Yes it's the motivation. Sure even if you can't make any more money on something you can protect it. But that protection can cost money in legal fees. The example of the GI Joe PC game was an example where even though the maker of the game was distributing it for free. Hasbro did not like that. Nobody exactly knows why, and the argument was made that the game was helping promotion of the GI Joe franchise. The game would not have harmed Hasbro financially, and I agree it would have helped promotion. Hasbro had its position and that was it. It doesn't have to make sense to users of that mod. Sometimes though these copyright things go to far though. At a retro video game console convention and patron was thrown out physically for having a copy of a 30 year Atari 2600 game from a 3rd party software company that was out of business right after making that program circa 1981. The company totally non-existent, the writer of the program deceased and yet these kids bounced some guy like he was a drunk in a bar out of a convention hall. It was ridiculous. Not it wasn't me. LOL. I observed the altercation first hand and was mortified. Way out of line.
I have spoke to license person at Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro who is in charge of Avalon Hill name, they are aware of AH games in CB, VASSAL and ADC, forms. I asked about it as I was making custom maps for sale for PB and PL and was concerned about copyright. In the conversation where they told me no. I asked just out of curiosity about these game boxes and they answered as long as no money changes hands. The part I still don't understand fully is the Matrix games connection to Vassal and sales of Dan Veersen games and the like. I asked Rodney but his response was kind of a politicians answer. I.E. Lots of words that really didn't answer the question. Or maybe I just didn't comprehend the answer well.possible. From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Chris Fawcett Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 7:31 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [CBML] Re: Avalanche Games > So using any game box by any company that was for profit but is defunct is > still illegal? The profit angle is irrelevant, actually, in any copyright discussion. But the point you do make about being defunct is relevant, since the owner of the copyright is the one who must decide if the distribution (not use) of their IP may constitute infringement and so initiate legal proceedings. It's all about controlling distribution. If a gamebox lands in the forest and there are no IP owners there to hear it, is it infringement? The law says yes, but the only entity that can object is the injured party, and if there is none... [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
