TSR Details its Policy

(date unknown)

REGARDING TRADEMARKED AND COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL USED ON-LINE: TSR is now an active member of the on-line gaming community. Since Day-One, TSR products and artwork have been developed by creative people employed or hired by TSR. This has resulted in the creation of an extensive line of products, identities, names, rules, game mechanics, logos, and standards of quality, to name a few. The gaming products, novels, and publications are designed to encourage resourcefulness and creativity in play. All of these created properties are owned by TSR through national trademarks and copyrights which protect their publication - electronically or published on paper. When they are published by anyone other than TSR, Inc. or their licensees, this publication becomes an infringement to TSR trademarks and copyrights. However, the gamers, designers, writers, artists, and editors who work for TSR, do not wish to inhibit role playing game play. SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR CONTINUED PLAY: WHEN USING TSR PROPERTIES: You can create material using the AD&D game mechanics, etc. and place that material on MPGNet, a licensee of TSR, or place it on AOL on TSR's new Bulletin Board. You can download anything -- graphics, games, etc. appearing on TSR AOL for your personal use. Currently, any other distribution to the general public - in paper form or on the net - of AD&D adventures, other TSR materials and game mechanics, or copyrighted materials is considered unauthorized. However, you CAN freely distribute or publish "generic" novels, stories, game mechanics, etc. Read on. HOW TO CREATE GENERIC MATERIAL - SOME TIPS: Don't specifically use AD&D statistics. Be creative. If you want a PC to encounter a stupid but strong NPC, let the GM determine the NPC's actual stats for the game system used by that GM. If the party encounters a hydra, let the GM look up the stats for the hydra in the game system he is using. Don't set the adventures in a TSR world. Create your own or use one from history or legend. For example, you could set your adventure in Atlantis, but not in the FORGOTTEN REALMS Adventure World. Don't use monsters, spells, etc. that were created by TSR. Create and name your own. Draw on history, legend or reality - even spell their actual names backward for uniqueness. Or, if a monster or spell is used in several different game systems, this is a good indication that it is not owned by TSR. For example, Drow were created by TSR, but a hydra is a known legendary monster and is public domain. You really can get going creatively when you invent your own, unique, game mechanics . . . worlds, monsters, etc. And you are free to publish anywhere when you specifically do not rely on AD&D game mechanics or other material from TSR. With our new on-line forum on AOL, we'd like to hear from you about games, graphics, audio, and other material you'd like to download for your own gaming. Please let us know. We plan to be electronically publishing a lot of great things in the future for your gaming use. (R) and TM designate trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. (c) 1994 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.