B5 & Mongoose - Straczynski not pleased

[Einan]

Morrus, Everyone.

I apologize for my post. It was baiting and unnecessarily so.

Einan

 

[frankthedm]

...........

 

[DaveStebbins]

Dude - if the new owner had to turn your setting into Dino-Pirates of Ninja Island, it wasn't any higher than the second-best campaign setting in the world to begin with...

-Hyp.

Well, I have to yield to Hyersmurf's superior logic, here.

-Dave

 

[danzig138]

The contract between JMS and WB, as described by JMS, is quite generous in that he is allowed and possibly even guaranteed creative consultation.

That's always been my understanding of the situation. If that's the case, how does that tie into this whole affair?

 

[Einan]

Perhaps he's upset that he was not consulted as much as he wishes. If that's the case, then he probably ought to discuss it was the WB and Mongoose and not publicly air his dirty laundry on the Internets. It just seems to indicate a lack of desire to constructively work through this like rational adults and more seems that he's looking for some sort of public vindication that he is in fact a Better Person than Mat Sprange.

Einan

 

[LightPhoenix]

It just seems to indicate a lack of desire to constructively work through this like rational adults and more seems that he's looking for some sort of public vindication that he is in fact a Better Person than Mat Sprange.

I'm just going to point out that this is, in essense, an argument. Both sides are trying to play like they're right. Go into half the threads on this board and you'll see the same thing. Heck, most of this thread is the same thing.

Regardless of whether or not JMS has any sort of rights regarding the property, it is his right to distance himself from the work. He's defending the only thing that really matters in entertainment - name. That's his right, same as anyone else has. Perhaps he's gone about it undiplomatically, and perhaps that will cost him in the long run, who knows? It doesn't matter. If someone claims something publically about you, you do in fact have the right to respond just as publically, to defend yourself. JMS probably could have handled it behind the scenes, but then statements made about him publically stand publically, and his rebuttal may or may not. Most likely not, since negotiations are generally kept behind closed doors.

Is his defending himself a slight against Mongoose? It depends on what's really going on, and I don't think any of us know that. Is he being a jerk? Probably a bit of one. However, he can not be criticized for responding publically to statements about himself, truthful or not, publically made by another party.

 

[LightPhoenix]

That's always been my understanding of the situation. If that's the case, how does that tie into this whole affair?

I'm inclined to think the answer is probably somewhere around not much.

For one thing, "creative input" is a very ambiguous, ethereal thing in the entertainment industry. It can mean a lot... which is another way of saying it can mean nothing. Technically speaking, he's already had creative input with the license... with the RPG. It's not something that can be quantifiably measured or denoted.

Second, if WB liscensed the novelization rights to Mongoose as well, then Mongoose doesn't need anyone's permission to do what they please with them. That's why you pay money for rights.

Third, the damage is already done, the argument is over, and whatever happens will be. Whether or not he really has input is moot, since the effect of this can be seen simply by reading this thread.

 

[Sulimo]

"All that I can say is that there has been zero coordination or approvals
between Mongoose and anyone else that I know of. To date, again as
far as I know, WB hasn't been shown what they're doing

I have to admit I find that unlikely in this day and age given the way megacorps feel about licensing.

As for myself, this in no way affects how I feel about the RPG or these novels. They'll be looked at on a case by case basis. Admittedly JMS' early treatment of Mongoose has something to do with this opinion. As well as JMS' extremely hit and miss record creatively lately.

I also feel a bit offended by the insinuations that your not a true fan unless your 100% behind JMS.

 

[sniffles]

I haven't been following this closely, but I couldn't help but be interested by an email comment I just received from a friend who's been working in the gaming industry for many years.

My friend has a less than favorable impression of the quality of Mongoose's materials. Evidently they published a Conan setting book which included a map ripped directly from TSR's Spellbound product. Someone appeared to have stolen the map, which my friend originally created, off of WotC's website. Mongoose apparently blamed the artist responsible for the map appearing in their book, but has yet to publish a new version of the Conan material with a new map - or give any credit to my friend as its original creator.

:\

 

[DaveMage]

I haven't been following this closely, but I couldn't help but be interested by an email comment I just received from a friend who's been working in the gaming industry for many years.

My friend has a less than favorable impression of the quality of Mongoose's materials. Evidently they published a Conan setting book which included a map ripped directly from TSR's Spellbound product. Someone appeared to have stolen the map, which my friend originally created, off of WotC's website. Mongoose apparently blamed the artist responsible for the map appearing in their book, but has yet to publish a new version of the Conan material with a new map - or give any credit to my friend as its original creator.

:\

IIRC, the artist in question admitted wrongdoing.

I'm not sure what went on behind the scenes with Mongoose and WotC regarding the matter, though.