[Crafty Games] Are You a Real American H.E.R.O.?

[pkapera]

Crafty Games is proud to release Real American H.E.R.O.es for Spycraft 2.0. Fight for freedom — or crush it — in this brand new world of four-color military fantasy where the good guys wear green, the bad guys wear blue, and great notions like democracy and justice prevail over evil in half-hour segments! This huge product is jam-packed with everything you need to join America’s elite special missions force — or bring the world to its knees!

• Join the battle on any side — with the U.S. Headquarters for Eminent Risk Oversight (H.E.R.O.), the paramilitary legions of National Military Exports (N.M.E.), the cunning arms dealers at Morrigna Corporation, the mysterious elders of the Shirobikou ninja clan, or the anarchist Wrecker biker tribe.
• Build your own unique H.E.R.O. with new Origins and feats, plus two Master Classes: the savvy Commandant and the maniacal Overlord.
• Expand your arsenal with vehicles and weapons right out of your favorite Saturday morning cartoons.
• Devise exciting military adventures with rules for Rank and Allegiance, plus the Diabolical Plot and McGuffin of the Week generators and all-new campaign qualities.
• Forge alliances and lifelong nemeses among dozens of NPCs from every side of the conflict (including winners of Crafty Games’ Build-a-Hero contest).

Do you have the guts to be a Real American H.E.R.O.? Or are you more interested in the fast-growing field of global appropriation? Perhaps a lucrative Morrigna franchise, study under the Shirobikou masters, or a rowdy tour of the world’s darkest roads is more your speed? No matter your flag, recruiting starts today!

 

[Vigilance]

This press release makes me really giddy.

 

[lrsach01]

Isn't this the game where a good percentage of the content was gleaned through a "contest" where the winners got their entries published? And the entrants had to give up all right to their creations... without even an OGL release so they could use it at a later date? All this from a company releasing a game so thinly veiled as GIJoe that their cover art is clearly Snake-eyes and Flint. Interesting...

 

[Inferno!]

Isn't this the game where a good percentage of the content was gleaned through a "contest" where the winners got their entries published? And the entrants had to give up all right to their creations...

Seems a standard condition of such contests.

All this from a company releasing a game so thinly veiled as GIJoe that their cover art is clearly Snake-eyes and Flint. Interesting...

Yes, and your point is?

 

[lrsach01]

Seems a standard condition of such contests.



Yes, and your point is?

1. That it is a rather underhanded way to pad out a book with out actually paying for it..... even if standard.

2. And my point is... how can you trust such a company? And if you cannot trust them, how can you pay them for their services? This isn't a free released fan game. You are PAYING them for what could amount to stealing someone else's intellectual property. But the claim of theft is only for a court to decide.

 

[coyote6]

How is it underhanded and untrustworthy? Companies do that all the time. I'm assuming the terms of the contest were published beforehand; if so, no one was hoodwinked into anything. Saying they stole something is BS.

 

[Bedrockgames]

All this from a company releasing a game so thinly veiled as GIJoe that their cover art is clearly Snake-eyes and Flint. Interesting...

I don't think they are trying to hide the source of inspiration. There are plenty of great games out there based on movies and cartoons. For anyone who grew up watching GI Joe in the early 80s (like myself), I think the cover alone hits some chords. Looks like fun to me.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

1. That it is a rather underhanded way to pad out a book with out actually paying for it..... even if standard.

2. And my point is... how can you trust such a company? And if you cannot trust them, how can you pay them for their services? This isn't a free released fan game. You are PAYING them for what could amount to stealing someone else's intellectual property. But the claim of theft is only for a court to decide.

Yes! How dare they run a contest! These things should be determined by a duel to the death with live boffa!

I think that you are reading way, way, way too much into this, enough so that I can't help but wonder why this has your knickers in a knot - more than a trifle out of proportion.

It is not the first game supplement to build an obvious copy/homage/counterfeit/tribute/spoof of a genre - Battletech stomps to mind - and they went so far as to use the exact images of another's intellectual property.

The Auld Grump, too old to have watched G. I. Joe when growing up, but does remember the Intruder....

 

[lrsach01]

Yes! How dare they run a contest! These things should be determined by a duel to the death with live boffa!

I think that you are reading way, way, way too much into this, enough so that I can't help but wonder why this has your knickers in a knot - more than a trifle out of proportion.

It is not the first game supplement to build an obvious copy/homage/counterfeit/tribute/spoof of a genre - Battletech stomps to mind - and they went so far as to use the exact images of another's intellectual property.

The Auld Grump, too old to have watched G. I. Joe when growing up, but does remember the Intruder....

It's not a problem running a contest... but notice that they fail to inform the buyer of the contest content. How much of the item is written by professionals and how much by novices? Granted, this is STILL no guarantee of excellence... but you generally get what you pay for.

And just because others do it, doesn't make it right. Crafty Games doesn't get a pass for being the most recent to "build an obvious copy/homage/counterfeit/tribute/spoof of a genre." Be up front! Be honest! If you can't make money at it, give it away! Or at LEAST give the contest winners use of their work under the OGL.

Under full disclosure (since I feel it is implied I am grumpy about this topic because I feel slighted by the company) I've never participated in any contest from them nor have I ever purchased an item from Crafty Games. I just feel full disclosure is the least a company can do. If a contest is held to add content to a product, then declare it in the copy for that product. Announce it on the cover. Or is there a reason not to?

Seriously, I'm not on some wind mill tilting crusade.... but people SHOULD know what they are buying. Cheers!

 

[Bedrockgames]

It's not a problem running a contest... but notice that they fail to inform the buyer of the contest content. How much of the item is written by professionals and how much by novices? Granted, this is STILL no guarantee of excellence... but you generally get what you pay for.

And just because others do it, doesn't make it right. Crafty Games doesn't get a pass for being the most recent to "build an obvious copy/homage/counterfeit/tribute/spoof of a genre." Be up front! Be honest! If you can't make money at it, give it away! Or at LEAST give the contest winners use of their work under the OGL.

Under full disclosure (since I feel it is implied I am grumpy about this topic because I feel slighted by the company) I've never participated in any contest from them nor have I ever purchased an item from Crafty Games. I just feel full disclosure is the least a company can do. If a contest is held to add content to a product, then declare it in the copy for that product. Announce it on the cover. Or is there a reason not to?

Seriously, I'm not on some wind mill tilting crusade.... but people SHOULD know what they are buying. Cheers!

I can kind of get the point that you want them to mention the content was taken from a contest (not having read the book myself yet, I cannot say if that is in fact the case or not). But my guess is, if they used fan content (which is becoming more and more common) they probably edited and revised to make sure it was quality before publishing it. Are you sure the content was taken from a contest, and if so, does it say this anywhere on the product? As far as the contestants go, they would have certainly had permission to use their work, so I don't see any issue there with the rights being transfered to the publisher. Presumably when you enter the contest you understand the terms.

On the homage issue, I really don't see the problem. Most games are inspired by sources in literature or film. And I enjoy seeing games that are obviously made to replicate a movie or book that I like. The reason they don't call it GI Joe, is because they cannot do so legally. The name is trademarked. But that doesn't mean the basic premise of GI Joe is owned by anyone. And it isn't like they are trying to pull the wool over peoples' eyes here. I mean, you see the book cover and name ("real american hero") and you know instantly what they are going for. I've seen plenty of good games come out that are a take on a specific Television program. And I think that is great, because I model my campaigns on what I watch or read.