Two Cities of Brass?

[CRGreathouse]

Re: Ceasar's Wife. . . .

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.

I want NG to publish City of Brass. I want it to be titled "City of Brass", too.

I know NG will make a good write-up for the City. I trust Clark completely in terms of ethics. I have no reason to think consumers will be decieved -- surely if they care that much about RJ they'll check for his name on the cover?

My only questions for Necromancer: When will this be out, and when can it be preordered?

 

[baseballfury]

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

I dunno, man. Necro is part of the White Wolf machine and WW is hardly "little."

 

[rpace]

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.

Sigh. . . .

Please -- ask someone with the time to explain to you just what circular reasoning (or logic) is.

While you're waiting for that to occur, please reread my message: I wasn't even suggesting that there was any legal prohibition against NG using the title.

To some people ethics and ethical behaviour are important. Right now, NG isn't acting in a manner I consider ethical.

Had they approached Kuntz with their own, already named project and he bailed, they'd be ethically in the clear to pursue someone else for it -- it was always their project, after all.

They wanted his City of Brass and, when that didn't work out for various reasons, they announced they were publishing their own CoB -- effectively destroying Kuntz's ability to sell it elsewhere.

Legal? Probably.

Ethical? No.

 

[Lucifer]

Re: Ceasar's Wife. . . .

then they should dump the title. A book about the City of Brass doesn't have to carry that title.

How about the "City of a yellowish alloy of copper and zinc, sometimes including small amounts of other metals, but usually 67 percent copper and 33 percent zinc"?

 

[Lucifer]

Re: Re: Ceasar's Wife. . . .

I want NG to publish City of Brass. I want it to be titled "City of Brass", too.

All indications are that it will be entitled the "City of Brass"

I know NG will make a good write-up for the City. I trust Clark completely in terms of ethics. I have no reason to think consumers will be decieved -- surely if they care that much about RJ they'll check for his name on the cover?

According to Clark he said they are using exactly zero of anything that Kuntz may have supplied or discussed. So, everything seems to be good.

My only questions for Necromancer: When will this be out, and when can it be preordered?

According to the press release they made, it comes out in Spring of 2003. It will be 128 pages or more. It seems that it will be soft cover and sell for $19.95, though there is talk on the Necromancer message boards of possibly bumping it to a hardcover book similar to Necropolis.

 

[Nightfall]

Sigh. . . .

Please -- ask someone with the time to explain to you just what circular reasoning (or logic) is.

I know what it means.

While you're waiting for that to occur, please reread my message: I wasn't even suggesting that there was any legal prohibition against NG using the title.

To some people ethics and ethical behaviour are important. Right now, NG isn't acting in a manner I consider ethical.

Really? Because they want to give the people what they want, instead of waiting probably years for one man to make up his mind? Especially since he pulled out of his contract WELL before they even GOT to this product?

They wanted his City of Brass and, when that didn't work out for various reasons, they announced they were publishing their own CoB -- effectively destroying Kuntz's ability to sell it elsewhere.

Legal? Probably.

Ethical? No.

They want A City of Brass. It's not Kuntz's in any sense, other than it's a city filled with Efreeti and Noble Efreeti, much like if they had done an Arabian sourcebook. Necromancer might not be doing it the way you'd like by calling it "City of Brass" but it's not like they are doing anything even remotely unethical. If it's unethical to use a name, we should really stop stealing halflings, cause everyone believes they were ripped from Tolkien. Is that ethical?

 

[rpace]

Re: Re: Ceasar's Wife. . . .

I have no reason to think consumers will be decieved --

My concern isn't for consumers -- who often only care if they, themselves get screwed-over.

My concern is for freelancers -- of which I am one -- and publishers behaving in an ethical manner.

NG may be a haven for otherwise exemplary ethical conduct, but this incident has them behaving far below what I consider a professional standard.

I don't for a moment think that many consumers care if a freelancer gets ripped off. . . .

Some of you should think for a moment -- I expect professional people to behave better. In a more ethical manner.

And you're disagreeing with me.

 

[Nightfall]

Re: Re: Re: Ceasar's Wife. . . .

My concern isn't for consumers -- who often only care if they, themselves get screwed-over.

My concern is for freelancers -- of which I am one -- and publishers behaving in an ethical manner.

NG may be a haven for otherwise exemplary ethical conduct, but this incident has them behaving far below what I consider a professional standard.

I don't for a moment think that many consumers care if a freelancer gets ripped off. . . .

Some of you should think for a moment -- I expect professional people to behave better. In a more ethical manner.

And you're disagreeing with me.

I'm not quite a freelancer, but I don't see a problem with what Necromancer is doing. If they want to give the public a product that someone else isn't willing to take the time and energy to do it right and in a timely fashion, I don't see the problem.

 

[Nightfall]

Re: Re: Re: Ceasar's Wife. . . .

According to the press release they made, it comes out in Spring of 2003. It will be 128 pages or more. It seems that it will be soft cover and sell for $19.95, though there is talk on the Necromancer message boards of possibly bumping it to a hardcover book similar to Necropolis.

This is something I'd wish they'd do. If nothing else it could be in same vein as Necropolis, especially if they add in more stuff, say for Elemental Gods or perhaps even connections to other planes.

 

[Dragongirl]

Is Geneweigel Mr Kuntz?