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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ParanoydStyle" data-source="post: 7776671" data-attributes="member: 6984451">You know, the confusion about this one seems to extend pretty far up the ladder in this industry, including the ENnie award committee and the management of OneBookShelf, the parent company of DriveThruRPG. Take Phantasm(2010), a fan game of the Phantasm films (and other good bad horror films of the 70s/80s/90s/00s) as an example. It was never presented as anything but what it was: an entirely derivative fan work made for free as a labor of love. When we uploaded the PDF to DriveThru as free, they practically begged us to charge SOMETHING for it based on its production values. They actually told us it was worth money and to charge money. I think we changed it to PWYW. Later on when actual rapist Matt McFarland complained about it to troll us, DriveThru took it down and cited their "no derivative works ever policy". It had been on their website making them money for years. It's not like it's something that "slipped through the cracks" either, since we had that little conversation with them on upload, about how they thought we should charge for it because the production values were so amazing and we were like "can't do that, derivative fan-work". So it would seem DriveThru does not actually care about derivative works as long as they're quietly making money and not being complained about by rapists. I do wish I could see an interpretation of these events that was more charitable to DriveThruRPG's consistency or integrity, but I can't. I asked if since this was their policy, they would be giving back the money they had made off of Phantasm(2010) to the owners of the IPs. They didn't respond. Oh, and the cherry on top is that Phantasm(2010) was nominated for the best free RPG ENnie in 2013 (oh hey, those are the awards from this site, right?). Again, this is a product that has stated outright that it's a derivative fan-work for its entire existence. And if it was nominated for an ENnie, it obviously wasn't low profile. So again, I'm not sure how much DriveThru cares as long as no one's complaining. Once anyone's complaining--whether it's say, someone with legitimate rights to the IP (I never heard from Don Coscarelli once, and I'm almost positive he still does not know the game exists) or a random rapist with a grudge--DriveThru's tune changes very quickly.To be clear, someone has thought this, said this, developed the game, published a few hundred copies, released the game, was encouraged by DriveThru to charge money for the game instead of giving it away for free on the basis of its quality, and then attended the ENnie awards ceremony where the game was nominated for Best Free RPG. I am that 'dumb' someone.Hello!Personal use and commercial use are pretty well defined? Well, my understanding is still that commercial use involves making a profit.I am still developing content for free based on IP I don't own with the rationale that it is okay because I am not making a profit and the understanding that it won't be an issue because the makers of XYZ do not know I or my game exist AND/OR the makers of XYZ do know I exist, but are invested enough in the TTRPG community to not want to look like evil ogres coming down on me with a C&D for something that is obviously just a fan-work being made out of love.Ideological Context: I'm an anti-authoritarian generally anti-capitalist socio-anarchist and my feelings on this topic can best be summarized by the following: "Information wants to be freeCharged particles expand through spaceThen bleed through greedy fingersAnd explode in your faceI can't wait"(I got that entire quote into my section on Storm Front for Shadowrun 4E.)"...'cause sound wants to be freeIt wants to sing over everythingI know you've tried so hard to package joyYou try so hard to sell us things that are already oursLike the bones in my earsLike the air in my lungsThat delivers songs so carefree...So Happy Birthday, sue away!You feel you're being cheatedIt's more that you're not needed...Your cut is nothing cause I gave it away"The fiction and media I respect the most has always been the fiction released "open source", H.P. Lovecraft being the Ur-Example. If his attitude had been anything other than "hey I made this stuff up you guys take it and run with it", roughly 20% of this industry would not even exist.</blockquote>

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