REPOST: TSR Official Online Policy
Veggie Boy
- Sean Reynolds
TSR Online Coordinator
TSR...@aol.com
REGARDING TRADEMARKED AND COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL USED ON-LINE:
TSR is now an active member of the on-line gaming community. Since
Day-One, TSR products and artwork have been developed by creative people
employed or hired by TSR. This has resulted in the creation of an extensive
line of products, identities, names, rules, game mechanics, logos, and
standards of quality, to name a few. The gaming products, novels, and
publications are designed to encourage resourcefulness and creativity in
play. All of these created properties are owned by TSR through national
trademarks and copyrights which protect their publication P electronically
or published on paper. When they are published by anyone other than TSR,
Inc. or their licensees, this publication becomes an infringement to TSR
trademarks and copyrights.
However, the gamers, designers, writers, artists, and editors who work
for TSR, do not wish to inhibit role playing game play.
>SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR CONTINUED PLAY:
WHEN USING TSR PROPERTIES:
You can create material using the AD&D game mechanics, etc. and place
that material on MPGNet, a licensee of TSR, or place it on AOL on TSR's new
Bulletin Board. You can download anything -- graphics, games, etc. appearing
on TSR AOL for your personal use. Currently, any other distribution to the
general public P in paper form or on the net P of AD&D adventures, other
TSR materials and game mechanics, or copyrighted materials is considered
unauthorized. However, you CAN freely distribute or publish "generic"
novels, stories, game mechanics, etc. Read on.
HOW TO CREATE GENERIC MATERIAL P SOME TIPS:
Don't specifically use AD&D statistics. Be creative. If you want a PC
to encounter a stupid but strong NPC, let the GM determine the NPC's actual
stats for the game system used by that GM. If the party encounters a hydra,
let the GM look up the stats for the hydra in the game system he is using.
Don't set the adventures in a TSR world. Create your own or use one
from history or legend. For example, you could set your adventure in
Atlantis, but not in the FORGOTTEN REALMS Adventure World.
Don't use monsters, spells, etc. that were created by TSR. Create and
name your own. Draw on history, legend or reality P even spell their actual
names backward for uniqueness.
Or, if a monster or spell is used in several different game systems,
this is a good indication that it is not owned by TSR. For example, Drow
were created by TSR, but a hydra is a known legendary monster and is public
domain.
You really can get going creatively when you invent your own, unique,
game mechanics . . . worlds, monsters, etc. And you are free to publish
anywhere when you specifically do not rely on AD&D game mechanics or other
material from TSR.
With our new on-line forum on AOL, we'd like to hear from you about
games, graphics, audio, and other material you'd like to download for your
own gaming. Please let us know. We plan to be electronically publishing a
lot of great things in the future for your gaming use.
(R) and TM designate trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. (c) 1994 TSR, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.