25 May 2017 at 6:34 pm UTC
Whitewolfe80 May 25, 2017
Biggest problem will be do they intend to charge anything for it because if they dont they should be fine legally if they charge down the line for anything MS will shaft them with a very large legal stick.
D34VA_ May 25, 2017
Biggest problem will be do they intend to charge anything for it because if they dont they should be fine legally if they charge down the line for anything MS will shaft them with a very large legal stick.

They've stated over and over that they will never charge for it, and will accept no monetary donations.
Luke_Nukem May 25, 2017
The litmus test for if MS will do something;

If you saw this game on its own, without the commentary, article, titles, or knowing anything about it; would you think it was Halo?

If yes, then yeah, that's going to be a huge problem. It's when it gets difficult to tell the two apart (and it is) that you start getting in to IP infringing territory.
Let's hope they have a backup plan (like replacement art and storyline).

The other possibility is that they get picked up/bought out by MS. Maybe that's what they're aiming for?


Last edited by Luke_Nukem on 25 May 2017 at 10:55 pm UTC
D34VA_ May 25, 2017
The litmus test for if MS will do something;

If you saw this game on its own, without the commentary, article, titles, or knowing anything about it; would you think it was Halo?

If yes, then yeah, that's going to be a huge problem. It's when it gets difficult to tell the two apart (and it is) that you start getting in to IP infringing territory.
Let's hope they have a backup plan (like replacement art and storyline).

The other possibility is that they get picked up/bought out by MS. Maybe that's what they're aiming for?

Not quite. This game does not use Halo in the title, the about page explains that it is a fan game and is NOT an official Halo game. They do not claim endorsement or any sort of affiliation with Microsoft, 343i, or the Halo franchise. None of their assets are actually from any official Halo media. EVERYTHING was made from scratch or purchased from the Unity assets store.

They are in no danger.
Luke_Nukem May 25, 2017
Not quite. This game does not use Halo in the title, the about page explains that it is a fan game and is NOT an official Halo game. They do not claim endorsement or any sort of affiliation with Microsoft, 343i, or the Halo franchise. None of their assets are actually from any official Halo media. EVERYTHING was made from scratch or purchased from the Unity assets store.

They are in no danger.

There have been such lawsuits as Pacman vs Jawbreaker.

They don't have to use the games assets, title etc to be in danger. And, that MS License does not cover such things as making carbon copies of their games using assets that didn't originate from the game.
That license only covers such things as YouTubers, screenshots, stuff that promotes their IP for free etc.

We can revoke this limited-use license at any time and for any reason without liability to you (and if we think you are abusing this license or its intent, you may hear from us). We reserve the right to update this license and the Rules from time to time.

If Microsoft doesn't like what these people are doing, they can and will change the terms. For example while the following states name usage, they may change it to include actual look and gameplay etc;

But we may object to "Halo: Covenant Strike," for example, if it could be confused as something Microsoft produced or licensed, or if it could be mistaken as an official part of the Game. We just want to make sure consumers don't get confused.

If the Item you create and distribute is a free app, then you must distribute it for free (you can't charge for it), and you also can’t earn any money from advertising in that app.

app != game.

Distribution of your Item in any form constitutes a grant by you of a royalty-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable, transferable, sub-licensable, worldwide, license to Microsoft and any of Microsoft's partners or users to use, modify and distribute that Item (and derivatives of that Item), and use your name if we choose to, for any purpose and without obligation to pay you anything, obtain your approval, or give you credit. And this license to Microsoft survives any termination or expiration of these Rules. This means that if you add to the game universe or expand on the story told in the game with "lost chapters" or back story or anything like that, distribution of your story or idea may appear in a future game without any compensation to you.

Very cheeky!

Really, these people are playing a very risky game(!) here... The look of Halo is IP, and they are pretty much infringing on it if MS chooses it to go that way.


Last edited by Luke_Nukem on 25 May 2017 at 11:18 pm UTC
Whitewolfe80 May 26, 2017
Biggest problem will be do they intend to charge anything for it because if they dont they should be fine legally if they charge down the line for anything MS will shaft them with a very large legal stick.

They've stated over and over that they will never charge for it, and will accept no monetary donations.

Well thats great however it could still be smited from on high it is very very close visually to Halo looks like it will be fun but some of visuals may have to be tweaked.
D34VA_ Aug 12, 2017
Biggest problem will be do they intend to charge anything for it because if they dont they should be fine legally if they charge down the line for anything MS will shaft them with a very large legal stick.

They've stated over and over that they will never charge for it, and will accept no monetary donations.

Well thats great however it could still be smited from on high it is very very close visually to Halo looks like it will be fun but some of visuals may have to be tweaked.

343 Is actually okay with the project. They keep in touch, and they even want to play the game.
Whitewolfe80 Aug 12, 2017
Biggest problem will be do they intend to charge anything for it because if they dont they should be fine legally if they charge down the line for anything MS will shaft them with a very large legal stick.

They've stated over and over that they will never charge for it, and will accept no monetary donations.

Well thats great however it could still be smited from on high it is very very close visually to Halo looks like it will be fun but some of visuals may have to be tweaked.

343 Is actually okay with the project. They keep in touch, and they even want to play the game.

That is cool and really surprising given who owns them, hopefully it could lead to paid work for the coders hell could see them working for 343 in future.
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