Re: Re: Re: out of print games and copyrights

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: out of print games and copyrights

Comments:
: : My thinking is I can write rules for any existing copywrited game, as long as I don't plagiarize, i.e. it's the specific prose and diagrams of the rules document that's copyrighted. If I'm successful, you would be unable to detect any differences while observing 2 groups play the game using the original rules and rewritten rules respectively. This would be like rewriting a Civil War history book by extracting facts from prose from the original and replacing the prose around the same facts with my own. : : Two gray areas (to me) exist. First is the relationship of the rewritten rules to the copyrighted physical components of the game. Can I include images of components under fair usage? Important because the goal is to reuse the existing physical game. : : Second would be "derived" technical information. For example, speed, ammo capacity, and vehicle reliability data. This information exists for WWII tanks, however it takes quite a bit of research to uncover it. To make use of it in a game requires some manipulation (scaling) to make it work nicely. This scaling is where "derived" nature of the data comes in, along with a good part of the elbow grease of game development. Would this type of information be protected? To me, this is the toughest issue to overcome. : Dear ScottO, : C'mon, if you want legal advice you are going to have to pay. I don't see the simplicity that you seem to feel. If I were your adversary, I think I could give you a hard time if not catch you with your pants down. : M. Arthur Auslander : Auslander & Thomas-Intellectual Property Law Since 1909 : 505 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10018 : 212-594-6900, fax 212-244-0028, aus@auslander.com : ELAINE's Workshop® : E arly L egal A dvice I s N ot E xpensive(sm)

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