Playtesting request [Archive] - Wizards Community

Playtesting request [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Simpi
02-07-06, 05:23 AM Hello.

I have a humble request for Circle. I understand this might be going to territory of LGwriters but I believe this forum is the best way to raise the issue.

Would it be possible to make it legal to have playtests of a regional modules online? ARs should not be given out for this kind of playtest (counts 'out of region' playtest) but I believe it would make it slightly more easier for authors to organise a playtest.

I've struggled with the fact that being located elsewhere than my usual players (because of studies and all), it is hard to actually organise a playtest. You might get people in other countries to do it but there is a risk that only commentary you receive is 'it's ok'.

I won't have this problem for long when my studies end, but other people might be struggling with similiar problems.

Thank you.

Sampo Haarlaa, the guy from Naerie
gomeztoo
02-07-06, 06:55 AM I think it is not allowed to have playtests out of region, online or not (but I may be mistaken).
I am unsure whether this is something that should be answered in the LGCS though.
Madfox11
02-07-06, 08:38 AM You do realize that you can have ALL the play tests you want, where you want and when you want if you do NOT hand out ARs or get the results reported in the RPGA database? I know that I have had people in the UK play test scenarios, and the Circle people at that time had absolutely no objections. It might be polite though to get permission for this from the author and the Triad, and I wouldn't do it for anything else then play-testing since you do get copyright issues... Mind you, it would be impossible to check it out if there are no ARs, and no reporting in the RPGA or mentioning of names of the Title page of the scenario.
Simpi
02-07-06, 09:02 AM You do realize that you can have ALL the play tests you want, where you want and when you want if you do NOT hand out ARs or get the results reported in the RPGA database? I know that I have had people in the UK play test scenarios, and the Circle people at that time had absolutely no objections. It might be polite though to get permission for this from the author and the Triad, and I wouldn't do it for anything else then play-testing since you do get copyright issues... Mind you, it would be impossible to check it out if there are no ARs, and no reporting in the RPGA or mentioning of names of the Title page of the scenario.

I've been told repeatedly that under no circumstances can regional scenarios be playtested online and i'm now talking about my own modules as there is enough trouble in playtesting my own modules than doing it for other authors as well :D

Of course I could play them online without telling anybody but i'd rather do it by the rules and avoid any possible penalties. After all, if it's not explicitly allowed and Powers That Be learn of it, it could cause RPGA to revoke the online gaming of Core modules.

Sending a copy of the module to somebody in, say Los Angeles, and telling him to playtest the module for me has always been approved, provided no AR is given or that game is not reported through RPGA.

S.H, the guy from Naerie
Madfox11
02-07-06, 09:14 AM I fail to see the difference between playing on-line, or mailing it to somebody on the other side of the world to run in table-top. I will discuss it with my fellow Circle members though. Answer forthcoming... (either by me or one of my fellow Circle members that visit these boards)
Simpi
02-07-06, 09:23 AM I fail to see the difference between playing on-line, or mailing it to somebody on the other side of the world to run in table-top.

Same here but that's what i've been instructed to do so far...

S.H, the guy from Naerie
Britt
02-07-06, 11:56 AM If you're not giving out ARs or reporting the table, I fail to see how the RPGA becomes involved at all. There are no rules for the RPGA that impact non-RPGA play. You could take a BK mod, fly to Spain, and run it online from Spain with a bunch of players from Germany, as long as you don't report the table or hand out ARs.
Madfox11
02-07-06, 11:58 AM It probably does cause issues with copyright of the adventure involved. After all, the author gave permission for the adventure to be used in the LG campaign. The author did not place it in the public domain, so I am not sure whether it falls under the fair use clausule. Then again, I know nothing about copyright laws and I might be totally wrong.
gomeztoo
02-07-06, 03:37 PM Just to add: my judgement came from a Triad who I asked if it was possible to play a playtest out of region.
They were under the impression that it couldn't:
"All adventures must be played and playtested in their originating region."
Simpi
02-07-06, 04:15 PM Just to add: my judgement came from a Triad who I asked if it was possible to play a playtest out of region.
They were under the impression that it couldn't:
"All adventures must be played and playtested in their originating region."

So all the more reason for Circle to clarify it once and for all. I recently sent a regional for playtesting to Perrenland. I might need to ask them not to play it :eek:

I do hope I won't face repercussions retroactively (if it's not allowed). Hopefully the fact that without friendly people in Nyrond our regionals could have been un-playtested trainwrecks can be seen as mitigating circumstance. After all, no ARs were given out and only thing playtesters received was a name credit to the module :allalone:

S.H, the guy from Naerie
Nidome
02-07-06, 10:51 PM As far as I can see a regional scenario remains the property of the author these days, so technically they can do what they like with it.
It seems that when such a scenario becomes officially released then they have effectively "loaned" the rights to it to the local triad until it retires.

If I am incorrect as to who owns the rights to a scenario then I apologise.

Nick.
gomeztoo
02-08-06, 03:02 AM It's a bit more complex, Nick. The scenario may be the authors, the non-SRD data (such as all the Greyhawk setting info and names) are not. I understand there are some legal issues here. Otherwise, you would have seen a number of scenarios appear for download on some region's sites already.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Simpi 02-07-06, 05:23 AM	Hello. I have a humble request for Circle. I understand this might be going to territory of LGwriters but I believe this forum is the best way to raise the issue. Would it be possible to make it legal to have playtests of a regional modules online? ARs should not be given out for this kind of playtest (counts 'out of region' playtest) but I believe it would make it slightly more easier for authors to organise a playtest. I've struggled with the fact that being located elsewhere than my usual players (because of studies and all), it is hard to actually organise a playtest. You might get people in other countries to do it but there is a risk that only commentary you receive is 'it's ok'. I won't have this problem for long when my studies end, but other people might be struggling with similiar problems. Thank you. Sampo Haarlaa, the guy from Naerie
gomeztoo 02-07-06, 06:55 AM	I think it is not allowed to have playtests out of region, online or not (but I may be mistaken). I am unsure whether this is something that should be answered in the LGCS though.
Madfox11 02-07-06, 08:38 AM	You do realize that you can have ALL the play tests you want, where you want and when you want if you do NOT hand out ARs or get the results reported in the RPGA database? I know that I have had people in the UK play test scenarios, and the Circle people at that time had absolutely no objections. It might be polite though to get permission for this from the author and the Triad, and I wouldn't do it for anything else then play-testing since you do get copyright issues... Mind you, it would be impossible to check it out if there are no ARs, and no reporting in the RPGA or mentioning of names of the Title page of the scenario.
Simpi 02-07-06, 09:02 AM	You do realize that you can have ALL the play tests you want, where you want and when you want if you do NOT hand out ARs or get the results reported in the RPGA database? I know that I have had people in the UK play test scenarios, and the Circle people at that time had absolutely no objections. It might be polite though to get permission for this from the author and the Triad, and I wouldn't do it for anything else then play-testing since you do get copyright issues... Mind you, it would be impossible to check it out if there are no ARs, and no reporting in the RPGA or mentioning of names of the Title page of the scenario. I've been told repeatedly that under no circumstances can regional scenarios be playtested online and i'm now talking about my own modules as there is enough trouble in playtesting my own modules than doing it for other authors as well :D Of course I could play them online without telling anybody but i'd rather do it by the rules and avoid any possible penalties. After all, if it's not explicitly allowed and Powers That Be learn of it, it could cause RPGA to revoke the online gaming of Core modules. Sending a copy of the module to somebody in, say Los Angeles, and telling him to playtest the module for me has always been approved, provided no AR is given or that game is not reported through RPGA. S.H, the guy from Naerie
Madfox11 02-07-06, 09:14 AM	I fail to see the difference between playing on-line, or mailing it to somebody on the other side of the world to run in table-top. I will discuss it with my fellow Circle members though. Answer forthcoming... (either by me or one of my fellow Circle members that visit these boards)
Simpi 02-07-06, 09:23 AM	I fail to see the difference between playing on-line, or mailing it to somebody on the other side of the world to run in table-top. Same here but that's what i've been instructed to do so far... S.H, the guy from Naerie
Britt 02-07-06, 11:56 AM	If you're not giving out ARs or reporting the table, I fail to see how the RPGA becomes involved at all. There are no rules for the RPGA that impact non-RPGA play. You could take a BK mod, fly to Spain, and run it online from Spain with a bunch of players from Germany, as long as you don't report the table or hand out ARs.
Madfox11 02-07-06, 11:58 AM	It probably does cause issues with copyright of the adventure involved. After all, the author gave permission for the adventure to be used in the LG campaign. The author did not place it in the public domain, so I am not sure whether it falls under the fair use clausule. Then again, I know nothing about copyright laws and I might be totally wrong.
gomeztoo 02-07-06, 03:37 PM	Just to add: my judgement came from a Triad who I asked if it was possible to play a playtest out of region. They were under the impression that it couldn't: "All adventures must be played and playtested in their originating region."
Simpi 02-07-06, 04:15 PM	Just to add: my judgement came from a Triad who I asked if it was possible to play a playtest out of region. They were under the impression that it couldn't: "All adventures must be played and playtested in their originating region." So all the more reason for Circle to clarify it once and for all. I recently sent a regional for playtesting to Perrenland. I might need to ask them not to play it :eek: I do hope I won't face repercussions retroactively (if it's not allowed). Hopefully the fact that without friendly people in Nyrond our regionals could have been un-playtested trainwrecks can be seen as mitigating circumstance. After all, no ARs were given out and only thing playtesters received was a name credit to the module :allalone: S.H, the guy from Naerie
Nidome 02-07-06, 10:51 PM	As far as I can see a regional scenario remains the property of the author these days, so technically they can do what they like with it. It seems that when such a scenario becomes officially released then they have effectively "loaned" the rights to it to the local triad until it retires. If I am incorrect as to who owns the rights to a scenario then I apologise. Nick.
gomeztoo 02-08-06, 03:02 AM	It's a bit more complex, Nick. The scenario may be the authors, the non-SRD data (such as all the Greyhawk setting info and names) are not. I understand there are some legal issues here. Otherwise, you would have seen a number of scenarios appear for download on some region's sites already.