Nebular Cross in possible breach of new d20 stl 5.0

[Strutinan]

Ranger REG: Don't expect them to retract it any year soon. If they were of a mind to, then they never would have taken this posistion in the first place! It is an unbeleivably stupid move on almost every conceivable means of measurement. Now, to retract it would be to acknowledge fallibility (which NO corporation wants to do).

As far as defending it in court, WotC could sue me over the color socks I wear. That is a simple reality of the american legal "justice" system. What they cannot do is expect to win. Any attempt to sue over an item that is such a huge part of public reference (basic acronyms and legal terms such as "System Reference Document", used world-wide), that are not even TRADEMARKED would have on one outcome.

I could have a drunken monkey as an attourney and win. My counter-suit for frivillous prosecution would get dragged through the courts for 4-5 years. thanks to federal law regarding frivillous prosecution (oddly enough, put in place to protect big guys from little guys), I eventually would win that too! And in addition to the amount I won, WotC/Hasbro would be liable for ALL court fees. Including my lawyer's bill.

With that eventual pay-day to use as bait, my legal team would be large enough to have it's own Electorial College

Smetzger: You have (accidentally) hit upon one of the major flaws in the license. WotC takes sole responsibility for the definition of decency in the license. That means that if ANYBODY finds ANYTHING in a 3rd-party product to be offensive, WotC is up a creek. What lawyer ever let this thing out the door?

As far as preferential treatment goes, just wait a few months for the latest round of books to come out. Flip through the "d20 System" logo books, and write down all the breaches accordig to publishing company.

THEN you will see who has preferential treatment!

 

[Olive]

IMO they are already showing preferencial treatment. Demons, Devils, Sorcerers, Spells, Divinations, and witchcraft are parts of Satanism. They are also mentioned in the Bible as things to be avoided. I don't think WOTC will be restricting those things. If WOTC restricts this product but not those things that would be my definition of Prejudice. I will be mailing a letter to WOTC petitioning against some of the recent changes.

Oh please. All of the things you mentioned are part of buddhism, hinduism, taoism, islam, judaism and probably jainism, zorostianism and the Ba'hai faith as well. Not to mention many pagan and animist religions.

So they're not showing preference becuase a) no product I've seen 'promotes' demons etc. and b) those things exist in every religion. Of course you could base them in a particular understanding of a religion (such as a christian understanding, which DnD more or less does), but that's still not the same thing as promoting that belief sytem, it's taking an influence from it.

Of course you could have been being sarcastic, but I don't think you were.

 

[smetzger]

Of course you could base them in a particular understanding of a religion (such as a christian understanding, which DnD more or less does), but that's still not the same thing as promoting that belief sytem, it's taking an influence from it.

Many people would take the glorification of things demonic and associated with the occult to be an 'advertisement' for these things and thus trying to make these things acceptable.

The problem is that Christianity is very black and white. Anything that undermines Christianity can be seen as an attack on it.

The problem with the d20 license is, where do you draw the line between 'influence' and 'promotion'? This can be a very gray line. Is Nebular Cross 'taking influence' from the history of Christianity or is it 'promoting' it?

 

[Ranger REG]

Ranger REG: Don't expect them to retract it any year soon. If they were of a mind to, then they never would have taken this posistion in the first place! It is an unbeleivably stupid move on almost every conceivable means of measurement. Now, to retract it would be to acknowledge fallibility (which NO corporation wants to do).

Hmm. Suddenly, I am reminded of that phrase about "Caesar can do no wrong."

What, if any, sort of legal or ethical consequence of a business admitting fallibility, even if they attempt to correct it?

 

[Strutinan]

Hmm. Suddenly, I am reminded of that phrase about "Caesar can do no wrong."

What, if any, sort of legal or ethical consequence of a business admitting fallibility, even if they attempt to correct it?

I had this conversation a while back, actually. It comes down to two factors:

1) backpedalling on a decision admits the company is capable of making bad decisions, which usually has an adverse affect on it's stock price.

2) it can be used as evidence of business practice in a court case over liability. basically: "they screwed up this other time, why not beleive they did so now?"

It's a sucky fact, but it will most likley cost them LESS in the short term to just keep it as-is than to admit they goofed. of course, the long term is different :s

 

[Olive]

The problem with the d20 license is, where do you draw the line between 'influence' and 'promotion'? This can be a very gray line. Is Nebular Cross 'taking influence' from the history of Christianity or is it 'promoting' it?

by their own admission, it's promoting it. I doubt you'll see testament being pulled from the shelves by WotC for example...