Another Cease and Desist Letter: 4E Powercards

[GMforPowergamers]

The fansite policy is being worked on. I was in a planning meeting today and it was being discussed and appropriately prioritized. I have read the draft and my personal opinion is that it looks very good.

that is great news...

These will be guidelines and not a treatise on IP law. The fan site policy will not be a replacement for legal advice or common sense.

that is bad news...I mean if sense were common more people would have it right???

The web site in question had approximately 1825 full text power card entries. Of those 1 was a homebrew power. It also used Player's Handbook trade dress and the Dungeons & Dragons logo. The GSL does not allow for this type of use.

The sad part scott is there will still be people calling for WotC blood...and crying foul...but thank you for those of us trying to be the voices of reason to have you guys be so forthright is a BIG load off atleast my mind...

 

[Jack99]

I'd be willing to bet it's so close to zero only an insurance company would notice.

Scott mentioned a site with all the D&D books available for downloads, and that there had been 9,000 downloads. Now, I have no idea how many books were in that bundle, but since he also mentioned that the site was just one of many (50?) he was looking into, well.. That's very quickly quite a few books.

 

[SteveC]

Then I'd suggest you read more of the thread. It's a pretty cut-n-dried case, and I don't think it's shaping up to be a PR issue of any kind. It's not even something that needs a fan site policy to cover in this instance.

So could you tell me if, as far as we know, the first contact the site had from WotC was the Cease and Desist? That is a very large issue for me, and one that I think has a huge degree of relevance here. Back before 4E launched, WotC asked ENWorld to stop people from posting large excerpts of their online content to the page, and they complied. There's a stickied note to that effect on the top of the page. They could have sent out a Cease and Desist, but they didn't, and everything goes on. There's a huge difference in how you approach a situation like this from the very beginning, so it's important to me to know how it went down. So if anyone could be so kind as to let me know the scoop (or if we simply don't know it) I'll move on to another thread (I promise!)

--Steve

 

[GMforPowergamers]

So could you tell me if, as far as we know, the first contact the site had from WotC was the Cease and Desist? That is a very large issue for me, and one that I think has a huge degree of relevance here.

steve...did you read any of the last page were I was trying to explain that is what a C&D is...a friendly letter asking you to stop something...

If I were a company, and my game was an industry, and my players other company's then a C&D would be the same as when I look at my friend Kurt and say "Please...just let it go so we can get on with game..."

 

[Murad]

If I were a company, and my game was an industry, and my players other company's then a C&D would be the same as when I look at my friend Kurt and say "Please...just let it go so we can get on with game..."

???? I no think so. I not give give legal paper to friend, for the game.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

Scott mentioned a site with all the D&D books available for downloads, and that there had been 9,000 downloads. Now, I have no idea how many books were in that bundle, but since he also mentioned that the site was just one of many (50?) he was looking into, well.. That's very quickly quite a few books.

Kind of right. It was 9,000 separate document entries. Do the math.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

???? I no think so. I not give give legal paper to friend, for the game.

ok I have may have said it wrong...it is an analogy...

it is just a way to ask someone you do not know to stop doing something...

 

[malraux]

???? I no think so. I not give give legal paper to friend, for the game.

A Cease and Desist letter is not a legal (as in a judge sent it and if you don't follow it the police will arrest you) letter. It will typically mention that legal action is a possibility, but that's better than threatening to break kneecaps or something.

 

[Sir Brennen]

One of the things that I've been interested in is why some people seem to 'blindly' agree with WotC actions even when those actions, if performed by another company, would gather huge customer uprising. How many times have you been on the forums of a MMORPG and seen people threatening class action lawsuits because some class got nerfed or a notoriety system was put into place for player killers.

There's nothing 'blind' about agreeing that the situation was a clear violation of copyright law. There is no basis for a huge uprising - the MMORPG examples you give are in no way parallel to the situation.

In fact, it has nothing to do with 'loving' WotC, but more with whether or not you agree with copyright law itself.

For the most part, people in this thread seem to understand that - even if they're disappointed with the decision. Being able to hold and express both those opinions I think is a sign of a more mature, reasonable group of people than you'll find on some MMORPG boards.

Thanks ENWorld!

 

[Murad]

A Cease and Desist letter is not a legal (as in a judge sent it and if you don't follow it the police will arrest you) letter. It will typically mention that legal action is a possibility, but that's better than threatening to break kneecaps or something.

do they break knee cap for the game? I not understand what man did wrong. He love game, and give it on his website for the people to see. They must be happy for this one.