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I'm writing a storygame, and I'm putting a lot of effort into it. I just want to make sure that nobody publishes it somewhere else (not on this site) and claims it as their own. So tell me, if I publish an all-original content storygame on this site, does copyright apply? And if it doesn't automatically, then how do I get itcopyrighted?

Technically speaking, according to the site as soon as you upload stuff Alex (the owner) has the right to do whatever he wants with it:

"You further agree to grant to HALOGEN STUDIOS a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual license, with the right to sublicense, to reproduce, transmit, distribute, create any derivative works of, publicly use or display any materials or other information (including, but not limited to, ideas, concepts or techniques for new or improved services and products) you publish to the Web site by any means or by any media now known or hereafter developed."

So if you're that concerned over copyright, dont post it here.

Though this may be the part you're more concerned with:

"The entire contents of the Web site are copyrighted under the United States copyright laws. HALOGEN STUDIOS is the exclusive owner of the copyright. You may print and download portions of the materials solely for your non-commercial use. Reproduction of any content from ChooseYourStory.com is permitted as long as you obtain express written permission of HALOGEN STUDIOS. Any other copying, redistribution, publication or retransmission of any portion of Web site material, is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of HALOGEN STUDIOS."

So others legally can't repost it, but legally it's owned by CYS (though I think mods once confirmed Alex doesn't consider the storygames his).

Does this extend to unpublished stuff, or stuff that is taken off of the site and isn't on it anymore?

Unpublished stuff is still on the site, so probably.

If it's taken off then probably not.

Like I said though, I'm pretty sure Alex or a mod at some point confirmed that legally they consider the work to be the authors, and this was all just blanket legal jargon to cover the site's ass.

Well, it's not like I'm planning on making money off of the game itself - I'd just like to know if, hypothetically, one could, say, sell merchandise from the story one wrote, like crafting objects that the characters own and selling them online.

Yeah sure why not? As long as you aren't claiming something that isn't true

Is anyone going to reply properly to this?

My reply wasn't proper enough for you. Yes, you could do this assuming you follow all of your local laws and pay taxes on your earnings.

My reply wasn't proper enough for you? Yes, you could do this assuming you follow all of your local laws and pay taxes on your earnings.

Sorry, it's just that you didn't seem to have read the other person's reply, where I learned that legally what I write on this site belongs to the website owner, and not me. I just want to know if he would allow me to sell game-based merchandise if it garnered enough fans.

This seems...uh. This can't possibly be a normal thing for a writing site. Because holy shit.

Well, it's not like most people are here looking to get published....This site is mainly for having fun, from what I can see. I'm just curious as to whether I could profit from making cool merch if my game ever becomes popular.

I don't think it could ever become so popular here that merchandise would be anywhere near profitable enough to be worth your time. But if it did then more power to you

Thanks! But my main goal is simply for people to enjoy what I've written, hence the not worrying quite so much about owning the work itself. I've just been short of cash lately, so this sort of thing is often coming to mind for me. XD

I think most writing sites must have something like "If it's on the site, we own/protect it". I mean, imagine all those Wattpad works of art that'd be plagiarized and stolen otherwise!

Granted, if you really wanted, you could probably take it off the site and it wouldn't be covered anymore.

Yes, under US copyright law (https://www.teachingcopyright.org/handout/copyright-faq) but really it isn't going to stop anyone from publishing elsewear. Although you could possible contact the site adminstrator and have it removed on those grounds assuming you have some way of proving ownership.

Of course by publishing it on this site, you are subject to the terms and conditions outlined by the site. Section 1 deals with copyright.

Disclamer or whatever: I'm not a lawyer and this is not meant to be legal advice

Just realized; does this thread even belong in this forum?

He's writing a story game and its not published yet. it is still about the story game itself.