Re: [dq-rules] On Flames and Publishing [long]

[Bruce Probst <bprobst@netspace.net.au>]

On Mon, 17 Jun 2002 09:37:23 -0700 (PDT), Rodger Thorm
<rodger_thorm@yahoo.com> wrote:

>We can certainly take the narrow view that only things
>that came out with SPI's imprimatur are official DQ

What else can be considered "official"?

>If we accept the view that there can be no new
>material for DQ, then there is no point to any of the
>discussion boards or newsgroups or the Newsletter. 

I never said there can be no new material.  I said (well, implied) that
there can be no new *official* material.

Put it this way: if you put out some new DQ rules and call them "official",
and somebody *else* puts out conflicting rules and also calls them
"official", which of these conflicting rules sets is officially official?
Answer: neither, unless one of the parties acquires actual legal ownership
of the game system (which doesn't seem likely to happen).

(In case you think of saying "that can't happen", I can tell you that I have
access to at least three completely different sets of DQ rules for
"hunting".  Furthermore, I don't especially like *any* of them as written,
and steal bits and pieces from each -- amongst other things -- to make the
"hunting" rules I use in my game.)

In other words, it's all house rules.  Why is that a problem?

>Everything is set, and there is no point to creating
>anything new.  I don't accept that position or agree
>with it.  The very existence of the dq-rules group is
>completely counter to that in principle.

I don't understand your point.  You can discuss a dead game, and suggest
improvements, and discuss stuff with other people, without any of it being
"official".

>Now that the parent company is gone and the system is
>orphaned, I feel it is completely reasonable to
>maintain the system and to continue to develop the
>core of what is official DQ.

It's not *legal* to claim you own it when you don't.  (It's also not
*ethical*.)

As for the DQ community *needing* an "official" set of updated rules:
nonsense.  Unless somebody sets up an international tournament, with cash
prizes, and all play "strictly by the rules", it doesn't matter a fig.
We're not talking a professional sport here.  As you pointed out yourself,
each GM uses what he likes and ignores the rest.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Bruce Probst              bprobst@netspace.net.au    ICQ 6563830
Melbourne, Australia      MSTie #72759  SCA #80160
"Rock and roll Martian."
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