Two Cities of Brass?

[Outlaw]

RJK/NG

I don't post here that often. And reading all the different posts and replies in this conversation have caused me to remember why. A lot of the "debate" on this issue is grounded on an opinion of quality rather than facts.

How many people here know and are willing to comment why Necromancer Games and Rob Kuntz split ways? The opinions listed so far make it obvious of which camp the poster is a fan of, but I doubt any of us know the specifics of that situation.

How many people that have complained about Rob's posting public e-mails complianed when he posted them in July to tell the people on his boards that he would be doing CB for Necro?

How many people have taken into account the numerous posts and e-mails that Rob received and declined to comment to before he posted those e-mails?

Now honestly, his replies made absolutely no sense to me and I wanted to e-mail him and make sure everything was all right. It was definitely a confusing and scary situation. I can't and won't defend that kind of behavior. I don't understand it.

But I'm not going to raise my torch and pitchfork so that I can try to burn the guy using examples that I don't understand fully.

Everyone involved, including Gene, should drop the issue and wait until the product is released and we can judge them both on their merits.


--Outlaw

 

[JeffB]

Oh yes make him spend a mint on a lawyer, becuse he is a little guy. How one earth can going to a lawyer, be the profesional thing.
ken

I could care less if he was a millionaire or living in a shelter...it's a business controversey..if he felt his Idea was infringed upon then he should take it up the only way he may have a chance to defend his position..legally....

Either that..or he can can put up some more immature and unprofessional posts..but that doesn't do anything other than make Rob look more ridiculous.

At any rate, I'm not here to argue my feelings on the matter. I gave my opinion on the topic of the thread.

 

[Warchild]

A near-flame war about the City of Brass. Now that is as funny as er, heck!

 

[skeetyrbug]

.

 

[Joseph Elric Smith]

I know who realy killed Kennedy, and the trusth about aliens, but I dont; want to bring it up as the flames are too hot. What is the point of saying you know the truth if you are going to share it.
As for the quality or style issue, that is a matter of taste, and to each their own. I have bought several things from gaming companies, where I knew the quality was low in production, becuse I wanted the authors work, but each of us must make their own choice. I just dislike the fact it seems he is being dismissed becuse people dont' like his style as opposed to facts.
Ken

Outlaw: Actually, I DO know why they split. And Ill not comment on it here, because the flames have gotten too high already.

 

[Mindcrime]

** runs in with a phonograph, plops it in the corner. **
** puts the needle down on a record **
** runs out while the record hisses and pops, laughing manically **
** "Let's Get Together" by the Youngbloods plays **

 

[Pale]

Just wanted to point out that both parties in this situation are "the little guy".

 

[Dragongirl]

Well I talk to one of the people involved in the NG City of Brass and know they are taking the old Arabian Nights myth to base it on. I don't see there is any controversy, other than posting private emails.

No one owns, nor can they own the idea of the City of Brass. That is like saying no one can write a book about Tyr, just because he is a god in Forgotten Realms. Just as long as you use the old original materials, and not what someone in modern times have written.

 

[rpace]

Ceasar's Wife. . . .

So -- we have NG eager to do Rob Kuntz's City of Brass -- a reasonably well-known D&D artefact waiting for a publisher.

There's a falling out.

NG decides to do CoB without Rob Kuntz.

At that point NG appears unethical.

At that point it doesn't matter what Rob Kuntz did in their prior business relationship.

At that point it doesn't matter how ethical NG has been in every other situation previous and current.

Every freelancer entering into a new relationship with NG will have to wonder if they will end up with the same result.

Clark Peterson pointed out he has no intention of using any of Rob Kuntz's material for NG's City of Brass -- apart from the title that used to be a part of the Rob Kuntz package.

It's been said that NG has every right to publish a D&D book with that title, but, if they are an ethical company and Clark Peterson is the stand-up guy most people say he is, then they should dump the title. A book about the City of Brass doesn't have to carry that title.

Right now, they appear to be stealing Rob's project -- by their mere intention to publish a CoB book, they undermine Kuntz's ability to find an alternate publisher or successfully publish it himself.

I'm sure NG would prefer to not appear to be stealing someone's project.

Richard Pace

 

[Nightfall]

It's been said that NG has every right to publish a D&D book with that title, but, if they are an ethical company and Clark Peterson is the stand-up guy most people say he is, then they should dump the title. A book about the City of Brass doesn't have to carry that title.

That is absolutely the most circular reasoning I've EVER seen posted on any message board. There's no way RK EVER had any legal claim on the name. Just because a product has the same name as something else, doesn't make it illegal to use it. Hell the entire RPG community has used many of the SAME titles in different ways. If Necromancer games came up to me and said "We want you to write a sourcebook about the Abyss." I'd be happy to do that.

Necromancer games expected to see some results from the Maze series in terms of finishing it on time. RJ did quit on them. Those are facts.

I will also agree with Outlaw, we should judge a product, NOT on it's writing but on the merits of the product. Dragon 300 and BoVD are good examples of this.