[MUD-Dev] Re: Combat

[Travis Casey]

> :D&D/AD&D
> :Cyberpunk 2000 
> :Rolemaster
>
> Can you use any of those without getting into copyright problems? I
thought
> I had seen posts in the newsgroups about TSR getting upset with MUD
people
> using their system too closely? 

Using the game systems of any of these would not cause problems with 
copyrights under any reasonable interpretation of the law.  However, 
using the terms from them could theoretically land you in trouble via
trademarks, though that's unlikely.

On the flip side, advertising your mud as "an AD&D mud" or "a Rolemaster
mud" will almost certainly get you into trademark trouble if the maker
of the game in question decides they don't like you doing that.  Also,
using characters and/or game worlds from any of those (or any other
published work that's still under copyright) can get you in trouble.

Most game companies aren't likely to sue you; TSR was a notable exception,
but that may change soon, since WotC is buying them out.
--
       |\      _,,,---,,_        Travis S. Casey  <casey at cs.fsu.edu>
 ZZzz  /,`.-'`'    -.  ;-;;,_     System Manager, FSU CS department
      |,4-  ) )-,_..;\ (  `'-'   (904) 644-4290; Room 101C Carothers
     '---''(_/--'  `-'\_)       No one agrees with me.  Not even me.
  rec.games.design FAQ: http://www.cs.fsu.edu/~casey/design.html