Quote:So I only get copyright to my 5 years, let's say. When do we start counting?
same as current copyright, from the moment of publication.
Quote:Also, what is copyrighted? Do I get rights to my characters and plot? Or just my actual story? Or just the actual literal story I made. If I create say, the next Harry Potter and someone makes another Harry Potter novel and starts selling it in stores at the same time as mine do I get to dispute this?
that depends on what you mean by next harry potter. say harry potter has lapsed into public domain and then you write a continuation, and someone else does too, then you don't get to dispute it, but if they make a continuation of your continuation then you could dispute it. Thta is the way it currently works too, but it has been a while since something went into public domain.
Quote:...uh, nothing I guess.
Yup, it sucks but it is also a relatively rare edge case. the exact same thing could happen with any fixed length term, although if it's 100 years it's midly unlikely you will still be alive for it.
Quote:I guess I get jack and shit for that, too.
You get free advertising and name recognition. it's not much I'll grant you, but the same can easily happen with any fixed term. There will always be things that will still be profitable at the end of their term, star wars for instance is probably still turning a tidy profit, but almost everything else of the same vintage is out of print. Would it be fair to lucas if others can profit by building on his work? By your argument, no. but you still have to decide some length to be fair, what should it be? 1000 years? 150 years? 50 years? 10 years? 2 days? It depends on what you want to maximize, but economic studies give some good guidelines. Regardless of what you pick some people will get screwed over, this is unavoidable.
Quote:The development time for a decent video game can run years by itself.
which is why movie tie in video games are rarely decent to offset the cost of the licence they must release it soon after the movie or whatever meaning it's a rush job. they are also usualy developed while the movie is being filmed, or the basic game is made and then the artwork is plugged in at the final minute to make it similar to a suitable movie.
E: "Did they... did they just endorse the combination of the JSDF and US Army by showing them as two lesbian lolicons moving in together and holding hands and talking about how 'intimate' they were?"
B: "Have you forgotten so soon? They're phasing out Don't Ask, Don't Tell."