Do All of Your RPG Maps Now Belong To Judges Guild? ... and more?

Ralif Redhammer · Apr 14, 2025

This seems an absurd claim. It sounds like he's bitter and lashing out because he squandered the legacy of Judges Guild long ago.

overgeeked said:
What a bad joke. Wonder if this is going to turn into another NuTSR-style thing we get to watch slowly train wreck for years as it plays out in court.

I don't think so. Pretty much every online retailer/gaming company washed their hands of the current version of Judges Guild after the original sets of comments came to light. And they had already burnt much of their goodwill over their Kickstarter's non-delivery.

Wofano Wotanto said:
I'm actually glad I have no positive feelings of nostalgia for Judges' Guild. It would be a shame to have fond memories tainted by the company's modern shenanigans.

I do. I try to keep in mind that the current owners were in no way responsible for it back in the day, and buying the old books secondhand benefits them not a cent.

MGibster · Apr 14, 2025

I don't think all our RPG maps belong to Judge's Guild, but I think perhaps all our base belongs to them.

Cordwainer Fish · Apr 14, 2025

Ralif Redhammer said:
I try to keep in mind that the current owners were in no way responsible for it back in the day, and buying the old books secondhand benefits them not a cent.

Sometimes I buy used because it's hard to find what I'm looking for new. Sometimes I buy used because the item is out of print. And sometimes I buy used out of pure spite.

Nightfly · Apr 14, 2025

sevenbastard said:
Combat on a square grid, not so fast says Reginald P. Chess heir to the Chess Family fortune.

I really loved their hip clothing stores in the 80s.

aramis erak · Apr 15, 2025

MGibster said:
I'm certainly no lawyer, but I'm pretty sure you have a handful of years to file a suit for copyright infringement. I think this is just a guy talking out of his rear end and nothing will come of this. Or at least nothing positive the current Judge's Guild if they try to pursue this.

must file within 3 years from date of discovery. No limit on years of damages. Copyright must still have been in effect at time of infringement.

U.S. Supreme Court Revises 3 Year Statute of Limitations for Copyright Infringement Damages

The Supreme Court resolved a critical circuit split, ruling that copyright infringement damages are not confined within the Copyright Act’s three-year statute of limitation period. The decision arose from a contentious case involving Sherman Nealy, a music producer, and Warner Chappell Music...

www.michaelbest.com

Whizbang Dustyboots · Apr 15, 2025

Ralif Redhammer said:
This seems an absurd claim. It sounds like he's bitter and lashing out because he squandered the legacy of Judges Guild long ago.

Every time they do something obnoxious, they just further reduce the value of the Judges Guild IP. It was clear years ago that their best bet was to sell it all to someone like Goodman Games for cash on the barrel.

The longer this goes on, the less they, or their estate, will get for it.

Their best bet is to sell ASAP and go off and be weird creeps wherever Notch is now with his piles of Minecraft money. (Not that JG is worth even a considerable fraction of what Microsoft paid Notch.)

Ralif Redhammer · Apr 15, 2025

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
Every time they do something obnoxious, they just further reduce the value of the Judges Guild IP. It was clear years ago that their best bet was to sell it all to someone like Goodman Games for cash on the barrel.

The longer this goes on, the less they, or their estate, will get for it.

Their best bet is to sell ASAP and go off and be weird creeps wherever Notch is now with his piles of Minecraft money. (Not that JG is worth even a considerable fraction of what Microsoft paid Notch.)

It's a funny thing, isn't it, that they have proven themselves incapable of putting out new materials or even keeping old books in print, yet here they assert a claim beyond even that.

That Goodman Games was able to bring Jennell Jaquays Judges Guild work back into print was a victory.

Lanefan · Apr 16, 2025

Kromanjon said:
I'll take isometric, thank you very much.

Fine. You can have it.

Personally I can't stand isometric maps.

Bedrockgames · Apr 16, 2025

MGibster said:
I don't think all our RPG maps belong to Judge's Guild, but I think perhaps all our base belongs to them.

It is a story that sadly plays out again and again through all of history

Staffan · Apr 16, 2025

Lanefan said:
Fine. You can have it.

Personally I can't stand isometric maps.

Isometric looks cool and is nice for illustrating 3D relationships, but they're pretty impractical for most other purposes. And it's really messy to draw round rooms in isometric.

Do All of Your RPG Maps Now Belong To Judges Guild? ... and more?

Ralif Redhammer

Legend

MGibster

Legend

Cordwainer Fish

Imp. Int. Scout Svc. (Dishon. Ret.)

Nightfly

Hero

aramis erak

Legend

U.S. Supreme Court Revises 3 Year Statute of Limitations for Copyright Infringement Damages

Whizbang Dustyboots

Gnometown Hero

Ralif Redhammer

Legend

Lanefan

Victoria Rules

Bedrockgames

I post in the voice of Christopher Walken

Staffan

Legend

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