Intro to Legend

[Prime_Evil]

To quote from the Australian Government's official pamphlet on "Games and Copyright":

For copyright purposes, a distinction is made between an idea and the expression of an
idea. Ideas or concepts in themselves are not protected by copyright. If the idea is
expressed in writing, the piece of writing may be protected by copyright as a literary work,
but people are still free to use the idea as long as they express it in a different way.

Hmmm... That is most interesting...

I think that the same rules apply in all countries that are signatories to the Berne Convention. And I suspect that is the reason why certain game features changed name between MRQ and RQ 6 - Spirit Magic became Animism, Divine Magic becomes Theism, etc. The cool thing is that those of us who merely play the games can choose the names that we like best and run with them in our home campaigns

 

[strega]

OK so the only thing in my OP that is shaky is my description of how Mongoose and Issaries handled the Runequest Licence.

A copy of RQI shows that RuneQuest is a licensed Trademark of Issaries.
A copy of RQII shows the same. Copyright is not relevant.

Losing or giving up the license is between Issaries and MGP and only speculation on the part of others. With the loss of the Trademarked name the ruleset, a property owned by MGP, was renamed and marketed as a stand-alone game system. To call it BRP Compatible would require some negotiation with that license holder (Chaosium).

By allowing your fan base to push the rules as being the same as Runequest without Glorantha or as being the same as BRP is not infringing on anyone's trademark or copyright but does allow others to understand the ideas and mechanisms within the rules.

 

[warlock1971]

which is ironic considering that the GORE rules were an attempt to reverse-engineer aspects of CoC that weren't released under the OGL.....

That's so dumb, it's funny.

They were exploiting a well-known loophole in the way that international copyright treaties cover games. Copyright doesn't cover the concepts behind a game or the methods used to play it, although it may cover a particular written expression of the rules. This means that you can in theory produce a 'retroclone' of any game, so long as you are careful to avoid using the same wording as the original. Once a game has been made public, nothing in the copyright law prevents others from developing another game based on similar principles. Copyright protects only the particular manner of the original author’s expression...

Wasn't Renaissance via Clockwork & Chivalry, part of the MRQ1 stable? I recall seeing stuff for that in Signs & Portents.

Yes...but when the MRQ license went away, Cakebread and Walton published the second edition using a customized version of the Openquest rules. It's not a bad game if you fancy adventuring in the early modern period - personally, I'd love to see a d100 steampunk game with elements of gothic horror and dark fantasy, but I may be the only one....

No, you're definitely not the only one! Steampunk and gothic horror in one setting = double the awesomeness!

 

[Prime_Evil]

No, you're definitely not the only one! Steampunk and gothic horror in one setting = double the awesomeness!

Just imagine being trapped on an airship with Dracula on a night flight over the Carpathians....or helping Sherlock Holmes track down Dr. Frankenstein....or hunting down Jack the Ripper before he drinks more of that potion he stole from Dr Jekyl's lab....

 

[DamonJynx]

No, you're definitely not the only one! Steampunk and gothic horror in one setting = double the awesomeness!

Just imagine being trapped on an airship with Dracula on a night flight over the Carpathians....or helping Sherlock Holmes track down Dr. Frankenstein....or hunting down Jack the Ripper before he drinks more of that potion he stole from Dr Jekyl's lab....

Wanna get a group going? I could get into a game like that!

 

[warlock1971]

Hell Yeah!

 

[The Wolf]

I'm a huge alt-tech/steampunk/dieselpunk fan. Watch this space - I actually had a setting I was going to put out through Moon Designs/HeroQuest...however...I am actually quite fond of Legend and I have access to an artist/cartographer in-house

 

[warlock1971]

I'm a huge alt-tech/steampunk/dieselpunk fan. Watch this space - I actually had a setting I was going to put out through Moon Designs/HeroQuest...however...I am actually quite fond of Legend and I have access to an artist/cartographer in-house

Sign me up, Darren!

 

[DamonJynx]

I'm a huge alt-tech/steampunk/dieselpunk fan. Watch this space - I actually had a setting I was going to put out through Moon Designs/HeroQuest...however...I am actually quite fond of Legend and I have access to an artist/cartographer in-house

Sign me up, Darren!

+1

 

[Prime_Evil]

Well...I've been looking for a project to sink my teeth into. Maybe a steampunk handbook for Legend / RQ 6 is the way to go

 

[The Wolf]

Warlock, Damon, I'll keep you in the loop regarding that, if you want a link to the comic I can send you a pm with it in.

Prime_Evil: Sounds like a plan, I say go for it!

 

[DamonJynx]

@Strega

Sorry mate, we've hijacked your thread. Your intro is pretty damn good.

 

[The Wolf]

Indeed it is. It should provide a good basis for a new player/GM to Legend for sure.

 

[warlock1971]

Seems to me that 2013 is gearing up to be an exciting year for Legend, even if it is from a fan community point of view.

 

[Prime_Evil]

Seems to me that 2013 is gearing up to be an exciting year for Legend, even if it is from a fan community point of view.

I hope so - the rules have been out under the OGL for just over a year now, so the first wave of non-Mongoose projects should be nearing completion...

Plus there's a growing buzz of activity around a number of other games in the d100 family. The first releases supporting RQ6 are on the horizon and Chaosium seems to have picked up the pace with BRP releases. Plus there's a new edition of OpenQuest on its way and Cakebread & Walton are continuing to produce new stuff for the Renaissance system. Just remember that a rising tide lifts all boats....

 

[Prime_Evil]

Indeed it is. It should provide a good basis for a new player/GM to Legend for sure.

It's a good intro. Have you seen Peter Maranci's History of Runequest page:

http://www.maranci.net/rqpast.htm

 

[Loz]

But the OGL allows me the chance to write up Legend's "Glorantha" - the setting people will point to when someone asks "Does Legend have a setting?"

I'm really looking forward to seeing such a Glorantha equivalent for Legend - something as richly developed and imaginative as Greg Stafford's magnum opus. Glorantha's developed and evolved over something like 40 years, which is no mean feat.

Can you share any of your thoughts and ideas Alex?

 

[Prime_Evil]

I'm really looking forward to seeing such a Glorantha equivalent for Legend - something as richly developed and imaginative as Greg Stafford's magnum opus. Glorantha's developed and evolved over something like 40 years, which is no mean feat.

Personally, I'd love to see an official version of Tékumel for either Legend or RQ 6 - I still believe that it's one of the greatest feats of world building ever produced. And its flavor would work exceptionally well with the system - those who aren't familiar with it should take a look at official Tékumel website

 

[Bilharzia]

No, you're definitely not the only one! Steampunk and gothic horror in one setting = double the awesomeness!

Just imagine being trapped on an airship with Dracula on a night flight over the Carpathians....or helping Sherlock Holmes track down Dr. Frankenstein....or hunting down Jack the Ripper before he drinks more of that potion he stole from Dr Jekyl's lab....

There's a Champions/Superworld(?) (compatible with Legend? chuckle) scenario called Strikeback by Marcus L Rowland in White Dwarf 50 something (58?) which does these things. Funner if you know The Seven Percent Solution.
edit: it was Champions/Golden Heroes so no Legend superhero stats.