Contracts are about all possibilities.
Respectfully, all those saying WOTC will or won't do ______.
Why isn't it in the license? It might not be enforceable but what if it is?
This is about whats fair for a site you contribute to and I think it crosses my personal line. There must be other ways to protect themselves from law suits without being so draconian or greedy.
Besides, if companies want the world at large to take their copyright concerns etc... seriously they should do so for others. I have always assumed that WOTC received a promotional benefit from their website and that was good. I like helping others with their games - that too is good. But here WOTC hides a licensing away in their terms of service which goes too far. It makes me feel like an indentured writer for an over arching publisher.
This warning should flash before you post to their site.
When I hear that they yanked/didn't renew licenses from publishers I support it makes me even less inclined to contribute to this company.
For those who say "you'll never make any money from your writing anyway" - they should stick to talking about their own writing and ambitions.
Even as a dreamy exercise, it is nice to think of your writing in the context of a larger work. It is not likely to happen but that's part of the joy of writing for me. I don't want to think that everything I write can be lifted without so much as a thank you. I consider it a privilege to promote the game and help other gamers. I have read some really good work that is better than the published material in my opinion. I think contributing to a company website about its product should be mutual appreciation, not exclusive service.
Websites are a great way of creating interesting writing. I don't think that creativity should be given away easily.
I respect their creative spirit. It saddens me to find licenses like this.
Me, I will find one of the many other sites.
Sigurd
