EscherEnigma
Adventurer
Pretty sure I've read that several times, actually.
Story hour publishing and copyright issues
Actually, you can. A plot is an ordered sequence of events, causes, and effects. The logic behind that is not covered by copyright. Just like the logic of a system of game rules is not covered by copyright.
The *specific artistic expression* of that plot is covered by copyright. So, having a dark figure fallen to darker sorcery, and having it turn out that figure is the protagonist's father - totally not covered by copyright. The name and description of Darth Vader, however, is covered.
So, you have to change a lot of specifics - the names, the physical descriptions, and so on. But even if Shakespeare wasn't dead yet, and "Romeo and Juliet" was covered by copyright, the musical "West Side Story" would still be a valid work.
Dr Midnight
Explorer
Can you maybe cite a source or two on this?
Well, obviously it was a short simplistic sentence. I'm not going to write a novel for you! The length of my example isn't the point.
Ideas aren't protected (outside of patent law/inventions); words are.
Looking up the exact text of laws is something you can do as easily as we can; there's only so much effort we can make for you here! I think you should get some real legal advice. Our responses clearly aren't doing it for you. I promise we're correct, but it sounds like it'll take a lawyer to tell you that, and there's only so many times we can repeat ourselves and you tell us you don't believe us.
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Dr Midnight
Explorer
Hey, for all I know Umbran is just someone who made all that up because he enjoys being contrary.
Well, like I say, if you don't believe us, you don't believe us. I'm sorry we're not saying what you want to hear! But, seriously, grab a lawyer and ask them. Don't rely on us for legal advice.
Dr Midnight
Explorer
It's not about being told what I want to hear, it's about wanting reliable information. If you're telling me something I consider unreliable and when asked for a source respond "hey, you don't want our help, hit the bricks. You can find this info as easily as we can," I can't use that.
Also, I can't find this info as easily as someone in the know could, that's why I asked a forum where people may have published their stories. I don't know where to go to look up laws. So I'm back at square one, but I seem to have a vague direction to head in. The locals say this way is north, I guess I'll go north for a bit and ask the people at the next village. Thanks everyone.
Also, I can't find this info as easily as someone in the know could, that's why I asked a forum where people may have published their stories. I don't know where to go to look up laws. So I'm back at square one, but I seem to have a vague direction to head in. The locals say this way is north, I guess I'll go north for a bit and ask the people at the next village. Thanks everyone.
You're right, you can't use info you consider unreliable. And legal advice on a D&D messageboard is going to be unreliable at best. That's why we keep saying you need to ask a lawyer. We're not going to be incentivised to keep offering opinions when you keep telling us you don't believe us.
It's a lot of work; that's why lawyers get paid the big bucks. Some things on the internet it's reasonable to demand cites for; complex issues like the law, however, require a lot more effort. We can gve you our layman's understanding of it, but for an actual legal opinion, you really, really need a lawyer. We can't offer that, and the consequences of our being wrong are severe enough that we wouldn't offer it if we could!
But if you just want our opinions on the subject, you have it in spades!
Here's a start. It's just a wiki page (so no more reliable than we are) but at least it points to locations where you can read the laws themselves.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_law_of_the_United_States
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