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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Matb <mbreton@**.NETCOM.COM>
Subject: Re: WotC's CCG patent and FASA
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 16:55:35 -0800
Erik Jameson wrote:

> >FASA has not purchased a lisence from WotC for the SRTCG, because AFAIK they
> >are NOT using any of these unique elements.

> Actually, I would contend that the SRTCG does include some elements of
> M:tG, such as card turning and the mana/nuyen point system. Apparently,
> Wizards of the Coast agrees with that assessment.

Actually, you'd have to examine the patent at length to determine
whether any particular game falls under its sway. The claim to, say,
turning, is actually composed of several different features; if a game
can prove that at least one of its elements falls outside those bounds
(and do the same for the other claims within the patent) then it's
kosher.

I'm not a lawyer, and I'm not FASA's lawyer, but I assume they're
drawing on two different aspects of the game to flout these particular
claims:

- Locations/Contacts are not turned in the act of using, and can be used
multiple times within a single turn (which is actually prohibited in
MtG).
- No card is turned or used to bring another into play (which is the nub
of MtG's mana-cost system).

> WotC asked/demanded? that the CCG companies sign licensing agreements with
> them by the end of 1997. Here's the scorecard:

> Of the leading CCG manufacturers, only one, Harper/Prism which makes the
> Aliens/Predator and the Imajica CCGs, has signed on. WotC either designed
> or owns the publisher for Battletech, Dune and L5R.

Ix-nay. WotC owns the *license* to Battletech (which uses the
Deckmaster system, owned by WotC), but the intellectual material -- card
names and, iirc, artwork -- are FASA's. There is no other relationship
between FASA and WotC. (And again, I think Battletech is a safety as
far as the Shadowrun Card Game is concerned -- WotC makes money off of
Battletech, so if they try and squeeze FASA for SRTCG, they essentially
shoot themselves in the foot.)


-Matt

------------------------------------
Beware the man who casts two shadows.

GridSec: SRCard / Wolf in Shepherd's Clothing
Teen Poets FAQ: http://pw1.netcom.com/~mbreton/poetry/poetfaq.htm
SRTCG Website: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/2189/ccgtop.htm
Message no. 2
From: Erik Jameson <erikj@****.COM>
Subject: Re: WotC's CCG patent and FASA
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 17:15:26 -0500
At 04:55 PM 3/17/98 -0800, you wrote:

>> Of the leading CCG manufacturers, only one, Harper/Prism which makes the
>> Aliens/Predator and the Imajica CCGs, has signed on. WotC either designed
>> or owns the publisher for Battletech, Dune and L5R.
>
>Ix-nay. WotC owns the *license* to Battletech (which uses the
>Deckmaster system, owned by WotC), but the intellectual material -- card
>names and, iirc, artwork -- are FASA's. There is no other relationship
>between FASA and WotC. (And again, I think Battletech is a safety as
>far as the Shadowrun Card Game is concerned -- WotC makes money off of
>Battletech, so if they try and squeeze FASA for SRTCG, they essentially
>shoot themselves in the foot.)
>

Careful what you ixnay there. I never said that Wizards of the Coast owned
Battletech. I said they either designed the game or own the "independent"
publisher. FASA owns Battletech, lock stock and barrel; it is through an
agreement that WotC designed and publishes (? Or does FASA publish those
cards?) the Battletech CCG.

Could Lady Jestyr, or someone else on the SRTCG list, check with FASA to
see what is going on with any pending legal action from WotC? I have no
idea if WotC is actively pursuing them, or any of the other CCG makers.
Would be interesting to know if lawsuits have been filed, or if they were
even threatened.

Actually, at my local game store (All Star Games), the SRTCG is one of
their hottest sellers; they beg their distributor for more booster packs on
a regular basis. And half the staff seems to be hooked on it...nearly got
to trade in one of my cards for the Foxy Roxy promo card...

Erik J.

Further Reading

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Disclaimer

These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.