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Re: (TFT) Rules for the newbies
From: JodyM529@aol.com
Fellow listers:
Ya know it really is a funny thing how a defunct game system
tends to stay that way when the average inquiring joe has to
either (1) surf ten different used game websites for six
months or (2) shell out upwards of $150.00 on e-bay just to
acquire a copy of the core rules.
Do you guys think this might somehow contribute to the present
situation where there are only a handful of TFT players
nationwide?
Does anyone know what Howard Thompson thinks?
Just wondering in Cidri,
Jody,
You are not going to be able to provoke us into breaking the copyright
laws. We have been wrestling with this subject for some years. Beleive me
when I say it "tears me up" that I can't just send a photocopied set over to
your address. The only loop hole we have found is that one may make some
copies for "their own personal use". In this vein the Mnoren Librarium was
started. Till it re-opens this following is all I can offer. Oh, by the
way, I did find a copy for sale in a local gaming by rapping with the owner.
My brother snatched it up though. Apparently some shops don't know they
have old copies.
Here is the outline of a thread from June 2000. It talks about attempts
to revive TFT with out being sued. The posts here are seriously summarized.
To read the whole thing use the links below. At the very end is a
straight list of links. These go to Howard Thompson related discusions.
Lastly is the group of pertinant links to the "Howard Thompson Found!"
thread.
David Michael Grouchy II
Origianl thread subject:
(TFT) How to revive TFT without invoking a Summon Lawyer spell
Bulgan Tanner:
Started the thread by asking
"I was wondering . . . assume Steve Jackson had purchased the game from
HT. What changes do you think he would have made in a new edition?"
http://tft.brainiac.com/archive/0006/msg00256.html
John Paul Bakshoian:
Replied
"I would say that he would have only done minor tweeks."
http://tft.brainiac.com/archive/0006/msg00267.html
Dave Seagraves:
Makes the legal observations
"Didn't someone here on the list mention this? (paraphrased) 'The game
itself can't be copyrighted, only a particular /description/ of the game can
be copyrighted.' "
http://tft.brainiac.com/archive/0006/msg00271.html
Brad Thompson (any relation?):
Clarifys Dave's leagal observations
"This is true as far as it goes, but the proper term is 'expression'
rather than 'description' (it applies to more than just text)."
http://tft.brainiac.com/archive/0006/msg00315.html
Rick Smith:
Adds this comment.
"I absolutely don't agree to this (gaining the rights to TFT by
slightly rewriting the rules). If you do new material you are welcome to
copyright it, but it is wrong to steal TFT from HT. "
http://tft.brainiac.com/archive/0006/msg00433.html
JodyM529:
Lightens the mood a little with this comment to Dave Seagraves.
"Bless you. Are you thinking about starting a form of therapy based on
your views of copyright? IMHO some of the listers are hurtin' pretty bad in
this regard."
http://tft.brainiac.com/archive/0006/msg00291.html
Dave Seagraves:
Makes this bold statement, but ends by saying the lawyers would
probably get him.
"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."
http://tft.brainiac.com/archive/0006/msg00317.html
Dan Tulloh:
Chimes in.
"I'm unfamiliar with this term [copy left]. Can someone explain it to
me? "
http://tft.brainiac.com/archive/0006/msg00318.html
Brad Thompson:
Again, this time comenting to Dave Segraves 'scanner' joke. He further
goes on to write several detailed instructions on how to put TFT in one's
'own words' and make it legal.
"This isn't quite kosher, since you are directly deriving from the
work. If they could show that you did that (and this email would certainly
help them), then it would be a violation of copyright even if they were all
your own words."
http://tft.brainiac.com/archive/0006/msg00340.html
Dave Seagraves:
Replies to Brads' 're-write-in-own-words' approach with
"Nah . . . too much trouble. If I want to go through that much effort
then I might as well design my own RPG."
http://tft.brainiac.com/archive/0006/msg00342.html
Joe Hartley: The Psychological state of Howard Thompson
http://tft.brainiac.com/cgi-bin/wilma_hiliter/tft/0006/msg00115.html?line=24#hilite
Brennan O'Brien: Buying TFT from Howard Thomspon
http://tft.brainiac.com/cgi-bin/wilma_hiliter/tft/0006/msg00097.html?line=50#hilite
And lastly here is the "Howard Thompson Found!" thread. This is a very
interesting read. I recomend it highly.
<http://www.brainiac.com/cgi-bin/wilma_hiliter/tft/9908/msg00438.html>
<http://www.brainiac.com/cgi-bin/wilma_hiliter/tft/9908/msg00449.html>
<http://www.brainiac.com/cgi-bin/wilma_hiliter/tft/9908/msg00452.html>
<http://www.brainiac.com/cgi-bin/wilma_hiliter/tft/9908/msg00455.html>
<http://www.brainiac.com/cgi-bin/wilma_hiliter/tft/9908/msg00468.html>
http://www.brainiac.com/cgi-bin/wilma_hiliter/tft/9910/msg00020.html?line=40#hilite
<http://www.brainiac.com/cgi-bin/wilma_hiliter/tft/9910/msg00020.html?line=40>
http://www.brainiac.com/cgi-bin/wilma_hiliter/tft/9910/msg00020.html?line=40#hilite
<http://www.brainiac.com/cgi-bin/wilma_hiliter/tft/9910/msg00020.html?line=40>
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