Can I use WoT based names in an MMO?

[Heloc]

I'm planning on playing the MMO "Age of Conan" when it launches in a month and a half.  I'm also planning on forming a guild in the game with the name "The Band of the Red Hand".  Since this is technically copyrighted content, do I need to get written permission to do so?  If so, how?

[the dude]

that's actually a really good guild name for the hyborian age.  i doubt anyone's gonna get up in arms over a video game guild name, but you could always changed it up a bit.  red-handed band, or some such.

 

i like that though.  red-handed reavers are a staple of the conan stories.  ;D

[Graendals favourite]

Yea, not likely anyone will mind. A slight change will still retain the reference to WoT, which is cool.

 

And as long as it isn't as with Goodkind, he would write about the legendary "Band of the Brown Hand" and call it his own invention.

[Daetirion]

AFAIK the words "Band of the Red Hand" themselves (as in that phrase) is not directly trademarked and would be usable

 

'sides which, there are several World of Warcraft guilds operating on that name, i believe some in Eldar scrolls and a couple of other MMO's

 

So im sure it would be fine - the worse they can do is say you have to change your name...

[the dude]

Yea, not likely anyone will mind. A slight change will still retain the reference to WoT, which is cool.

 

And as long as it isn't as with Goodkind, he would write about the legendary "Band of the Brown Hand" and call it his own invention.

 

goodkind would also find some way to make that name literal, and try to call it high philosphy.

[Heloc]

I'm not so much worried about getting sued by Robert Jordan's estate as I am worried about GM's for the game making me change the name.  If the GM's at AoC told me that I have to change the name, it would be nice to be able to tell them that I have permission to use it.  I had read something in an interview where one of the devs, when asked about AoC's naming policy, said that they wouldn't allow names that use copyrighted material.  I suppose I could always claim that it is in reference to the Red Hand of Ulster in Ireland too.  Especially since one of the guild members was born there.

 

As long as someone brought up Goodkind, and this is my thread so I can take us off topic.  I've gotta say this.  Why are all of Richards friends and allies is the book idiots?  How many times does it take for Richard to make some outrageous claim that turns out to be true until they just start taking his word for it?  I think that, at the least, by the fifth book they would just start going along with whatever he said.  "You say that chicken isn't a chicken?  Great, lets figure out what it is then."  "Just let the horses run where they want even though it looks like we're going to ride over a cliff?  It sounds crazy to me but okay, what ever you say."

[Segurant]

You shouldn't have issues with guild names.  I've always been able to use Warders of Dragonmount or some variation of a WoT name for my guilds.  Character names are a different matter.