The grand Change

[Johny Caddy]

In fact, our artists could unite to slightly reimagine certain assets-like tweaking a costume design or a texture-which would not only freshen up the look but solidify the game's legal standing as a distinct, original creation.

[Ligeia Tepes]

They already did that on sw with user made items and Im sure they will implement that at some point here. Some of the hairs are ones that were user made from sw that are on this game now.

[Ligeia Tepes]

what I meant by legalities is that sv devs do not own the IP rights , sw owners still do ie legally would be impossible to do what your suggesting.

[Johny Caddy]

683588266a17025b6251fbae That is exactly the creative spirit I love to see.

Speaking of art, I have nothing but respect for your work. I highly recommend everyone to visit your "Curiosity" shop-
the sculptures there are truly top-tier.

It would be a genuine pleasure to continue this in a more relaxed setting. I invite you (and anyone reading this) to stop by my Deluxe Caddy Mansion sometime.

Let’s catch a sunset by the pool, have a drink, and listen to some good Greek music. We can leave the heavy debates at the door and just share some constructive stories and good vibes. ❤️ I have some nice paintings also.

[Johny Caddy]

And regarding legal issues , I repeat Precisely! And that is the exact reason why staying still is the biggest risk. We are currently living in a "legal grey area" precisely because we are using borrowed assets.
Here is the beautiful solution:imagine if we, the community ,artists, coders, dreamers,started replacing those borrowed assets one by one.
If we remaster the items, tweak the designs, and infuse our own art into the world, we stop being a "copy" and start being an original creation.
That is the vision. Not a cash grab, but a Community Renaissance.
Let’s stop being tenants in a borrowed house. Let's roll up our sleeves, drop the greed, and work together to build a home that we actually own. That is how a true community blooms.

[Ligeia Tepes]

Ok so my concern is for the artists here, you do realize the majority of us sculpt and draw items that are made by others irl. For instance I have a whole set of Tim Burton sculpts, people are drawing anime characters, game characters, movie characters etc, creating popular toys and electronic sculptures.. If we begin to make real money off these things we can get slapped with a copyright infringement. Using protected assets, even if remade from scratch, to generate profit is generally illegal. No thanks lol

[Johny Caddy]

683588266a17025b6251fbae You hit the nail on the head regarding compliance, and I am glad you brought this up.
We must absolutely respect Intellectual Property laws. Any professional environment relies on following the rules.
But let’s be realistic about the scale of the problem. The number of items that are direct copies of copyrighted characters is not so overwhelming that it blocks the entire project. It is a hurdle, not a dead end.

We simply establish a clear regulation moving forward.

We can draw a line in the sand. We treat past items as "Legacy" (non-monetized fan art), and from this day forward, the focus for the economy shifts to Original Creation or Royalty-Free assets.

This isn't a roadblock; it is a gateway.
It encourages artists to stop relying on someone else's IP (like Tim Burton's) and start building their own brand. Tim Burton owns "Jack Skellington," but he doesn't own the "Gothic, Spooky Style." You can create in that vibe legally and brilliantly.
This challenge actually gives us a unified purpose.
It increases our commitment to the game we love because we stop just "consuming" content and start "building" a legitimate world. It transforms our time here from a simple pastime into a Legacy.
Everything has a solution if we approach it with a clear mind. We don't have to delete the past to secure the future; we just need to be smarter about how we build the next floor.

[Ligeia Tepes]

Ok but people including myself want actual jack skellington's lol I mean I have actually seen one person recreate my irl art lol I thought it was cool and yes we can make gothic items which I do both but people want horror characters etc and then what about our missions? all the money and time we spent making them? Some are directly based off movies and tv shows, your saying after the fact we cant make those items or missions anymore? if yes is the answer to that then that's a HUGE no from me. What you are describing to me makes me want to quit playing and move over to another game that wont stop my ability to make jack or create a mission based off a horror movie i love. Im willing to bet that half the people who said they agree to this would change their mind if they knew they no longer could commission art work of movies and musicians they love. I know for a fact Ive made a good dozen or more of them from a few who agreed with you on here.

[Ligeia Tepes]

I just want to add I spent almost 4 months creating an entire toy store sculpting every day til my hands cramped up and your telling me after this was implemented id have to archive my entire shop?! Heck no

[Johny Caddy]

683588266a17025b6251fbae Let’s make this even more practical, specifically regarding the currency, so we can bury this fear once and for all.
Imagine walking around the game with two pockets.
In one pocket, you have your standard Gold. This stays exactly the same. It is the currency of fun. You use it to buy your Jack Skellington figures, trade for movie-themed items, and run your shop exactly as you do today. Because it remains just "play money," it keeps the legal heat off your fan art. You can keep doing what you love without worry.
In the other pocket, we simply add the option for $VERSE. This becomes the currency of ownership, reserved for the original masterpieces and the unique assets we want to protect on the blockchain.
The beauty is that you never have to touch the second pocket if you don't want to. You can run your entire business on Gold, stay rich in Gold, and play entirely in the classic system. The new economy doesn't replace the old one; it just supports it from beneath, like a safety net that keeps the server lights on for everyone.

[Johny Caddy]

Also, consider the global reality of Fan Art on major platforms like YouTube or DeviantArt; millions of creators make tributes, missions, and sculptures based on movies every day without legal issues, precisely because they are viewed as non-commercial tributes. By keeping your movie-themed items strictly in the Gold economy, you stay in that safe, tolerated zone of 'Fan Culture,' while the blockchain layer is reserved for the fully owned originals.

[Oriella Birkin]

Loved reading this thread and all the ideas/concepts proposed! I appreciate the conversation going on here purely from a place of genuine love for this special game. I have to say, I appreciate how well thought out your idea is Johny, but I do agree with Ligeia and those who voiced similar opinions at the end of the day. We all came here to experience the game again for what it was. I do look forward to some newness, as I'm sure we all do on some level, such as maybe new items or features etc. that still feel relative to what the game originally was. There are lots of creative ways to improve the game without losing the essence of what it is at the heart.

That said, I think your idea @Johny has lots of potential and I'd love to see it implemented as its own entity. I don't know about the who or the how... but there are lots of other multiverse games that exist/have existed and also shut down (we all know SW was the best lol), and we are moving into a new world and I'd love to potentially experience a new kind of game that evolves with that world. That's not to say that it would compete with SV, it would literally be a whole other type of game. Sure it would be similar in its own ways but it would not be a SW remake. That's how I view what you're proposing @Johny.

At the end of the day everything, and everyone, is impermanent. Finding acceptance for the fact that this game will not last forever, as nothing else will either, is the natural and peaceful approach, in my opinion. We can all agree that we're all happy to be here right now in a space we love and never thought we'd get to have again, and that's all there is to it. Even if some day down the line it goes out again, it's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. <3

[Johny Caddy]

696ae5dccff50c30f36c0ec6 Oriella, your words carry the warmth of a true friend to this community, and I genuinely appreciate the peace in your message. However, I must respectfully challenge the philosophy of "impermanence."
In my professional life, I am a Dermatologist currently working on my Ph.D. thesis regarding the "Dynamics of the Extracellular Matrix In Skin Aging Process." I study the invisible architecture of the skin. The key element there is structure. Think of the "soul" of this game as the skin's glow, it is beautiful. But the technology and economy are the collagen fibers.
I have learned a vital lesson from biology: If you ignore the matrix, the structure collapses, no matter how much you love the surface. To simply accept that "this game will not last forever" feels like watching a patient fade away when we have the collagen stimulators and lasers right here on the table to regenerate it from within.
Let me share a real-world story that perfectly illustrates this.
Think about the Leaning Tower of Pisa. By the 1990s, it was on the verge of collapsing. The "natural" course of things would have been to let gravity win and watch it fall into dust. But we didn't. Engineers intervened with advanced technology, invisible counterweights, and soil extraction. Today, to the naked eye, it is the same beautiful, ancient tower. But underneath? It is supported by modern engineering that guarantees it will stand for centuries more.
That is exactly what I want for SmallVerse.
I am not proposing a separate game or a confusing "portal." I am proposing we apply those "lasers" and collagen stimulators to the foundation.
Imagine the game exactly as it is now, but with a simple Choice of Perspective added to your settings menu. You play in Classic Mode for nostalgia / or toggle VR Mode to stand in the room with your friends. Same room, same people, just a stronger, deeper experience.
And this brings me to why Digital Ownership is the true secret to longevity.
Let me share one last piece of history: The Homestead Act.
In the 19th century, to build communities in the wilderness, the government didn't just invite tourists. They offered people the right to own the land, provided they improved it. This single shift, from "visitor" to owner, is what built civilization.
When people know that the fence they paint is truly theirs, they don't just use it; they protect it.
Ultimately, this is about respect for your Time.
Your time is your most non-renewable resource. When you spend hours building a room or creating art, that effort shouldn't just be temporary data on a rental server. It should be your legacy.
What you build should belong to you, carry your signature, and hold its value forever.
Currently, we are all just tourists. By giving players Digital Property rights, we transform from tourists into "Homesteaders." We become Citizens who have a vested interest in keeping the world alive.
Oriella, quoting the poets is beautiful. "It is better to have loved and lost" is a fine sentiment for a romance. But for a community we built together?
I say: It is better to have loved and fought to keep it alive.
Let’s not write the eulogy for this game yet. Let’s stimulate the matrix, secure our legacy, and write the next chapter together.

[Dennis Desmond]

Very intersting! I approve!

[Frankie Stein]

I vote for ur proposition