Protecting the Traveller Brand

[MJD]

I suppose I have a vested interest in protecting the good name of the Traveller brand, what with my involvement in the new Mongoose version and having a bunch of products on sale. And I'm concerned about that good name as a result of recent events.

I'm referring of course to the kickstarter-funded Spinward Traveller. For the record, I have no involvement with this and have never had any. I do think I have a reason to be concerned about the implications, however.

There seems to be a lot of controversy around this project (putting it mildly) and numerous disgruntled backers. These are people who backed a Traveller project and are - it would appear - becoming frustrated over how it has proceeded. Now, I know that FFE is not directly responsible for any of this but the Spinward Traveller situation will affect the reputation of the Traveller brand.

That translates to reduced confidence in future kickstarters or other projects, which could affect their viability. Those of us who are producing and delivering quality products could lose out as a result. I think I'd like to see some sort of official statement from FFE about the situation - again, not because FFE is responsible for the situation itself, but because it might help reduce the fallout if the Spinward Traveller situation goes where it looks like it might.

Or - and this would be much better - I'd like to see some indication that things are getting back on track. Maybe they are, and we just don't know it. But essentially we have a situation where there is a lot of speculation and little concrete information surorunding a project that does not seem to be going to plan... and that's not good for the Traveller brand.

 

[Baltech Budapest]

I feel the same way as you MJD, but one quick glance at Marc's Traveller novel Kickstarter says to me that the Traveller brand has not been affected by the Spinward Traveller project.
Having said that, if Spinward Traveller does go the way we think it will then I would certainly like to see FFE publicly disassociate from it.

 

[aramis]

Martin - it's not just the Traveller brand that's being damaged by it. Kenzer & Co's Knights of the Dinner Table is being dragged through the mud as well... because Ken's apparently not fulfilling that one, either, based upon the issues being raised there.

Ken recently posted that he's moving back to Georgia from Kentucky... (KODT LA comment to backers - http:://www.kickstarter.com/projects/d20e/kodt-live-action-series/comments?cursor=11588662#comment-11588661 )
Also note that, in september, it was posted that the Kentucky Attorney-General was beginning an investigation. http://notanotherdime.blogspot.com/2015/09/20150922-ken-whitman-is-on-kentucky.html
I've seen other posts in other locations that various parties are filing with their state AG's...

This may or may not be coincidence.

 

[MJD]

Yeah, I know there are plenty of other people affected by Ken's... whatever you call it. I stopped dealing with him long ago after not getting paid for work - twice. But my concern is mainly for the Traveller brand, for obvious reasons.

 

[salochin999]

To be honest I think succeed or fail it will increase the number of people thinking a Traveller based scifi series would be a good idea because it's kinda made for it really - either a Dumarest style one or an OTU one.

 

[aramis]

Yeah, I know there are plenty of other people affected by Ken's... whatever you call it. I stopped dealing with him long ago after not getting paid for work - twice. But my concern is mainly for the Traveller brand, for obvious reasons.

Part of the problem is that the equipment for KODTLA and for SpinTrav are bought out of funds from both...

But there's another pirate out there damaging the Traveller brand, too...

It looks like James Shipman, Esq., has decided to start reprinting Traveller materials... without contacting the authors nor securing a trademark use license from Marc. James is well known in the T&T community for his various "Outlaw Press" Offerings... some of which were actually licensed, but used Art he lacked rights to; others he had no rights to at all.

 

[MJD]

I know the name but I'm not familar with the individual.

 

[casquilho]

Guess I am the odd man out on this. The fact a particular dweeb suckered people out of money and seems to be getting away with it does not, in any way, make me like Traveller less nor do I lump him and Marc together either. I have no issue placing a pledge backing Marc's newest effort on Kick Starter.

I pray those who were tricked by the whole "Spinward Traveller" KS will see justice served. But I do not understand those who might hold back from supporting Marc because of it.

But I do understand this is just me and how I see it. Others will disagree with me of course.

 

[MJD]

It's not Marc as such, it's the brand as a whole. If the name Traveller becomes associated with failure to deliver or rubbish product, that affects everyone operating under the banner.

 

[kilemall]

It's not Marc as such, it's the brand as a whole. If the name Traveller becomes associated with failure to deliver or rubbish product, that affects everyone operating under the banner.

Which suggests that the terms of the license going forward needs to have good citizen/business clauses and the possibility of pulling the license for breach of contracts that are sustained in a court of law.

 

[b0k]

I'm new to Traveller and I can tell Spinward Traveller is bad.

 

[whartung]

I dunno, seems Ken Whitman is getting the heat for this, not Traveller in general. Ken is not Traveller. If this were Marc, then it would be different.

But just seems to me that the black marks on all of this are landing on the people responsible, not the brand or other products.

 

[MJD]

Hopefully the blame will fall where it's due.

 

[DonM]

Again,[m;] people with legitimate claims against Spinward Traveller should contact Marc Miller directly.[/m;]