@Balerion said:
We do not see this as fundamentally different from this statement:
"Writing something for your private amusement and "sharing it with a few friends"
That's funny, because there is indeed a difference between, "I don't like it, but it's whatever, so long as you're only sharing it with a few friends," and "I don't like it, but whatever, so long as you don't show it to me."
There's nothing in the world a fan-fic writer can do to harm his IP. I understand completely why he doesn't like it. There's got to be something icky about reading your work imitated, especially since fanfiction is so often so very very bad. But in terms of risk to his franchise, there is zero, and in terms of risk to his reputation, well, if somebody writes it and tries to pass it off as Martin's work, I hope he puts the leeches on them.
Yes, he realises that he cannot police the Internet when it comes to unauthorized use of his IP. That does not change his feelings about the matter and his feelings are what matter to us. I find it peculiar that it arouses so much ire that his collaborators on a book wish to respect his feelings (and wish that others would do so, too).
The fanfic bit? Oh, you're totally correct not to publish or link to that stuff on Westeros.org, etc. Mr. Martin's earlier statements concerning it are somewhat goofy sometimes, as if he really doesn't get how it can't hurt him. His current stance of 'Don't show it to me!" (which no doubt includes the more important, "And for god's sake, don't pretend I had anything to do with it!") is pretty darn standard, and as you run a major fansite, probably THE major fansite (and it's damn good, and many thanks for it!) it would be pretty crappy to post, link, or discuss fanfic there.
But the gaming stuff? It arouses ire because it's hostile to the gaming community. BoD appears to use it to attempt to force players who are interested in the world to have no choice but to play BoD, or be shamed, told they're disrespecting a beloved author if they play elsewhere.
However, by selling the rights to a table-top game, he definitely gave approval for running those sort of games. Thus, it still holds that he is fine with games as long as he has approved them.
Indeed. But the idea that he approves table-top games, but for MUSHes it's a case-by-case basis is weird. Sure, being consulted is nice when you have the time for it, but saying he condemns those he has not been consulted about, well, it once again implies either idiocy or a failure to understand that a MUSH is a role-playing game, like any other.
What you suspect is irrelevant unless you have a quote from GRRM. The quote we supplied makes it clear that while he still had time to answer such queries, he did direct people to our game.
Oh, when other such quotes appear, haha.
As for yours, it fails to answer the real question: Does he recognize that a MUSH is fundamentally similar to the table-top games which he does approve, and that, consequently, the player-GM relationship is fundamental to the game being worth playing, and if so does he really want to force all MU* gamers to play with you guys or not at all?
If you want to be disrespectful to GRRM, assume that the answer is yes.
BoD appears to assume it is yes, to the mild annoyance of other MU players, and in a situation where now the person (Mr. Martin) who could clarify doesn't have time for such silliness.
As you can see by the first email on our FAQ page, he was very concerned about even approving our game and he wanted to be sure he only approved a game where the owners would respect his work and protect his rights.
Yep. Some of that clearly had to do with him not being entirely clear on what a MUSH really is. Though at the time, it was also far more relevant -- issues of rights exclusivity were still in play. Now, not at all.
