Vargr Breath
SOC-13
Well Matt, what if you order one of us to the Tower for posting violations?
General I read the news today, oh boy...
- Thread starter Spinward Scout
- Start date
I think I am going to step out beyond what is prudent.
Some of this timing is probably my fault. Innuendos and rumors began to appear in posts, so I reached out to Marc so COTI could REJECT them as completely false, CONFIM a new path to publish CT, MT, T4, TNE material, or CLARIFY what was really going on. [Within 12 hours or so, Mongoose Matt had made an official announcement ... coincidence, I think not ... and Marc sent me a short response.]
I have no secret inside information to share. I read the same notifications you all read. I have followed the "Avery" posts over the YEARS in the MOOT SPIRE. I see this as nothing more than plans in place to protect the future of Traveller. It comes as a shock to none of us that NOBODY lives forever. It seems to me that Marc wanted a mechanism in place for Traveller to survive past him.
I have been on COTI long enough to remember when Hunter and T20 created this place and how its survival after Hunter was due in no small part to a herculean effort by both Marc and the Administrators/Moderators of the board at that time. THEY, as people that LOVED the Traveller game and universe put forth the effort to transition COTI to new owners and servers and to keep it running "day to day" while this happened.
What I see here is Marc setting in place a mechanism for the far more complex task of IP transfer to keep all of Traveller alive after old farts (like so many of US) are gone. How many have we said "goodbye" to already?
There are genuine and legitimate concerns about what this means for things like T5 and CE. However, I offer several observations that set the tone for me and leave me with hope:
We old grognards will always have our LBB5 and FF&S to argue over.
CE is Fair Use/Creative Commons/OGL and has already survived the WotC crisis and MGT2ed crisis (plus whatever else threatened it that I missed) ... OGL Clones are here to stay and will continue to adapt and thrive.
I suggest a little faith in "good faith" is probably in order.
Some of this timing is probably my fault. Innuendos and rumors began to appear in posts, so I reached out to Marc so COTI could REJECT them as completely false, CONFIM a new path to publish CT, MT, T4, TNE material, or CLARIFY what was really going on. [Within 12 hours or so, Mongoose Matt had made an official announcement ... coincidence, I think not ... and Marc sent me a short response.]
I have no secret inside information to share. I read the same notifications you all read. I have followed the "Avery" posts over the YEARS in the MOOT SPIRE. I see this as nothing more than plans in place to protect the future of Traveller. It comes as a shock to none of us that NOBODY lives forever. It seems to me that Marc wanted a mechanism in place for Traveller to survive past him.
I have been on COTI long enough to remember when Hunter and T20 created this place and how its survival after Hunter was due in no small part to a herculean effort by both Marc and the Administrators/Moderators of the board at that time. THEY, as people that LOVED the Traveller game and universe put forth the effort to transition COTI to new owners and servers and to keep it running "day to day" while this happened.
What I see here is Marc setting in place a mechanism for the far more complex task of IP transfer to keep all of Traveller alive after old farts (like so many of US) are gone. How many have we said "goodbye" to already?
There are genuine and legitimate concerns about what this means for things like T5 and CE. However, I offer several observations that set the tone for me and leave me with hope:
- I know (have met and worked with) many of these people ... they all love Traveller.
- Marc is still as active as he desires for as long as he is able (by mutual agreement of both parties) ... making this a passing of the torch more than a sale.
- The announcement was as flexible as "after Marc passes" to "the 50th anniversary" ... suggesting no imminent hurry to change things but more of a long-term plan.
We old grognards will always have our LBB5 and FF&S to argue over.
CE is Fair Use/Creative Commons/OGL and has already survived the WotC crisis and MGT2ed crisis (plus whatever else threatened it that I missed) ... OGL Clones are here to stay and will continue to adapt and thrive.
I suggest a little faith in "good faith" is probably in order.
Dank Nyland
SOC-7
Please excuse my ignorance, what was the "MGT2ed crisis"? 
I am aware of some of the details, but fuzzy on others. A summary would be that under Mongoose Traveller 1ed, there was one way to publish Traveller Material on DTRPG using MGT1ed material and some logos. About the time Mongoose Traveller 2ed came out, the OLD way of publishing using MGT IP was terminated and a new way was created and there might have been a gap between the two.Please excuse my ignorance, what was the "MGT2ed crisis"?
What I remember was a LOT of 3rd Party Publishers spilling a LOT of electrons in concern and many products being withdrawn, edited and re-released under another type of License. It was all technical and related to publishing rights.
Dank Nyland
SOC-7
Thank you!
Timerover51
SOC-14 5K
You will not hear from me again.
This is actually a thing.Well Matt, what if you order one of us to the Tower for posting violations?
So that is who the big fuss is about in Warhammer 40K?
The lack of understanding of British Law on many American's parts, not you personally Matt is the concern, I think. You seem a reasonable standup fellow. However as a business person, you need to decide what you can and cannot allow for you company's wellbeing.
- New content in itself some people will moan and bitch about till they are blue in the face. That is not the problem in general.
- Americans who drop ideas of content may have legitimate concern now about posting here on COTI vs Mongoose Publishing forums. As previous posters have stated, this worry about public domain vs. not public domain seems but one and involves publishing.
- MY CONCERN because of major news services in the US reporting about UK citizens arrested for posting innofensive (by American standards) comments. It is a meaty one on my part Matt. When the mood strikes me, I write vastly irreverent things with humorous intent, like my years of commenting on My Little Ponies of Death. They are usually Not Politically Correct. I, perhaps others, have concern regarding possible policy changes to this board because mebbe we will offend European sensibilities: i.e. can I post dead baby jokes or jokes about quadrepeligic swimmers named Bob? Sure they are tasteless, but since 1960's-1970's Don Rickles is my spirit animal, I don't see feel it is a problem. So what happens when some individual who feels offended by my tasteless commentary?
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Don't really get where you are going on the first two - can you give more details?
As for the last, I'm with you.
We do not police these forums, there are people who do that and have done so for a long time - we have no reason to stick our big oar into things. The only possible reason I can see is if someone starts engaging in actual hate speech. But everyone has been cool up to now, so why would that change?
I am summarizing concerns. Thanks for responding.
The first is a general statement regarding "new" content. Those who live in the past of the game still have valuable info, but U Do U.
Can you speak to publishing concerns for others here Does the transfer of Inellectual Property materially change publishing and ownerships of content because it will be UK hands not US hands.
Bannning and other punishments for posters who may seem "out there".
Vargr Breath
SOC-13
Do I now get a discount on all Traveller products, being that I'm Lord Austin of Glencoe.
People are free to post here, we are not interested in limiting what fans of Traveller can do. They only real line, I think, is when people want to start charging for Traveller-based things, and that is more a matter of protecting Traveller rather than trying to squish projects - and people are always welcome to contact us if they are ever unsure about things.
Think that is what you meant?
As for the last bit, the general principle will always be 'are they being deliberately nasty?' Just common manners and decency, I think?
Marcatlas
SOC-12
I know, I have heard from friends in the Midlands. Hurts my heart to see that in the mother country.
Definitely!This makes me feel old.
I remember purchasing my 'collection' of CT books at the hobby store when they came out. I still have them, unlike my original D&D books.
Vargr Breath
SOC-13
Same with me. I remember how much fun it was to find a new little Traveller book in the store, then taking it home and reading it.
100%, this.
May I ask a question born out of my ignorance?
What has FFE and Mongoose already done to/for Cepheus Engine (and its publishers) that CAN be changed?
(I was under the impression that OGLs are forever and things now in Open Content are safe in Open Content - including future derivatives - until and unless there is a major COURT decision that changes the enforcement/interpretation of Laws.)
So is there any power in FFE or Mongoose beyond choosing to make future T5 or MgT work OGL/Open Content?
I really want to understand your concern (I root for 3PP).
Based upon the lawyers commenting on the attempted deletion of the OGL by Wizards... probably will stand up in the US, and the OGL is an artifact of US and Washington State laws.'
The reason d20 titles dried up was the other license: The d20 System Trademark License. The indications of D&D compatibility required the use of the very clearly terminable d20 STL. Pull the indications, and reprint? Sure!
