FoFiX rock meter ideas [unlimited]

[akedrou]

Blazingamer still used images from the net, which cannot be used in distributables. Though, I must say I liked the idea, for an official FoFiX theme, we need complete uniquness, not net images.(Aside from the FoFiX Logos of course!)

That is practically imposible. And what is wrong with FREE deviantart.

Nothing. As long as the images are: 1) released under CC 2.0 (or another comparable free license) and are not restricted with "no derivative works"; 2) the original creator is known and documented (as almost all released creative work requires attribution); and 3) do not include logos of companies or other trademarked/copyrighted elements.

The logos are not allowed because when using a trademarked feature the trademark/copyright holder has the right to request we remove it - and that would be a theoretical hassle should a company decide to do that. Sounds unlikely, but it's reasonable to presume that an element in (for example) Fender/Gibson's contracts with EA/Activision includes not permitting the use of the trademark in other music/rhythm games - which would obligate them to throw us a C&D should they encounter it.

[Blazemann]

I know everyone just about likes the text, but Does anyone like the backgrounds I made? I am curious... I know everyone just about likes the text.

[Slash666]

I'm gonna try to mock up something. Post it tomorow. I'll watch out for that CC 2.0 stuff.

[Legwon]

heres some pics of game statocaster if anyone wants to use them
http://img38.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=dscf4802.jpg

[death_au]

I saw one rock band pc clone , doesn't know its name anyway, it used our images and stuff, but they had a cool setlist. It's kinda clean without additional info and when u select song the info comes up from the down side in one panel. Maybe we should combine that kind of setlist with more options and stuff.

What game was that? Unsigned? I'd be interested to get some new setlist ideas.
Speaking of which, Azzco also had an idea for a simple modification of the RB2 setlist I'm surprised he didn't mention. Info that is not currently shown in an RB2 setlist (for example maybe top scores, or custom loading phrases if they have them, that kind of thing) could scroll across the top of the screen (under the logo) in somethnig resembling a news ticker.

Also, I might dig up that image of slatyr's (for the band/crowd silhouette) and rework my old menu idea and see how that comes out compared to Blazemann and blazingamer's versions.

And yeah, we're not just discussing rock meter ideas anymore, but I haven't changed the title because I'd still like to encourage some discussion on the rock meter. What ideas do people like? I'm going to reiterate that my favourite was Blazemann's lightning rod / voltmeter idea (with electricity building up the rod AND the volt meter going up. It's like combining the RB and GH rock meters when I think about it). But there were some other good ideas. Angellinus had a few, and Razlo's single flame growing/shrinking/freezing idea was good too.

[blazingamer]

When was it decided that this theme was going to go into the googlecode distribution. I think it's just fine to leave it as an official theme that people can go out and download much like how we have the "official" FOFiX RB1 theme that MFH maintains off to the side because it's RB. Besides, if we're worried so much about the whole copyright of images then why do people keep shoving RB images that are copyrighted into my Megalight theme that has somehow become standard with FOFiX.

Also death_au, if you want to use that silhouette, I'm pretty sure you can't use that because it has a copyright. If that wasn't the case then my IndieJam theme might as well have been packaged with FOFiX because all I did was take images and alter them and that's what I'm doing here.

I know that taking images and altering them does not revoke the copyright but it is fine as long as I'm not releasing the images commercially without permission. I'm releasing them as mods which are entirely free. Heck, even some companies support that kind of thing because it brings them publicity that they might not have had before.

[death_au]

Besides, if we're worried so much about the whole copyright of images then why do people keep shoving RB images that are copyrighted into my Megalight theme that has somehow become standard with FOFiX.

This is mainly because KID gets very pre-emptive with new features and makes graphics for them long before the features are ready, and then when the feature IS ready the devs just grab whatever images are there already, so they don't have to bother making new ones. IMO all those RB graphics should be changed/removed from megalight anyway.

As for the whole "using images off google" thing... I don't really know much about licensing issues. I was under the impression that if you modified it enough then it's okay to use, because it becomes your own original work. Maybe removing brands and whatever is a good idea, but other than the "freshman" logo on the amp in blazingamer's bg, I don't see a problem.
But again, I know nothing about licensing and copyright, so I may be missing something. I usually try to stay out of the debate by using things I know are fine or making my own

[akedrou]

When was it decided that this theme was going to go into the googlecode distribution. I think it's just fine to leave it as an official theme that people can go out and download much like how we have the "official" FOFiX RB1 theme that MFH maintains off to the side because it's RB. Besides, if we're worried so much about the whole copyright of images then why do people keep shoving RB images that are copyrighted into my Megalight theme that has somehow become standard with FOFiX.

Also death_au, if you want to use that silhouette, I'm pretty sure you can't use that because it has a copyright. If that wasn't the case then my IndieJam theme might as well have been packaged with FOFiX because all I did was take images and alter them and that's what I'm doing here.

I know that taking images and altering them does not revoke the copyright but it is fine as long as I'm not releasing the images commercially without permission. I'm releasing them as mods which are entirely free. Heck, even some companies support that kind of thing because it brings them publicity that they might not have had before.

Regarding the theme, the goal has been for some time to have a completely copyright-free theme that we can use to demonstrate the capabilities of FoFiX in a fully above-the-board way - and then distribute. The RB1 theme is (because of copyright issues) no longer any more "official" than WR's GH3 or KiD's RB2. As for the megalight theme, I'm pretty sure there have been no copyrighted images put in there. All have been created from scratch by either me, death, or Azzco - though they admittedly do look a lot like the games they are meant to mock, the art is original. (That is another goal of the new theme - to have its own look).

Death (or someone else?) has already mentioned the copyright issue with the silhouette image - and it was as such just a mockup. As it turns out, using images - even noncommercially - is not permitted under copyright except under very specific circumstances (have you ever looked at the copyright restrictions on things teachers use, for example?). You can always do whatever you want with copyrighted images (especially noncommercially) as long as the copyright holder doesn't find out and then immediately (or within a 'reasonable' time period) act - but it's not in our best interests to do that. While some companies are more than willing to release copyrighted images/trademarks for sake of publicity, it's still in our best interest to obtain the permission of the creator. Few companies are willing to release trademarks to open source games because they have minimal control over whether or not the (almost always) required "____ is a registered trademark of ____" will appear in all versions. Just because the creator doesn't know/will probably never find out about it doesn't make it okay, and if somehow they do find out and are not okay with it, it's on us to fix it. So why not just avoid the risk and stick with freely available materials as I mentioned?

[Blazemann]

Okay, with that said, unless anyone likes where I am going with This:

Then I will quit with the background, and stick with text, though I would like to help as much as possible.

[weirdpeople]

Okay, with that said, unless anyone likes where I am going with This:

Then I will quit with the background, and stick with text, though I would like to help as much as possible.

to be truthful i think its ugly

[DesertDiamond]

It is Wp.

[Blazemann]

Okay, with that said, unless anyone likes where I am going with This:
Then I will quit with the background, and stick with text, though I would like to help as much as possible.

to be truthful i think its ugly

Then I will just make tne menu texts

[death_au]

I knew the background I originally used for my mockup FoFiX mainBG could not be used because it was a copyrighted image. Slantyr made one himself to be used as well (IMO some of the edges were a bit... too jagged, but otherwise it was good).

Here's my attempt at building one from scratch, so to speak:

(click the thumbnail for larger image)

I started with a photo of a crowd, but I drew over them to make the "silhouette". I then added some self made silhouettes based off some hand signal usb sticks I found on the internet. I then added the band members which were self made silhouettes based off figurines of famous rock stars from http://www.rock-n-roll-action-figures.com (and one off eBay). The drum kit is a silhouette of a "finger drum" which seems to be a popular gift at internet stores.
I would appreciate if someone with more knowledge on the licensing side of things would asses how suitable that is for us to use.

Also... what do you think of the image itself?

Now to see if I can't figure out how PaulTechNox managed to back-light the logo so awesomely as he did back in the logo ideas thread

[NBSRDan]

Here's an idea I don't think anyone's already thought of:

Have a translucent horizontal bar across the fret buttons, tinting them brighter or darker depending on how far the the bar reaches. The notes sparkle when the orange note is completely filled and shake when the green note is partially depleted.

I'm not a coder, but I can make an example image...


The left player is doing badly, while the right player is doing well. Ignore the fact that it's actually a joint system.

[Blazemann]

Great job. I am going to formally split from the FoFiX Theme Project to create my own theme, It is about time I did. It will be a light theme, not as in megalight, but as in light.