Tracey Alley - plagiarist

[Dannyalcatraz]

I knew I recognized those covers...

As my profs might say, her claims don't even pass the sniff test.

 

[DornWaraxe]

Because my sign-in for this account is new, so until I have a few more post they said I'm not aloud to post links.

 

[DornWaraxe]

What's the reason for breaking a web address? I can understand for an email address, but not for a web address...

Because my number of post for this account are to low. They said I can't post any links yet

 

[Gaming Tonic]

It is unfortunate that this person thought that nobody would notice or that if people did happen to notice wouldn't care. There are a couple of bright spots. The first being that perhaps some new fans of Mystara will be created. It is a great world that is richly detailed and a lot of fun with a lot of classic fantasy elements. The second is that after this "author" is done getting sued they will never have an ounce of credit in the industry again. So I hope the money made balances what they they will have to pay out in legal fees and damages because they will never write professionally again.

 

[FlareStorm]

Third: showing the IP holders that there is an interest in new official Mystara material

 

[BOZ]

These blogs are worth looking at...

http://www.highprogrammer.com/alan/rants/tracey-alley-plagiarism/index.html
http://scribesforge.com/lyceum/100/2013/06/fanfiction/

 

[TarionzCousin]

Blimey. That map really is the same map, names and all.

I've learned two things from this thread:

1. Don't steal other people's work (okay, I already knew this one).
2. Some Brits really do say "blimey."

 

[trancejeremy]

I'm sorry, but D&D was built upon IP infringement.

Hobbits, Balrogs and Ents were lifted from Tolkien, not folklore. A lot of the early art (from the original booklets) was traced over. This has been fairly well documented. Worlds were based on the Outdoor Survival map. Iconic D&D monsters were based on toys.

Legally it's wrong, but morally? is Hasbro being harmed by this? No, not in the slightest. They haven't cared about Mystara in a good what, 20 years?

The cover art is a different matter. But again, I dunno. It's possible to license art. Steve Jackson used a cover of one of my favorite books (Triplet by Timothy Zahn) for one of their supplements. Did they steal the art or license it from the artist? The latter, presumably.

 

[Hussar]

I'm sorry, but D&D was built upon IP infringement.

Hobbits, Balrogs and Ents were lifted from Tolkien, not folklore. A lot of the early art (from the original booklets) was traced over. This has been fairly well documented. Worlds were based on the Outdoor Survival map. Iconic D&D monsters were based on toys.

Legally it's wrong, but morally? is Hasbro being harmed by this? No, not in the slightest. They haven't cared about Mystara in a good what, 20 years?

And, you'll note that hobbits and Ents and Balrogs no longer exist in D&D. TSR got bent over more than a few times for IP infractions. The entire RPG industry has a pretty poor record for respecting other people's IP (FASA anyone?). Based on is fine. There is nothing wrong with derivative works. Heck, art is all about derivative works. But trying to pass off someone else's work and charging money for it is wrong.

If it's okay to sue TSR for copyright infringement, surely it's okay to sue other people too.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Hobbits, Balrogs and Ents were lifted from Tolkien...

...which is why they were called Halflings, Balors, and Treants- to avoid lawsuits.

And its not like TSR avoided all their lawsuits, as Hussar correctly reminds. There's a reason there are different versions of 1Ed's Deities & Demigods, one with Melnibonean & Mythos material, and one without.

But trying to pass off someone else's work and charging money for it is wrong.

And as history has shown us time and time again, people are willing to forgive immoral and criminal acts...IF you 'fess up. Coverups & denials- and she has made many denials- really tick people off on a whole other level.