busman
Level 6 Magician
Playing OD&D, once again. Since 2008!
Posts: 448
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Post by busman on Mar 12, 2012 18:01:55 GMT -6
Hey Fin,
I've yet to read the complete JCM works at this point. I've been going through the WoM rules, and I'm curious, was TSR scrupulous to avoid using stuff from the later books?
What gets introduced in books 6+ that aren't in 1-5? if anything?
I should probably buckle down and just read the series, I've heard they go quickly.
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Post by Finarvyn on Mar 12, 2012 20:29:39 GMT -6
It's a complex question, since there are quite a few people and places that are introduced throughout the series. I think that the first three books could stand alone, but of course ERB kept bringing in new plot elements, etc, as the series went on.
What's tricky about the copyright, as I understand it, is that even though the first few books are in public dompain the Burroughs Estate still owns the rights to certain names. Tough to make a John Carter of Mars RPG without using "John Carter" or "Barsoom", for example.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2012 20:50:46 GMT -6
So ... Cart Johner of Moobras defends Hejad Rothis from the deadly green Kraths?
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Post by Falconer on Mar 13, 2012 18:11:40 GMT -6
EVERY book adds geography and creatures. Most of it doesn’t make it into Warriors of Mars, though, which is 99% based on books 1-3.
I think all the creatures/races in Warriors of Mars are from books 1-3, except for the Malagor which is from book 9.
All personalities mentioned are from books 1-3, except for Cathoris (mentioned in books 1-3, but portrayed as an adult in book 4), Ulysses Paxton (book 6), and Gahan of Gathol is in a list (book 5).
The maps look like they’re mainly based on books 1-3.
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Post by geoffrey on Mar 13, 2012 19:34:01 GMT -6
Warriors of Mars...is 99% based on books 1-3. Interesting. |
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Post by DungeonDevil on Mar 14, 2012 0:00:45 GMT -6
If all you read are 1-3 you will be doing alright. The latter ones add details, but it depends on how deep you want your well of source-material to be.
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busman
Level 6 Magician
Playing OD&D, once again. Since 2008!
Posts: 448
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Post by busman on Mar 14, 2012 1:16:40 GMT -6
EVERY book adds geography and creatures. Most of it doesn’t make it into Warriors of Mars, though, which is 99% based on books 1-3. I think all the creatures/races in Warriors of Mars are from books 1-3, except for the Malagor which is from book 9. All personalities mentioned are from books 1-3, except for Cathoris (mentioned in books 1-3, but portrayed as an adult in book 4), Ulysses Paxton (book 6), and Gahan of Gathol is in a list (book 5). The maps look like they’re mainly based on books 1-3. It sounds like they weren't very careful then, and it shouldn't be surprising that the ERB estate put out a C&D on them. I'm certain that they would have even if it had been on just stuff from books 1-5, but the question is whether they stand on legally correct grounds in that case. Thanks for the clarification. |
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Post by Malchor on Mar 19, 2023 20:22:22 GMT -6
It's a complex question, since there are quite a few people and places that are introduced throughout the series. I think that the first three books could stand alone, but of course ERB kept bringing in new plot elements, etc, as the series went on. What's tricky about the copyright, as I understand it, is that even though the first few books are in public dompain the Burroughs Estate still owns the rights to certain names. Tough to make a John Carter of Mars RPG without using "John Carter" or "Barsoom", for example. I am not a lawyer. As I understand it Dastar Corp. v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. says you can't get creative and try to protect IP that has fallen into the public domain, as doing so defeats the spirit and purpose of a limited timeframe for protection—thus it invalidates trademark on public domain works. Now it is true that did not stop the ERB estate from going after a comic publisher, though they settled and the publisher still make more books on the series. My guess is that ERB estate has no teeth on this, but you still have to be read to go to the matt. |
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aramis
Level 4 Theurgist
Posts: 170 
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Post by aramis on Sept 10, 2023 11:23:36 GMT -6
It's also important to note that, in the US system, settlements do not have any precedential value, nor do they need to reflect the actual legal merits/flaws of the case...
Disney counts on this and the expense of fighting litigation to enforce their trademarks past the law's allowances.
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Post by Malchor on Sept 29, 2023 7:33:42 GMT -6
As to Disney. You can do a Hundred Acre Wood RPG and Disney can't do a thing. Just do not include Tigger who is still copyrighted.
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Post by Punkrabbitt on Sept 30, 2023 15:47:17 GMT -6
"Winnie The Pooh: Blood And Honey" REALLY upset Disney...
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Post by Malchor on Oct 24, 2023 6:36:21 GMT -6
"Winnie The Pooh: Blood And Honey" REALLY upset Disney... They can be as upset as upset can get, on January 1, 2022, Winnie-the-Pooh entered the public domain, along with the characters it contained (minus Tigger, he was added later and is still under copyright protection), which means writer/director Rhys Frake-Waterfield is free to make a low-budget slasher Winnie-the-Pooh movie. And nobody, not even Disney, can stop him. |
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Post by Punkrabbitt on Oct 24, 2023 13:56:10 GMT -6
Yes, that was my point  |
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Post by Malchor on Oct 24, 2023 16:45:25 GMT -6
Yes, that was my point Doh! I have post-con-slow-brain. |
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Post by Punkrabbitt on Oct 24, 2023 18:45:02 GMT -6
Yes, that was my point Doh! I have post-con-slow-brain. No worries, man! We're like one big happy family here. Only one other forum that I frequent is as polite and friendly as this one. |
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