I assumed (and hoped) when I read about that particular DCC module that you were the author, Al. Can you confirm that? If not, it seems a pretty cheesy move to 'borrow' an iconic phrase from one of the most visible bloggers
Ooohhh, Beyond the Black Gate! How dare they! First they try to hype their game as something innovative, and then they try to steal titles of blogs! The nerve of some people! ;-)
well, Al, you're a gentleman and a blogger. I'm impressed with your sangfroid! I suppose in some ways it's an important homage (much as their riffs on Emirikol the Chaotic). Still, if it were me being 'honored', I'd be pissed ... if only because then I'd feel weird about trying to publish my own work at a later date. I'd feel as if I were plagiarizing an existing title, when in origin it had been mine! Maybe I'm just being too possessive .... best, Rick (Geleg)
"Beyond the Black Gate" isn't a reference to a short story or something? I assumed it was a tribute to something. If you made that up, I would be seriously pissed off, plus it's a copyright violation. I seriously doubt that Harley himself would have jacked someone's blog title intentionally, but publishing a module using someone's signature blog title is not something that's kosher, even if it came from a subconscious memory of reading it rather than a conscious decision to steal the title.
@Matt - "Beyond the Black Gate" is actually a reference to the Black Gate at the bottom of my Megadungeon, "The Forsaken Halls", which ironically got its start as "The Forsaken Halls of Bur'Akor", an adventure idea I pitched to Joe Goodman about a thousand years ago for the DCC line, but never saw print for reasons worthy of their own amusing blog post.
So, far from any irritation whatsoever, I'm actually extremely tickled and even pleased by the adventure's name.
I like that.
ReplyDeleteHave to admit, that's pretty cool...but it's something to steal and adapt to my preferred system! I'm not touching DCC! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI assumed (and hoped) when I read about that particular DCC module that you were the author, Al. Can you confirm that? If not, it seems a pretty cheesy move to 'borrow' an iconic phrase from one of the most visible bloggers
ReplyDeleteOoohhh, Beyond the Black Gate! How dare they! First they try to hype their game as something innovative, and then they try to steal titles of blogs! The nerve of some people! ;-)
ReplyDelete@Rick - Nope, i didn't write it - that's the indefatigable Harley Stroh.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the name at all; in fact, I think there should be more published adventures named after my blog ;)
well, Al, you're a gentleman and a blogger. I'm impressed with your sangfroid! I suppose in some ways it's an important homage (much as their riffs on Emirikol the Chaotic). Still, if it were me being 'honored', I'd be pissed ... if only because then I'd feel weird about trying to publish my own work at a later date. I'd feel as if I were plagiarizing an existing title, when in origin it had been mine! Maybe I'm just being too possessive ....
ReplyDeletebest, Rick (Geleg)
"Beyond the Black Gate" isn't a reference to a short story or something? I assumed it was a tribute to something. If you made that up, I would be seriously pissed off, plus it's a copyright violation. I seriously doubt that Harley himself would have jacked someone's blog title intentionally, but publishing a module using someone's signature blog title is not something that's kosher, even if it came from a subconscious memory of reading it rather than a conscious decision to steal the title.
ReplyDelete@Matt - "Beyond the Black Gate" is actually a reference to the Black Gate at the bottom of my Megadungeon, "The Forsaken Halls", which ironically got its start as "The Forsaken Halls of Bur'Akor", an adventure idea I pitched to Joe Goodman about a thousand years ago for the DCC line, but never saw print for reasons worthy of their own amusing blog post.
ReplyDeleteSo, far from any irritation whatsoever, I'm actually extremely tickled and even pleased by the adventure's name.