Re: [HoE] Re: Copyright

[Reverend Grimme <aniballi@mc.net>]

>
> In the RPG business, or comic business... protecting a trademark can be
> important if you want to introduce a product into the market at some later
> date. If Todd McFairlaine ever gets around to licensing a RPG for his Spawn
> character, he's probably going to want to be damned sure no other RPGs out
> there are already called "Spawn".

Oddly enough this is preciesly the reason Palladium Books changed the name of
it's Nightspawn RPG to the less potetialy infringing 'Night Bane', well that
protects them from 'The Wrath Of Todd', even if the game bears little or no
resemblance to Spawn. What it doesn't change is that Nightspawn, or bane,
whichever you prefer, is just a piss-poor knock off of Call of Cthulhu, with a
big fat wedge of Rifts slammed in there for both 1)good measure, 2)
munchkin-satisfaction and 3) to "Prove" that no RPG *ever* can exist without
'mega-conflict' capability. But hell, this is getting off the whole copyright
subject, long story short (too late)  even in RPGs, where companys are generaly
small, and usually friendly, it's just better to CYOA, infringing or not. Well,
that and I can just add that WW should personaly apologize to Shane while he
boastingly sits as top dog guest of honor at GEN CON, oh yeah, and pick up the
tab for this years listserv dinner.

Chris "Doesn't like Whit Wolf, but he's drinkin' if they're buyin' " Aniballi