Points have been raised that show a conflict between the letter and intent of the law. Also how the application of the law is inconsistent depending upon the game environment. Consider this:
1.) A multi player game, FTF. One legitimate copy of the game is required. 2.) A multi player game played over the web. Every player must own a copy of the game in order for it to be strictly legitimate. The only difference between 1 & 2 is that all the players cant be in the same room at the same time. It comes down to the definition of sharing and the intent of the sharing. Pre-dating the digital age, Ive made copies of rules/charts for FTF games so that my opponent and I werent waiting for each other. From the strictly legal standpoint, the minute my rules hit the scanner glass, Im assumed to be copying with the intent to distribute, so Im breaking the law. Same for my counter scans to protect me from when a counter hits the floor and my dog gets to it before me. Doug -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Gary Krockover Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 6:52 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [CBML] Re: Copyright This supports my philosophy on the subject: If I'm looking to play something new with a long time gaming buddy (virtually) and I have the game and he does not; I have no problems sharing the rules and gamebox with him because I know very well that if he likes the game, he's likely to buy a copy for himself and if he doesn't like the game, it's a non-sale that never would of happened any way. GJK On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:46:08 -0800 Lawrence Duffield <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > "Who does it hurt?" > > Every precedent that it is OK to steal hurts any >creative who might > ever want to protect his own stuff. > > If you won't limit yourself to what you KNOW is legal, >how could I > assume you will limit yourself when it comes to my >stuff? Most > gamers are too small to protect their copyright except >by public > opinion. So whenever we see somebody stealing other >people's > intellectual property the only way we have to protect >our own is to > make sure we let them know it isn't OK. If that means >tossing some > pirate out of a convention, well, that's how the Jolly >Rogers (though > I can't imagine doing that myself). Maybe the >convention sponsor has > seen his own scenarios ripped off and felt the hurt. > > I personally think allowing Cyberboard boxes helps >rather than hurts > game sales, and provide them for my games for free >downloading, and > even have one for free print-and-play if you want a hard >copy. Most > gamers are honorable, if not always entirely honest. > But I don't > have any problem at all with someone who chooses >differently, based > on the principle that freeloaders shouldn't be >advantaged over the > honorable ones. What ever degree of comfort is needed >for somebody > to keep producing games and variants and other goodies >is fine with > me. We don't have nearly as many creatives as we need >in the gaming > hobby. > > Lawrence Duffield > Principal > LPDGames > www.lpdgames.com > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
