The aim of Terminal Space, supplement for the Original Edition role-playing game, is to add a new ruleset to help transfer the game to an entire new dimension which space exploration is. Any additional materials were created with a thought on settings heavily based in Science Fiction and Science Fantasy genres than most of the materials created for the game so far. Even though this data is not complete I hope that somebody will find them useful.
Game download is available for free, also you can buy printed version (without art) on Lulu. latest available version is 1.4.
Contact: necro_cyber [at] o2 [dot] pl

Supporting OSR: reposting and using others' stuff


For several days I've been wondering what do you think about the exchange of information, links, and texts between the retrogaming / OSR bloggers and blogs. What's more - I'm curious what you think about using someone else's (your) texts, random tables, monsters etc. in other people's games and campaign settings. Would you have something against using your intellectual property in the works of other people - especially if it will be not available for free?

This is how it works with my stuff:
  • You want to use something that I created (random table, list or anything else) in your game or a free product - go ahead, but you must credit me.
  • You want to use something that I created in your non-free product? Contact me by email -  I'll probably agree (especially if I would get a copy of your PDF for free )
  • You want to repost my text on your blog? No problem - if you add the info about its author (me) and a link to my blog(s). 

13 comments:

  1. Matthew SchmeerMarch 16, 2011 at 8:40 AM

    This is why it's good to either flag the material you create as released under the Open Game License or a Creative Commons License. It lets others know the terms up front.

    If you release something under OGL, then legally the re-users or re-posters don't have to credit you UNLESS you declare parts of that content your intellectual property. Ethically, I think they should credit the creator no matter what, but legally they don't have to.

    This is why I prefer the CC license over OGL, mainly because it has nice little graphics that let people know exactly how what the conditions are.

    Here's a link to more info:

    http://creativecommons.org/

    Of course, you could always flag material as released under both. This is generally what I do to just to cover all the bases.

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  2. Timothy S. BrannanMarch 16, 2011 at 8:46 AM

    I prefer the OGL since it was designed to do exactly this.

    Anything I post on my blog that want people to re-use I mark as OGC with a proper Section 15 spelled out.

    Then to make it even easier I tag it as "OGL".
    http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/search/label/ogl

    In cases that something in not open (like the art) I mention that as well.

    I think it works better that way.

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  3. Albert R.March 16, 2011 at 9:01 AM

    Thanks for your answers. I can't understand how I could forget about the CC license... I'm so stupid! :D

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  4. Albert R.March 16, 2011 at 9:03 AM

    Espacially that material posted on one of my Polish blogs is available under CC license...

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  5. xMarch 16, 2011 at 12:42 PM

    I would actually prefer that everyone make clear what they have posted as standard copy right, CC or OGL.

    Being a publisher, and please don't take this the wrong way, I would prefer to know these things up front so that I will not read those posted under standard or CC.

    Once something gets in my head or my notes I will often think about it later and start to use it commercially and I don't want to infringe upon anyone's rights. It is your intellectual property and you have control over it.

    But when I'm brainstorming or even going through notes I have found something based on those principles and had to write it out.

    I'm 100% OGL. You can designate any configuration of open vs closed and I know exactly where a work stands the minute I read the license.

    My own work is released the same way and I plan on contributing OGC to the community as my way of saying thanks.

    I think ultimately it will be the line that the two camps seem to be forming up on. CC is easy for someone to use who is just a hobbyist and wants to interact with just other hobbyists. Put a small logo and a line of text and you're done. The OGL is more complicated and easier to mess up (trust me, I'm glad I have had others proof some of mine :)

    It's all about communication :)

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  6. xMarch 16, 2011 at 1:15 PM

    And something that has to be taken into account:

    http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html

    50% or more of the content published online isn't even subject to copyright law protection of any kind.

    For instance, tables are not copyrightable. You could trademark every name on a table and protect it that way, but only artistic expression can have a copyright applied to it. The same is true of ideas, mechanics, etc.

    It's part of what made the OSR possible in the first place. The courts ruled on it.

    Respect is the most important part of what we have. I want to recognize others when they have helped me, even those who have released something completely into the Public Domain I still want them to get credit for the work.

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  7. Albert R.March 16, 2011 at 1:38 PM

    Thanks for your detailed answer :-)
    To be honest about CC - it's not about my intellectual property (at least not only about it) - I just think that every place where are links to my blog(s) is another step to promote my things - I love to share with my work with others.

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  8. xMarch 16, 2011 at 2:42 PM

    I try to apply the fair use idea whenever I'm blogging. I pick the quote that stuck with me and place the link under the text directly to their site. If I'm just referencing I tend to link the creator or site name to the text.

    And yeah, all linkage is good linkage :)

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  9. Albert R.March 16, 2011 at 3:43 PM

    Yeah - I love to link to blogs of the other people, and (obviously) I love to be linked :-)

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  10. AnonymousMarch 16, 2011 at 4:26 PM

    'I would actually prefer that everyone make clear what they have posted as standard copy right, CC or OGL.'

    I would rather people had the good manners to contact the person who created whatever it is.

    But then I'm British ;)

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  11. Matthew SchmeerMarch 16, 2011 at 5:04 PM

    @AD&D Grognard: "Being a publisher, and please don't take this the wrong way, I would prefer to know these things up front so that I will not read those posted under standard or CC."

    I'm sorry, but this is just a bullshit answer. It's like my students who say they don't read because they want everything they write to be original. But how do you know what's good or not unless you read the stuff? How do you know you aren't just re-inventing the wheel?

    And, by the way, if you're not reading the non-flagged stuff, you're missing some good stuff.

    The nice thing about web is that you can Google those ideas you have to see if someone else has written something similar. It's called doing your research. Google's advanced search function can turn up a turd on the moon if you limit your search queries enough.

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  12. xMarch 16, 2011 at 6:19 PM

    See, you're getting mad. :)

    Look man, I have dealt with copyright and intellectual property issues since I was 14.

    I don't know exactly where you are coming from but this is from a business point of view.

    I want to be able to sit down and take a polygraph and pass it because I did not use someone elses material.

    I ran a small music label about 10 years ago and being into electronic music and sampling I learned a lot. I've had more than one lawyer tell me that they just trawl constantly looking for copyright infringements. Then they track the music to see if it sells. When it begins to make money they drop the letter in mail and go for the kill. See, until it's worth money they don't bother.

    I've learned a lot over the years and CYA is the number 1 lesson.

    And, in all honesty, I don't won't to rip somebody off. That's why I publish under the OGL. I don't need lawyers or researchers or a staff to sit around and check everything constantly. The OGL does the talking for us.

    And my courtesy is in returning the favor by releasing content under the OGL as open for someone else to use.

    And this was the link I was looking for in the first place:

    http://www.godsmonsters.com/Features/why-do-we-need-open/

    As I said, games have very little protection. It's a matter of respect.

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  13. Matthew SchmeerMarch 18, 2011 at 9:42 AM

    Blogger ate my response to this, so let me sum it up by pointing you to this:

    http://www.everythingisaremix.info/watch-the-series/

    ReplyDelete

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