General RPG DiscussionDiscussion of all RPGs and non-system-specific topics. DM/GM/player issues, settings, etc. Rules discussion belongs in one the forums below.
Regardless, it would be darn rude to do it without permission of the inventor. They made a great product. If they do not make it or cannot make it anymore, perhaps they would be happy to let it go to someone else or accept a small percentage of the profits. But the right thing to do is to talk to them about it first.
Say what?
I don't think that's how it works.
(In my understanding), absent patent protection, the market expects competitors to enter the market. You can't duplicate copyright items, so no copying the artwork, but otherwise, if a company can create a competitive product, that's all to the best.
Plus its kind of a fun challenge to do! Then again I have come to find I like doing such "crafts" projects.
__________________ It is the spirit of the game, not the letter of the rules, which is important. NEVER hold to the letter written, nor allow some barracks room lawyer to force quotations from the rule book upon you, IF it goes against the obvious intent of the game. As you hew the line with respect to conformity to major systems and uniformity of play in general, also be certain the game is mastered by you and not by your players. Within the broad parameters give in the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Volumes, YOU are creator and final arbiter. By ordering things as they should be, the game as a WHOLE first, your CAMPAIGN next, and your participants thereafter, you will be playing Advanced Dungeons and Dragons as it was meant to be. May you find as much pleasure in so doing as the rest of us do.
(In my understanding), absent patent protection, the market expects competitors to enter the market. You can't duplicate copyright items, so no copying the artwork, but otherwise, if a company can create a competitive product, that's all to the best.
Which is why what I quoted, and bolded, is important. IF you want to actually be able to control and defend your IP then you better pay the $35 to register a full trademark. Otherwise your showing you don't care enough about controlling your idea and anyone else can run with it.
Without registration you can only defend it within your state, depending on the states laws.
__________________ It is the spirit of the game, not the letter of the rules, which is important. NEVER hold to the letter written, nor allow some barracks room lawyer to force quotations from the rule book upon you, IF it goes against the obvious intent of the game. As you hew the line with respect to conformity to major systems and uniformity of play in general, also be certain the game is mastered by you and not by your players. Within the broad parameters give in the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Volumes, YOU are creator and final arbiter. By ordering things as they should be, the game as a WHOLE first, your CAMPAIGN next, and your participants thereafter, you will be playing Advanced Dungeons and Dragons as it was meant to be. May you find as much pleasure in so doing as the rest of us do.
Which is why what I quoted, and bolded, is important. IF you want to actually be able to control and defend your IP then you better pay the $35 to register a full trademark. Otherwise your showing you don't care enough about controlling your idea and anyone else can run with it.
Without registration you can only defend it within your state, depending on the states laws.
Guys, let it go. I'm an attorney, been one for almost 14 years, done tons of IP work in that time. It's not $35 to register a trademark (it's a whole lot more), that is not accurate that you lose protection outside your state if you don't federally register it (you still have common law protection for each location you sold into, which is the entire US for a product sold on the net like these were), and it's not just about patent.
All I was saying is that the POLITE (and smart) thing to do is to talk to the current IP owner to see if the actual line of Tac-Tiles could be continued under new hands.
Could someone do it without their permission? Sure, you probably could. But, the polite and likely smart thing to do is to do it with their cooperation, so that you can use the branded name, software and patterns, their distribution database, knowledge, etc..
Guys, let it go. I'm an attorney, been one for almost 14 years, done tons of IP work in that time. It's not $35 to register a trademark (it's a whole lot more), that is not accurate that you lose protection outside your state if you don't federally register it (you still have common law protection for each location you sold into, which is the entire US for a product sold on the net like these were), and it's not just about patent.
All I was saying is that the POLITE (and smart) thing to do is to talk to the current IP owner to see if the actual line of Tac-Tiles could be continued under new hands.
Could someone do it without their permission? Sure, you probably could. But, the polite and likely smart thing to do is to do it with their cooperation, so that you can use the branded name, software and patterns, their distribution database, knowledge, etc..
I agree it wouled be nice to get their blessing, but its not required.
Since your IP lawyer why does the Trademark registration website say that in order to defend it in federal courts you need to have it registered? Otherwise, your only recourse is to fight state by state. Which requires lawyers licensed in each state, and proportionally more money to fight it.
Your right, its $325 to file for a Trademark per "class". I was looking at several sources so maybe the $35 was for copyright or even just a search fee.
__________________ It is the spirit of the game, not the letter of the rules, which is important. NEVER hold to the letter written, nor allow some barracks room lawyer to force quotations from the rule book upon you, IF it goes against the obvious intent of the game. As you hew the line with respect to conformity to major systems and uniformity of play in general, also be certain the game is mastered by you and not by your players. Within the broad parameters give in the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Volumes, YOU are creator and final arbiter. By ordering things as they should be, the game as a WHOLE first, your CAMPAIGN next, and your participants thereafter, you will be playing Advanced Dungeons and Dragons as it was meant to be. May you find as much pleasure in so doing as the rest of us do.
With tact-tiles and dungeon tiles, can you really trademark the design sicne jig-saw puzzles which these classify in a way as is already public domain design? All i can think is the artwork or manufacturing process that is held by the companies, but anyone could make these things with other art or another way.
The problem with dungeon tiels is the new amterial using older tiles that are out of print long before the edition was in print so no one can reproduce the dungeons using them so why would they buy the newer tiles when they cont have the older tiles required to go with them?
This is something that should have never gone out of print as long as they are used in in current products which means prices should not be silly high for some collector tiem that should be a standard accessory for the game.
I think that Paizo are considering it (and Tinkered Tactics, that make the excellent Combat Tiers, also considered it but couldn't contact the IP holders).
I am pretty sure that something like them is going to get made again sooner or later, anyhow.
I had never heard of this "Combat Tiers" product, but I definitely want it now.
They're sweet. Hopefully they'll make some 5' stand sections next year, but I have the family pack and it's great.
Nice, but I already own Heroscape, and it does the job well enough.
__________________ It is the spirit of the game, not the letter of the rules, which is important. NEVER hold to the letter written, nor allow some barracks room lawyer to force quotations from the rule book upon you, IF it goes against the obvious intent of the game. As you hew the line with respect to conformity to major systems and uniformity of play in general, also be certain the game is mastered by you and not by your players. Within the broad parameters give in the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Volumes, YOU are creator and final arbiter. By ordering things as they should be, the game as a WHOLE first, your CAMPAIGN next, and your participants thereafter, you will be playing Advanced Dungeons and Dragons as it was meant to be. May you find as much pleasure in so doing as the rest of us do.
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