(DaemonEye) Dead, "buried" is yet to be determined

[Steve Conan Trustrum]

The only way you could "lose your copyright," as I understand it (I could be wrong) is if someone with an early copy of your work was to take the OGC, retool it, and release it on their own AFTER/IF your product's license is revoked. I don't see anyone doing that - this industry is too small for someone to be THAT big of a prig.

Quite frankly, this is very unbecoming as a professional.

YOU are responsible for making sure your product is compliant before publishing it.

YOU are responsible for knowing how the d20 STL and OGLwork.

YOU are responsible for knowing that you're only supposed to use the SRD and third party declared OGC.

YOU are responsible for updating your own Section 15.

YOU are responsible for effecting any necessary changes once you've found out your product isn't compliant, before you get the WotC slap on the wrist.

Decrying WotC's employees for taking a holiday and not rushing to fix YOUR problems for YOU, thus wrecking your business like the evil ogres they are, all because YOU couldnt' be bothered to understand what you were getting into.

Face it, you walked out into traffic with your eyes covered and expected not to get hit by a truck, and now you're complaining because there wasn't an ambulance following you around "just in case."

If I was a WotC employee and saw this, I'd say "screw 'em" and let your product crash and burn because you seem hung up on blaming everyone but yourself.

 

[Ghostwind]

Face it, you walked out into traffic with your eyes covered and expected not to get hit by a truck, and now you're complaining because there wasn't an ambulance following you around "just in case."

If I was a WotC employee and saw this, I'd say "screw 'em" and let your product crash and burn because you seem hung up on blaming everyone but yourself.

Quite frankly, given his statements on the Wotc message board, I really hope he follows through with his promise of this being his only and last product.

http://boards.wizards.com/rpg/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=123;t=003805

I suspect that given his behavior there and here on these boards, Wotc's legal department will be in no hurry to read the document.

 

[Strutinan]

I keep seeing posts along the lines of "Just accept that you screwed up" and "nobody needs WotC to approve thier work", let me address these two points.

"Just accept that you screwed up"
Done, several times in fact. Hell, I ALSO APPOLOGIZED directly to WotC legal! WHat do you want me to do? Post it in big flaming letters? The problem I have isn't with accepting blame, I know I was in the wrong, its with WotC complaining to RPGNow.com immediately, and letting me sit for DAYS without hearing a word from them! Honestly, how hard is it to type "strutinan@hotmail.com" into the CC line of the email? The only reason I can think for this oversight is it was a purposeful "mistake". Can anybody HONESTLY claim otherwise?

"nobody needs WotC to approve thier work"
Evidently I do. Even though I was (finally) notified by WotC legal and told I had 30 days to clean up the book, which I have done, ROGNow says they won't touch it without WotC approval. Hence: I need WotC approval!

Now for other areas:

"Your responsibility to make sure you are OGL before you publish"
How often can I say this: I MESSED UP AND HAVE SINCE FIXED THE ERRORS! I KNOW it is my responsibility, and that I screwed it up! All the problems brought to my attention, and the ones I noticed my self, have been corrected!

SeveredHead: "This remionds me of your posts on the PhiH board prunings"
Problem: I have NEVER posting on this topic! Ever. Heck, even your QUOTE isn't from me!

"Playing Big Bad Corp is out to Get Me"
Your neighbor buys a new car. The car's muffler is bad, and the smoke is making you ill. Do you a) go tell the dealership not to sell any more of that model and to come reposes your neighbor's car, or b) tell your neighbor he has a problem with his muffler. WotC told the "dealer" to reposes my "car", then left me to spew smoke for days before telling ME that is was my "muffler" that was the problem. Odd tht it was just long enough to go on break, wasn't it?

"Getting help from other publishers/lawyers"
I already took the advice I was given at the start of this thing, about what to change. Just because somebody has a counter-argument doesn't mean they aren't LISTENING, quite the opposite in fact. As far as getting another publisher to review it goes: who am I going to ask? Hellhound doesn't have the time, and nobody else WANTS to! "You could fly if you had wings, so why don't you fly?" is about as valid a point.

"Behavior like this is unprofessional"
Like what? Posting observations and opinions? Well, don't worry about THAT anymore.

 

[Ghostwind]

The problem I have isn't with accepting blame, I know I was in the wrong, its with WotC complaining to RPGNow.com immediately, and letting me sit for DAYS without hearing a word from them! Honestly, how hard is it to type "strutinan@hotmail.com" into the CC line of the email? The only reason I can think for this oversight is it was a purposeful "mistake". Can anybody HONESTLY claim otherwise?

You still don't get it, do you? Of course, Wotc is going to contact the vendor and ask that it be pulled while they draft the notice letter to you. Did it ever occur to you that maybe more than one person in Wotc's legal department was involved in this? Is it possible that a different person is handling your case directly, while another fired off a form letter to RPGNow asking them to pull the product pending review? This whole attitude of "they are intentionally trying to screw me over" is one of the sticking points that every publisher on these boards has with you.

"nobody needs WotC to approve thier work"
Evidently I do. Even though I was (finally) notified by WotC legal and told I had 30 days to clean up the book, which I have done, ROGNow says they won't touch it without WotC approval. Hence: I need WotC approval!

That is because you were served legal notice from Wotc which does require their approval before you can proceed. It's also a part of the licensing agreement.

WotC told the "dealer" to reposes my "car", then left me to spew smoke for days before telling ME that is was my "muffler" that was the problem. Odd tht it was just long enough to go on break, wasn't it?

More of your "master conspiracy" theories? Honestly, they are getting old. We accept that you have apologized and strived to correct your mistakes, but do you really think that consistently blaming a lack of communication of Wotc is the heart of your problems?

"Getting help from other publishers/lawyers"
I already took the advice I was given at the start of this thing, about what to change. Just because somebody has a counter-argument doesn't mean they aren't LISTENING, quite the opposite in fact. As far as getting another publisher to review it goes: who am I going to ask? Hellhound doesn't have the time, and nobody else WANTS to!

Had your whole attitude been different starting with more polite and casting blame everywhere but where it truly lie, you probably would have had people willing to look at it. However, your actions and words (along with the Wotc notice) make it very difficult for any of us to want to be involved. Your best bet would be to sit back, be quiet, and wait for word from Wotc in January or whenever they decide they want to review it...

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

SeveredHead: "This remionds me of your posts on the PhiH board prunings"

Problem: I have NEVER posting on this topic! Ever. Heck, even your QUOTE isn't from me!

I'll edit my previous comment.

Anyway, we have a quote from you now:

The problem I have isn't with accepting blame, I know I was in the wrong, its with WotC complaining to RPGNow.com immediately, and letting me sit for DAYS without hearing a word from them! Honestly, how hard is it to type "strutinan@hotmail.com" into the CC line of the email? The only reason I can think for this oversight is it was a purposeful "mistake". Can anybody HONESTLY claim otherwise?

Not only is this another conspiracy theory, but you had to include WotC in the blame as well.

ROGNow says they won't touch it without WotC approval. Hence: I need WotC approval!

No, they said that if you can't get WotC to approve it by the New Year, that you need it to be approved by two other publishers. You aren't ruined.

Odd tht it was just long enough to go on break, wasn't it?

Is this a holiday conspiracy thing?

 

[Creeping Death]

I keep seeing posts along the lines of "Just accept that you screwed up" and "nobody needs WotC to approve thier work", let me address these two points.

"Just accept that you screwed up"
Done, several times in fact. Hell, I ALSO APPOLOGIZED directly to WotC legal! WHat do you want me to do?

Quit the sarcasm. It is unprofessional.

Post it in big flaming letters?

See above.

The problem I have isn't with accepting blame, I know I was in the wrong, its with WotC complaining to RPGNow.com immediately, and letting me sit for DAYS without hearing a word from them! Honestly, how hard is it to type "strutinan@hotmail.com" into the CC line of the email? The only reason I can think for this oversight is it was a purposeful "mistake". Can anybody HONESTLY claim otherwise?

This may be the way things work, I don't know, but airing dirty laundry is not cool and as I've said before it is unprofessional. Also taking the everyone is out to get me line is in very bad taste. In the WotC thread WOTC_Mark seemed more than willing to lend you a hand by providing you with email addresses. He even went so far as to allow your product advertisement, a violation of their on-line community, to stand yet you were still beligerant and had a bad attitude.

"nobody needs WotC to approve thier work"
Evidently I do. Even though I was (finally) notified by WotC legal and told I had 30 days to clean up the book, which I have done, ROGNow says they won't touch it without WotC approval. Hence: I need WotC approval!

Didn't they also say if you couldn't get WotC's approval that they would accept your work if you had approval from two other companies in the D20 industry?

Now for other areas:
*sniped for berevity*

I have been following this thread and other threads you have posted. It does not seem that you are taking responsibility for your actions. You seem to be depending on others or you seem to be blaming others. If you do not want to sound defensive, offensive, soured, mean, or whatever then when someone offers criticism or advice just respond with a: "Thankyou, I'll look into it" or something similar.

"Behavior like this is unprofessional"
Like what? Posting observations and opinions? Well, don't worry about THAT anymore.

See there is that negative reply everyone has been calling unprofessional. As a publisher you need[\B] sales. Your attitude thus far has been very counter productive. This is a small community no need for you to go around burning bridges. As my mama used to say, "You'll attract more flies with honey than with vinegar."

I love psionics, I use them in my campaign whenever I get a chance. I bought and downloaded "If Thoughts Could Kill" . I bought "Of Sound Mind" and the "Psionics Handbook" the days they were released.

Just my $0.02 as a consumer.

 

[mroberon1972]

Hmnnn...

Ya know...

This topic is getting kind of embarrassing.

Could we perhaps drop this subject before we all start looking bad?

Please?

Mr. Oberon
"I hate it when you guys fight..."

 

[Largomad]

my two cents

Not that i use to post a lot on the boards but i think i agree that this is going to nowhere.

First i understand strutian's pain, he had done a product and he is trying to get used to the OGL, a thing that most of the publishers before had also to learn ( and i am sure, that a lot of ppl still remembers WOTC complains about how the OGL was misused by a lot of companies, some of those with very prestigious names in the d20 comunity), but also i agree that complaining in this way , making acussations even (and i stress the word even) if they were truthful, won't get him anywhere.

My opinion would be to allow this topic to drop into oblivion, to wish strutian the best of lucks on his endeavour and that he uses this experience to learn from his mistakes.

Best regards.
l

 

[davewoodrum]

Why can't we all just get along !?! Smile on yo' brother man... and whatever else that song says...

By the way, mroberon1972, I've noticed that logo thingy of yours... the font is really cool and I've seen it elsewhere before... is it American Bandstand? I keep thinking it has something to do with music...

 

[Orcus]

Why does this always happen every six months or so? Someone totally flames out and then has the audacity to think WotC (or other publishers) is out to get them.

Strutinan, suck it up. Be professional. WotC certainly doesnt care enough about you to try to "kill" you. They are merely doing what the license requires them to do--take action against people who are in gross violation. You put yourself in that position. They dont have to tell you how what is wrong or even how to fix it. The fact that they are is a testament to their willingness to help.

Good luck. By all acounts, you are going to need it.

Clark