Be cooler than the cool kids

twd

@lilbud don't forget the modeling learning curve , I see so many people forget that. Buys a 3d printer then can only make a box :)

mattrixk

I always figured there would be a pretty big market for selling pre-built setups like this (obviously minus RetroPie).

Imagine being able to buy a Raspberry Pi with a custom SNES (or NES/MegaDrive/PC Engine, etc) case, with working LEDs, fan, and on/off/reset buttons. It would be great for someone like me who has no access to a 3D printer and no knowledge of wiring/electronics/LEDs etc.

All I would need to do is get my own SD card, follow provided instructions for loading RetroPie and getting the buttons/lights to work, and off I go.

There's no copyright conflict/infringement because all they are selling is the hardware, and their time and materials putting it together.

Xeon

@mattrixk Problem is trademarks and not getting nintendo or sega throw the law in your face.
You could argue we could do our own designs.

google raspberry pi retro kit
A few beat us there already.
If the links don't convince you hit images.

But if the team always wanted we could sell our own non trademarked designs with and for a small donation fee we give them a free memory card, freely loaded with retrpi "100% legal"

Were not selling the retropi, it just comes freely with the free card.

herb_fargus

@xeon read the legal page.

https://retropie.org.uk/about/legal/

The image we provide is Raspbian Lite with RetroPie pre-installed. Much of the software included in the RetroPie image have non-commercial licences. Because of this selling a pre-installed RetroPie image is not legal – this includes “giving away” a pre-installed RetroPie with your commercial product.

twd

@mattrixk yeah daft Mike did that took the money and run for the hills , nfc nes mini kit aka vapor hardware. Best of build it yourself, emulation will never have a turn key solution.

Xeon

@herb_fargus I see my bad.
Yeah this is very dark territory.

Some people out there even trying to sell the images.
Best we don't mess with the idea.

Hex

@herb_fargus Would it be legal to provide a script with the sdcard that downloads, writes, and configures the installed Retropie image?

Xeon

@hex no.
There were apps like that back in the day when the google play store was called 'the market' and this got huge flak.
Some developers sue'd google and had their content banned for life.

Hex

@Xeon any examples ?

Of what understand, I have a right to write and distribute my scripts with SD cards.
Writing a script to automate installation is not illegal.
I am neither selling the Retropie software nor distributing it.

These points end up being a legal way to do this.

Scripts can also be used by the people who have no idea how to do command line work, like my grandfather for example. He might want to play games. Do you suggest I guide him through complex instructions or just one to run the script?

mattrixk

@xeon said in Be cooler than the cool kids:

Problem is trademarks and not getting nintendo or sega throw the law in your face.
You could argue we could do our own designs.

Ahh, good point, I didn't think about the fact that the actual console designs would probably be trademarked, and selling versions of them probably falls under trademark infringement. Darn.

Running with your second point, I'd be tempted to pay for the setup I mentioned above, even if it was just in a simple black box (preferably with in-built 1TB hard drive).

Darksavior

The script inside a device to illegally install stuff's been done...I encountered some android media box that has a link to a script that auto downloads kodi and a bunch illegal repos. Keeps their box legal. That's also how the Retroengine Sigma did it.

Hex

@Darksavior Selling/Distributing script that downloads illegal stuff is probably illegal. PopcornTime, Kodi illegal extentions, for example

Retropie is perfectly legal so my approach would likely be legal too. Retropie has non-commercial clause so I cannot distribute it. I can although have the user install it automatically, stepping around this restriction.

Xeon

@hex
https://www.tomsguide.com/us/id-Software-Google-android-Doom,news-5358.html

https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/72810-what-happened-to-doom-touch/

There were false DCMA claims from ID Software.
Some ports were not distributing any wads but were removed never to be seen ag

Also:
@herb_fargus
Some handy code here, hope the retropie coders will look thru it.
https://github.com/emileb?tab=repositories

I tested this beloko dude's ports.
Here's his git.
He has another hidden git somewhere been trying to get him to share his ports with the retropie team because they are very functional.

mostly love these.
https://github.com/emileb/OpenGames
Tested them all on droid.
we must port to pi

He also has a working port of commander keen.