Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction,rec.arts.int-fiction
Path: nntp.gmd.de!Dortmund.Germany.EU.net!Germany.EU.net!EU.net!howland.erols.net!www.nntp.primenet.com!nntp.primenet.com!netcom.com!erkyrath
From: erkyrath@netcom.com (Andrew Plotkin)
Subject: Re: Frobozz Magic Support and the contest
Message-ID: <erkyrathE1yFMI.42w@netcom.com>
Followup-To: rec.games.int-fiction,rec.arts.int-fiction
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL1]
References: <05DEC96.11408034.0239@128.192.253.5>
Date: Thu, 5 Dec 1996 19:03:54 GMT
Lines: 36
Sender: erkyrath@netcom.netcom.com
Xref: nntp.gmd.de rec.games.int-fiction:19257 rec.arts.int-fiction:19183

Dave Gatewood (DGATEWOO@MUSIC.CC.UGA.EDU) wrote:
> I just started playing Frobozz Magic Support (did I miss the
> announcement of this game?  I only know about it from players'
> discussion on this newsgroup.).

The author is overly timid in trumpeting his work. :-) 

>  The info screen says that the author
> (Nate Cull) originally planned this as a competition entry, but then
> changed his plans because of a rule banning derivative works.

> So I have to wonder what the difference is between "Frobozz Magic
> Support" and "A Long Glass of Sherbet."  Both are based on the Zork
> universe, yet one game is disqualified while the other wins first
> place.  Was FMS just too blatantly derivative?  Or would it maybe have
> been allowed if the author had entered it?  Would Sherbet have been
> ruled ineligible if the frotz spell had remained "frotz" instead of
> being renamed "chiaro"?

I speak from neither the author nor Whizzard, but I don't see much 
difference either. One author decided to withdraw, one didn't. 

> And maybe derivative works should be allowed next year - or else we may
> be relying on judgment calls as to what is original and what isn't.

Or a better definition of "derivative". I think an interactive
implementation of an existing work would be bad -- The Neuromancer Game,
to pick an example from a different thread. Neither "FMS" and "Sherbet"
are in that class. 

--Z

-- 

"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the
borogoves..."
