When a Thread Goes Off the Rails

[nyktos]

So, a big thanks to you all for working on this great little game. Here I am getting all sentimental. I should probable finish my whiskey, see if I've won my ebay auction, and head off to bed. Thanks for the chat this evening. It has been greatly appreciated

we all needed this, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
i read so much negative, that it's nice to read something positive.

negative feedback is expected with our "slow" progress...
but positive feedback is really going to fire us up!

i am bumping this over to our Slack page [our brand new Task Managing page]
the team needs to read this!

thanks for everything Urbain & enjoy your evening.
i am about to sign off as well...

i look forward to communicating with you again soon!

[Urbain]

Cheers Nyktos and a good evening to you I look forward to our next chat as well.

[Lady Drager]

Aww... you guys! Urbain, I'm with you on the love with AT. But D&D... I have seen better dice systems, although the original had three versions. Basic D&D, intermediate, and advanced. Under the current ownership, they registered a copyright on the term d20 dice system. This annoys me to no end. What are we supposed to call it when someone makes a game that only uses the d20? I want to find out so I'm putting together just such a game.

[nyktos]

What are we supposed to call it when someone makes a game that only uses the d20?

20sD Games?

i miss pen & paper games...
i made a simple d20 game for my group back in the day.

i called it Fallout: City of Night (this was before the wildly popular videogame)
people chose genetic mutations instead of classes,
mixing mutations to progress through the skill tree...

[a bit more complicated than that, but you get the point]

good times!

-------------------------------------

EDIT: i am a liar
seems the Fallout videogames came out a few years prior...
(had to check)

[Urbain]

Aww... you guys! Urbain, I'm with you on the love with AT. But D&D... I have seen better dice systems, although the original had three versions. Basic D&D, intermediate, and advanced. Under the current ownership, they registered a copyright on the term d20 dice system. This annoys me to no end. What are we supposed to call it when someone makes a game that only uses the d20? I want to find out so I'm putting together just such a game.

Eh, back in my day...

Nah, I'll end that now. I'm a bit older than you so D&D was all we had. That or Yahtzee. Dice systems at their most archaic. Us old school D&D players were pretty pissed at the new ownership and never bought into the "new" games. Hell, I've still got my second edition books and a couple of first edition ones that aren't completely tattered. I stopped playing when I left university so I never got into the following editions but never forgave the current ownership for putting profits before solid gaming. Put the solid gaming first and the profits follow.

As for a d20 only game that gets around the copyright... dunno. I see some copyright infringement stuff come through work (ministry of justice... and sometimes funny walks) but it's beyond me how it's figured out. Generally it involves teams of lawyers. Maybe call it icosagonal dice? Or d-icosagon. Sounds more chic than d20. So nerdy

[rijackson741]

Under the current ownership, they registered a copyright on the term d20 dice system.

Not quite. The registered trademark is "d20 system". However, if you use anything that might reasonably be confused with that, they can still go after you (IANAL, but I do have some experience with this kind of thing).

This annoys me to no end. What are we supposed to call it when someone makes a game that only uses the d20? I want to find out so I'm putting together just such a game.

They came up with a really good name to describe their game system. "d20 system" is associated with their products, and they want to protect it. They don't want people to use "d20 system" for products that are not associated with them, because it might lead people to believe that the product is associated with them, and thereby possibly hurt their business. That's what trademarks are all about. Again, IANAL, but I think you can say your game system is like the "d20 system®". The end question is whether or not a typical consumer could confuse your product with theirs. If the answer is yes, you have a problem.

[Lady Drager]

I was sure I was clear that I was there when D&D came out way back then. The term was actually started by the gaming community. However, when Hasbro took over they got the copyright. But their system actually uses multiple dice, not only the d20, ergo they have the wrong name.

Anyhoo... my game setting combines classic D&D with Shadow Run and a bit of Star Wars setting types. There are three types of abilities of the same caliber as magic, and you can travel anywhere in the galaxy.

[rijackson741]

I was sure I was clear that I was there when D&D came out way back then. The term was actually started by the gaming community.

If you could prove that, you would win. I suspect they have more money for lawyers than you do though.

However, when Hasbro took over they got the copyright. But their system actually uses multiple dice, not only the d20, ergo they have the wrong name.

It's now owned by "Wizards of the Coast's". Regardless, the trademark does not have to describe their system, it just has to be associated with their company by the consumer. If it is, then it is a trademark, even if it is not a registered trademark.

[Lady Drager]

Wizards of the Coast is a division of Hasbro and located a few miles south of my apartment. I plan on not naming my system and see what the gaming community comes up with. As for proving that the gaming community coming up with the term d20 system, all you have to do is look up online posts dating back prior to WotC's acquisition of TSR.

[Growler]

..my game setting combines classic D&D with Shadow Run and a bit of Star Wars setting types. There are three types of abilities of the same caliber as magic, and you can travel anywhere in the galaxy.

That sounds cool.. any news to report re your game??