From:	Slipspeed atreloar@*********.com
Subject:	SR Books Online
Date:	Mon, 15 Feb 1999 22:46:41 +1000

>But why should FASA give a devil rat's ass? They aren't making anything
off
>of those books now anyways? Personally I think they should release those
>books for free online. Hey the code for Wolfenstein and Doom eventually
>became public domain? Why can't the old, out-of-print books from Shadowrun
>be the same?


Ever hear of reprints? It's been known to happen. As for game code being
released, it's entirely different. A few points...

1) Nobody was buying anything related to those games anymore, and a future
product was planned in each case that made the old game obsolete. People
ARE still buying Shadowrun related products, so the old books might be
revitalised and rereleased. Shadowrun is not being made obsolete by future
products either. Shadowrun is running strong, and there's no reason nor
viable way to make it obsolete. Different editions don't count, as in
Doom's case with Doom 2. Same game engine, new levels and new plot and
slightly different weapons. The old sources are still a part of Shadowrun,
whether current or not.

2) The old sources are still potential money makers if FASA decides there's
enough demand to do another print run, which is always possible, albeit
unlikely. A few rules tweaks and away they go. Rereleasing Wolfenstein or
Doom however, to continue your example, would lose iD quite a bit of money
that was invested into the rerelease and advertising. Who wants to buy
Wolfenstein when there's Quake 2, Unreal and Half Life out there? Not very
many, I assure you.

3) FASA might have a very real fear that rereleasing some of their old work
for free would lead to pirated sources of non-free released material. Those
not experienced with Shadowrun product releases wouldn't know the
difference. "Here, a copy of UB, Shadowbeat and Corporate Shadowfiles, all
free. Oh, and a copy of Rigger 2, which is a "new addition" to the free
list *wink wink*"... Those of us that have kept track of Shadowrun would
know that Rigger two in the above example would definitely not be on such a
list, but would a new player? Perhaps not.

4) By releasing to the public some of the Shadowrun line for free, FASA
would be willingly giving up their right to make money from that product,
and setting a precedent. By releasing to the public Earthdawn, FASA has
effectively declared the product line dead, and renounced any intention to
make further profit from those products. A clever lawyer might argue
something away from them, and so FASA might not be willing to allow such a
possibility to develop, keeping a tight grip on their rights.

5) They are FASA's rights and FASA's products to do with what they wish.
They have every right to take them with them to the proverbial grave. :)

Sure, some of the above is unlikely or likely, varying on FASA policy which
I'm of course not privy to, but don't hold your breath waiting for free
material.

Slipspeed

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"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts
can be counted" - Albert Einstein
Adam Treloar aka Guardian, Slipspeed
atreloar@*********.com
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1900/
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