RE: (TFT) Steve Jackson's Thoughts

["Dave Seagraves" <dseagraves@austin.rr.com>]

Brad writes . . .

>So, your handling of copyright issues begs the question: Why not release
>a combined Melee/Wizard updated for the 21st century written in your own
>words and format, but with the same basic mechanics of TFT?  Then you
>can spend the $2-5k you would have spent on licensing on something like
>printing & publication.  It won't fix the problems of Cidri, the Mnoren
>and Prootwadles still being Howard Thompson's IP, but it will get a
>fresh version of TFT out for everyone to enjoy.

   I was tempted to buy a flatbed scanner with some OCR software, scan AM,
AW, and ITL, and then reorganize and edit the whole into my own creation.
At the very least I would have distributed it just to the players in my
campaign here in Austin, and probably wouldn't publish it for sale anywhere.
   It wouldn't be my game design, just my writing, so it would still be
necessary (and fair) to credit Steve for the game /design/.  Also, I'm sure
that if I did publish soon afterwards I'd be hearing from HT and his
lawyers!  It wouldn't be worth the legal hassle.

>Also, have you considered releasing the material under the FSF's
>Free Documentation License or the new Open Gaming License?  Either
>of these copy-left style licenses would guarantee that no single
>person ever gained control of TFT ever again.

   Yes, I have.  Not a bad idea, but even then I imagine Howard would still
come looking for me.
   But instead of copying Steve I'm working on my own RPG design (working
title /Zilch/).  Copy-left might be a good way to handle it once it's
something good enough to show to other people.  Or I might make the game
something you /subscribe to/ instead of buy.

Dave Seagraves
Seagraves Mutual Fund   dseagraves@austin.rr.com   1 (512) 255-2760
Current fund value: $1.83 per share.


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