Traveller Developer's Pack

[Vile]

He's already dead.
What, exactly, can you do to him?

I did say "hell". :devil:

PS. Would it help to send her e-mails demanding that she let Flynn publish Stellar Reaches?

Emails? No. Money? Yes. But there's no such thing as "no win, no fee" ... :rofl:

 

[Thunderbolt]

After contacting Matthew Sprange at Mongoose, it would appear that no mention of the OTU is allowed in any of my artwork related stories.

I must now expunge all references and words like the Imperium, Hivers, Vargrs and so forth from the text, plus a 'ret-con' exercise to take it clear of the OTU. I may need to remove a picture or two as well.

Of course, I also have to update my Renderosity gallery, since it has the text too.

Darn !!

 

[rust]

I must now expunge all references and words like the Imperium, Hivers, Vargrs and so forth...

"Imperium" is definitely not a part of the OTU, the only ones who
could claim a copyright for that word would be the ancient Romans.
Besides, there are several other RPGs and lots of books with an Impe-
rium of one kind or the other out there.

 

[Thunderbolt]

"Imperium" is definitely not a part of the OTU, the only ones who
could claim a copyright for that word would be the ancient Romans.
Besides, there are several other RPGs and lots of books with an Impe-
rium of one kind or the other out there.

True, true, but since I'm having to trawl through my web site and Word documents doing a complete ret-con anyway, I might as well ensure there is clear blue water between my stuff and the OTU. I don't want to have to do this again.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

I wouldn't rush into anything yet. There's still a good chance Mongoose will see sense.

 

[aramis]

"Imperium" is definitely not a part of the OTU, the only ones who
could claim a copyright for that word would be the ancient Romans.
Besides, there are several other RPGs and lots of books with an Impe-
rium of one kind or the other out there.

Space Opera includes an Imperium, and Interstellar Scout Service, and Army, Marines, Navy, and Merchant services... plus several forms of agent...

Bujold's vorKosiverse includes the Barrayaran Imperium, with an Imperial Army, Imperial Navy, Imperial Auditors...

Imperium is an archaic form of Empire.

So, you just need to change the references to the "Third Imperium", strephon, etc.

But, before taking anything down, I'd wait and see how mongoose handles Flynn, first.

 

[Flynn]

As a guide to check as to what are considered protected terms for Traveller's Official Traveller Universe, we can check out the Product Identity Declaration section of Traveller T20 Lite. Other QLI products should have similar sections.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive. Just because something isn't here does not mean it's fair game. When in doubt, ask a lawyer.

PRODUCT IDENTITY
In addition to the items specified under section 1e of the Open Game License, the following terms and titles are also reserved as Product Identity. A copy of the Open Game License can be found below.

Traveller, MegaTraveller, The New Era, Milieu 0, Traveller20, T20, The Traveller’s Handbook, Traveller’s Aide, Science Fiction Adventure in the Far Future, Striker, Mayday, Journal of the Travellers’ Aid Society, JTAS, Third (3rd) Imperium, Second Imperium, Ziru Sirka, Rule of Man, Ramshackle Empire, Hive Federation, Two Thousand Worlds, Zhodani Consulate, Aslan Hierate, Vargr Extents, Solomani Sphere, Solomani Rim, Spinward Marches, Sydymic Empire, Khuur League, Julian Protectorate, The Long Night, Sylean Federation, Matarishan Federation, League of Antares, Darrian Confederation, Grand Survey, Rachele Society, Ine Givar, Sword Worlds Confederation, Regency, Reformation Coalition, AI Virus, Virus, Aslan, Vargr, Hiver, K’kree, Solomani, Zhodani, Vilani, Droyne, Luriani, Virushi, Sydite, Drakarans, Clotho, Sheol, Devi Intelligence, Inyx, Inheritors, Lithkind, Ael Yael, Ahetaowa, Bwap, Evantha, Girug’kagh, Githiaskio, Hhkar, Hlanssai, J’aadje, Jgd-ll-jagd, J’sia, Schalli, Tezcat, Addaxur, Answerin, Brinn. Chirpers, Eboken, Humaniti, Solomani, Ursa, Wanderer, Delgado Trading LIC, GSbAG, General Products, Instellarms LIC, Ling-Standard Products, Makhidkarun, Hortalez et Cie LIC, Naasirka, SuSAG LIC, Sharurshid, Sternmetal Horizons LIC, Tukera Lines LIC, Zirunkariish, Zhodane, Zhdant, Lair, Kuzu, Glea, Guaran, Kirur, Sylea, Annapabar, Dukh, Sopater, Khuur, Daramm, Darrian, Regina, Glisten, Travellers’ Aid Society (TAS), Lords of Thunder, Deadspace, Iridium Throne, Amber Zone, Patron Encounter, Casual Encounter, Argushiigi Admegulasha Bilanidin (AAB) or the Vilani Repository of All Knowledge, Behind the Claw, Astroburgers, Church of the Chosen Ones, Coyns, Signal GK, Children of the March, Azhanti High Lightning, Hava-Cola, GDW, Infoscreen, MAE Lines, Yaskoydray, Empress Wave, Black Curtain, Official Traveller Universe, OTU, Charted Space, Gateway Domain, Jonkeereen, Jagd-il-Jagd, Travellers, Galanglic, air/raft, Gcarrier, Scout/Courier, Far Trader, Misjump, High Passage, Middle Passage, Low Passage, Low Berth, Universal Personality Profile, UPP, Universal World Profile, UWP.

A number of these have now been included in Mongoose's Traveller SRD. Check there if you see a term that you want to use, to see if Mongoose has opened it up to the OGL. If not, consider the term something you can't use in a commercial product. The jury is still out on whether or not we can use it in fanzines and websites under a Fair Use policy.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

 

[Thunderbolt]

Hells teeth!

I'm going to have to rename pictures, let alone the text that went with them. One of them is embedded in the 2008 Traveller Calendar, so I can't fix that one, can something like this take effect retrospectively?

Surely this lot has to be (tm) or something in the way words like 'Microsoft Excel' or 'Powerpoint' would be?

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day...

 

[Amra]

Easy now, I wouldn't do anything with fan stuff until it is spelled out in black and white that you should, wait for the cease and desist email.

I've been supportive of MGT and I can only hope this is a misunderstanding. All the best RPGs (IMO) have great fan support (CoC, WFRP, Traveller). Interfering with fan support would be a huge mistake and ultimately counterproductive.

 

[aramis]

Effectively, yes, Mongoose and Marc are claiming trademark status for those terms, but without the trademark label. Many of them are in fact registered trademarks.

 

[Thunderbolt]

After sleeping on this, something puzzles me:

Yes 'Aslan', 'Hiver', 'Sylean Federation' are part of the OTU so fair enough, but how do 'GCarrier' and 'air/raft' get excluded from people's original settings for the game?

Terms like 'air/raft' or 'GCarrier' are part of the game system itself, like 'ACR', 'Gauss Rifle' or 'Hand Computer', and not specific to the OTU.

 

[Vile]

Terms like 'air/raft' or 'GCarrier' are part of the game system itself, like 'ACR', 'Gauss Rifle' or 'Hand Computer', and not specific to the OTU.

Air/raft and Gcarrier probably are (weird spelling and all), but ACR, Gauss Rifle and Hand Computer are generic terms which have nothing to do with the OTU, even if you create something exactly like them in your game. The terms are based on real-world concepts and there's no way they can be trademarked successfully. Flynn has explained the issue in depth - it's not so much the word itself which is unique to the OTU, it is a combination of the word and its meaning which makes it OTU.

That's the problem with this whole can of worms opened by the OGL. If publishers had just trademarked their stuff and then given out specific licenses to specific people, there would be no problem. The OGL tries to be a "catch-all", but it may turn out to be a "kill-all". Kind of appropriate, seeing as it was invented by WotC ... :smirk:

Let me reiterate. I have no idea what Mongoose will do about this, and I will wait (impatiently) for their considered response. I just think the OGL has probably created a lot more problems than it solved for the hobby as a whole.

 

[aramis]

After sleeping on this, something puzzles me:

Yes 'Aslan', 'Hiver', 'Sylean Federation' are part of the OTU so fair enough, but how do 'GCarrier' and 'air/raft' get excluded from people's original settings for the game?

Terms like 'air/raft' or 'GCarrier' are part of the game system itself, like 'ACR', 'Gauss Rifle' or 'Hand Computer', and not specific to the OTU.

Because in other games, they are aircars, and Grav APC's.

In fiction as well.

 

[Vile]

Let me reiterate. I have no idea what Mongoose will do about this, and I will wait (impatiently) for their considered response.

And HERE IT IS. I suggest anyone with a Traveller website should get the facts straight from the Mongoose's mouth.

 

[Flynn]

Also, guys, remember that anything mentioned in the Traveller System Reference Document can be considered Open Game Content, once the SRD is corrected to meet the legal requirements of the OGL itself.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[Thunderbolt]

What does this mean for the Traveller Calendar past and present, which was sold for raising money for charity?

 

[Flynn]

What does this mean for the Traveller Calendar past and present, which was sold for raising money for charity?

It is my understanding that the calendar was a separate license with Marc W. Miller, and was never published under the Fair Use policy. This decision, therefore, does not have any impact on the future of the Calendar.

The future of the Calendar is simply a matter of the terms of the license between Spica Publishing and Marc W. Miller/Mongoose.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[Andrew Boulton]

I've already emailed Marc about it, and I'll let everyone know his decision.

 

[casquilho]

Also, guys, remember that anything mentioned in the Traveller System Reference Document can be considered Open Game Content, once the SRD is corrected to meet the legal requirements of the OGL itself.

With Regards,
Flynn

I still think this is the funniest part of this whole situation. Their own documents do not meet their own legal requirements. Thsi is what happens when you try and cut corners and just use someone elses documents for your own. They really needed to make sure their stuff was in order before asking others to do so. :rofl:

Daniel

 

[Thunderbolt]

It's been a very strange two days, reading and re-reading web pages, Word docs, and occasionally deleting artwork, all trying to unpick the Traveller stuff out. More than four years of stuff to go through, and the annoying bit is I keep finding little things that I missed, for example, expressing a vessel size as displacement of hydrogen (now removed).

The problem I have is that my database query can only look for keywords, but I still have to read the whole damn thing to make sure I kill any infringing concepts.

The OGL talks about concepts and storylines, personalities, thematic elements, all astonishingly broad, as though the "brooding anti-hero guided by an older mentor" plotline can be 'owned' in some way.

Reading through it, you might think there could only be one SF RPG in the world and one fantasy RPG, neither of which could have shared concepts of strength or endurance, or the game mechanic that weapon damage causes the character to move more slowly.

A question then to those more familiar with the OGL: Has fan material such as Stellar Reaches suddenly become other peoples property, if you like, part of the collective commons, a free for all.

If Stellar Reaches is now classified as OGL, does it becomes material anybody can grab and use. Does the owner/writer of Stellar Reaches have less control over their work than they did before, has their "copyright" to what they created on top of the OTU being diminished in some way?

In essence, this is where my concerns go, that in someway, I have lost some kind of control over my stuff, by foolishly perhaps, taking inspiration from Traveller.