Played some VTES with Paradox

I just wanted to comment on a side note that the Deckmaster trademark is abandoned. Wizards of the Coast has no residual rights to that trademark.

The petition to revive this trademark was denied by the Trademark office on Apr. 25 1995.

Just a bit of humor here, if Deckmaster trademark is used for the online reproduction of VTES playing cards that the VEKN could petition to revive the trademark and become current owner. They could then in turn sue, Wizards of the Coast, for using the Deckmaster trademark on the back of Magic: the Gathering.

LOL

drstrange26 wrote: Just a bit of humor here, if Deckmaster trademark is used for the online reproduction of VTES playing cards that the VEKN could petition to revive the trademark and become current owner. They could then in turn sue, Wizards of the Coast, for using the Deckmaster trademark on the back of Magic: the Gathering.

Do it! And thanks for the info.

drstrange26 wrote: I know this may appear obvious but it is full confirmation that the first step of getting VTES published has to legally go through Paradox.

Yes, this we know. What has been discussed is the concern for a new licencee being sued by WotC because of they (maybe) still own rights to some details of the game.

I've written a screenplay taking place in the WoD. Any idea who I might talk to about it over there or what their interest would be in licensing it?i I figure it's a win/win since it draws attention to their product.

prestonp wrote: I've written a screenplay taking place in the WoD. Any idea who I might talk to about it over there or what their interest would be in licensing it?i I figure it's a win/win since it draws attention to their product.

Negotiations like that aren't simply never instant win-wins. For example:

• your screenplay might be utterly, totally, and completely dreadful, and tarnish the reputation of their product
• someone else comes along later and asks for an exclusive right to produce TV shows/films/webisodes (whatever) set in the Paradox WoD, but unfortunately they've already given you this license, making everything much more complicated
• they have a strong brand vision and would want to oversee exactly how you're interpreting certain aspects of the settings/characters/clans/tribes etc., and exercise control over a) your script and b) the finished thing since lots of stuff often changes between the script and the finished show)
• ...or on the flip-side, they're willing to let you do quite a lot, so long as they can use your ideas in their games, such as - say - turning your leading character(s) into a regular character in books, computer games etc., and you might not want to do that for free
• they want to extract a significant amount of money from you (up-front payments, royalties, whatever) - significant doesn't have to mean millions, it just has to mean "pretty big, in relation to your budget". They could, after all, be trying to sell the licensing rights to HBO or Netflix (or, you know, whoever).

And so on.