Re: TSR Internet Policy (was Re: [Open_Gaming] A D20STL caution)

[Lizard]

Brad Thompson wrote:
> 
> > Jason Lotito
> >
> >  Bob said...
> > "I'm not sure but when I went to school I thought original meant something
> > from _your_ mind not built upon someone else's work. "
> >
> > But then even by this remark...the entire Dungeons and Dragons line is not
> > original, and would 'fail' under the online policy.  D&D was based in part
> > on J.R.R. Tolkien's series.
> 
> Whether D&D is original or not is irrelevant.  WotC doesn't have to abide by
> its own policy.  At most, it means that others can base their work on the
> same sources as D&D and have equal claim to copyright protection.
> 
And the claim is legally false. Stealing an IDEA does not make something
a derivative work. Designing mechanics, etc, that 'latch onto' a
previous game system and are meaningless without it makes something a
derivative work.
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