Do you think this is too much like stealing?

Marscaleb

So, there is this fun little addition that Camelot made to the Shining series. When the game starts up, at about the point where you are selecting a save slot, they present the story of the game as being told or read to you. You see a character (usually with a book) and when you select your save slot they “read to you” the game that you play.

I have always thought this was a really fun addition to these games; it makes the fantasy setting seem all the more, well, fantasy.

I keep thinking that I would love to add this same element into my games.

I'm confident this is legally permissible, but I'm really trying to gauge if this is something the general public would frown upon; would this reflect poorly upon me and my work?  Would people see this as stealing and ripping off, or would people see it as homage and pastiche?

It is worth noting that I am not thinking of doing this just for one title; I'd like to build several games within the world that I am creating, and if I use this element, I'd like to use it for all of them.

Examples from the Shining series:

sprunghunt

Marscaleb said:

So, there is this fun little addition that Camelot made to the Shining series. When the game starts up, at about the point where you are selecting a save slot, they present the story of the game as being told or read to you. You see a character (usually with a book) and when you select your save slot they “read to you” the game that you play.

I have always thought this was a really fun addition to these games; it makes the fantasy setting seem all the more, well, fantasy.

I keep thinking that I would love to add this same element into my games.

I'm confident this is legally permissible, but I'm really trying to gauge if this is something the general public would frown upon; would this reflect poorly upon me and my work?  Would people see this as stealing and ripping off, or would people see it as homage and pastiche?

It is worth noting that I am not thinking of doing this just for one title; I'd like to build several games within the world that I am creating, and if I use this element, I'd like to use it for all of them.

Examples from the Shining series:

It's fine. You didn't notice that Camelot was copying A Bards Tale from 1985 did you? 

and there's this:

https://youtu.be/R-e2Qcr02dg

Marscaleb

sprunghunt said:
It's fine. You didn't notice that Camelot was copying A Bards Tale from 1985 did you? 

and there's this:

I honestly did think of Princess Bride, yes.  But that's not a video game.
I guess I didn't play that version of Bard's Tale.  But even so, this is a strikingly short list of examples.

CheeseOnToast

Framing a story like this is a very old device. I think the majority of people would see it as a homage / easter egg at worst.

Joopson

CheeseOnToast said:

Framing a story like this is a very old device. I think the majority of people would see it as a homage / easter egg at worst.

Exactly this. Even books do it, in some ways. It's an interesting way of breaking the 4th wall in a way that doesn't directly dissolve immersion; it places a layer between the player and the game, but a layer that enhances the mood.

I like it, I'd say go for it.

poopipe

We got to this point in our development as a civilisation by recycling and building on ideas. 

Go forth and rip shit off with pride!  (just don't steal actual assets)