Re: (TFT) TFT: Middle Earth

[Joe Hartley <jh@brainiac.com>]

"Patrick Keleher" <patkeleher@hotmail.com> wrote:
> ... I'm certain without asking 
> permission to do so.  And I doubt that Harvard Lampoon had permission from 
> Tolkien's estate to publish 'Bored of the Rings'.

It wasn't needed; parody is considered protected by the First Amendment
here in the US - a right defended in the Supreme Court by MAD magazine!
Thanks, Bill Gaines!

>  As long as you aren't 
> putting out a blatant plagarization or intending to make money off of the 
> adventure I wouldn't even have bothered to ask for permission -- since the 
> estate has already been paid by commercial interests for use of J.R.R.'s 
> creations, they kind of have to say no if asked by anyone else.

The profit factor is irrelevant to the copyright.

> In other words, if you really think that what you have is a watered-down 
> generic wilderness trek which relies solely on references to LoTR to make it 
> interesting then it probably won't be much fun to play -- from your 
> enthusiasm for your friend's work, though, I suspect the adventure is strong 
> enough to stand on its own.  Change names, extrapolate original encounters, 
> make nudging references only fans will understand, and do it with respect 
> and affection for the trilogy.

Yup.  It's possible to capture the feel of Middle-Earth without using a
single Tolkien reference - just ask Terry Brooks!  The adventure should stand
on its own, whether you use Gandalf and Sauron or Frux and G'zuntite.


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       Joe Hartley - UNIX/network Consultant - jh@brainiac.com
     12 Emma G Lane, Narragansett, RI  02882 - vox 401.782.9042
Without deviation from the norm, "progress" is not possible. - FZappa

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