Character use and story line Grey line verses Violation
 

Ok so if I build a mission and that mission and it has the enterprise e and then a bald guy that is named Captain of the enterprise is that a grey area or a violation? If I have a Vulcan who is old and wearing white robes and I call him Vulcan Ambassador is that grey or a violation. If I have a admiral that has grey hair and named Admiral Jellico is that crossing the line or a grey area.(In this one I am thinking of Captain Edward Jellico but someone else might have made an old guy and called him Jellico because that is their family name or what not.) Please feel free to answer each one or summarize it. I am kinda not sure after reading stuff am I allowed to have a starship that flies in and saves the day called Enterprise?
My questions are very sincere here. In addition I am wondering can we honestly write a mission in the foundry that isn't copyrighting somehow someway? I mean Star Trek has been around for what 40 years now? Don't you think that if you research enough that you can tie every single mission in the Foundry to either an episode or a book somehow?????

If you have to ask, assume it's a violation and do something else.

I suggest you play some of the missions people list here as the best ones, story wise. You can make great missions that are totally your own without referring to any character seen before. Or you can mention something in a log report, as having been a similar encounter. "Didn't the Excalibur encounter a rift like this 20 years ago?" Then pull up some references, but limit it to that and take it your own way from there.

I appreciate the input but that doesn't work for me.

I have been playing there missions I think the Grand Nagus guy was suggesting the other day if you are going to do something like I was referring to and that was kinda what got me on this train of thought. Another thing I wonder is ------ my character I play is named Mac Calhoun and my bridge officers are all named after the characters of STNF. They have been that way since Beta. I wonder if that is a violation?

Its pretty long, but you might want to read this thread:

http://forums.startrekonline.com/sho...d.php?t=208078

There are several Dev responses towards the end that clear up exactly what you can or cant do. Specifically this one:

http://forums.startrekonline.com/sho...90#post3464290

Thanks you know I will :)

So nagus I have finally finished reading that incredibly long post. If I am correct in reading it all. The official voice of it says Do not put Jean Luc Picard in the mission physically reference him by way of another officer. What still seems to be fair game as it was never truly hit on was what one dude showed in his posting.

Originally Posted by Foundry EULA
New Game Materials may utilize the Star Trek Properties as provided by CBS and Cryptic Studios unless otherwise specified in the Prohibited Section below. You may use the names of characters (past or present) from the Star Trek Properties.
[...]
You may not use the first or last names, likenesses, or other depictions of any actors appearing in, or writers, directors, or producers of the Star Trek Properties.
[...]
You may not use New Game Materials to depict any likeness of any real person (historical or present day).

Which to me I get the impression and understanding. I go in and edit my missions so that my people are for example a bald guy named Captain of the Enterprise. Is that going to be pulled? If it is a white bald guy yea but if it is a black bald guy no.

If I make a vulcan who is old and has white robes and call him a vulcan ambassdor that is pretty much standing on the line and daring to jump over it and at times actually jumping over ,but still something they can only pull if I go further and make it clear WHO the Vulcan Ambassador is.

If I use a character that is named Admiral Jellico or Admiral Nech a simple way of getting buy with Jellico is a female and Nech is a male. Which funny enough Jellico was a girl personality wise and Nech was a butch.

I am serious here ,because one of my missions I put literally 24 hours of my awake time into it. I don't want it pulled or deleted.

Then you are choosing to risk having your hard work deleted. If that's your choice, don't complain when it happens.

IIRC, you also can't use the name Enterprise, or any other established main ship's name. (Voyager, Defiant, etc.) From the sound of things you don't actually need these characters to be the exact characters that you are basing them on anyway, why not come up with some new names, that way, you avoid these issues entirely.