Kickstarting Pastiche Heroquest Miniatures

[chaoticprime]

But don't use the word "Balor". That's D&D, again. But Fomorians is great.
What may be dangerous to call the minis are "Chaos Warrior", "Chaos Sorcerer", "Ice Gremlin", "Polar Warbear", "Frozen Horror".
All these are clearly made up by copyright owners whoever the fraggle they might be.
I know, these are 'only' collocations, but they all are very closely connotated with specific products by you know who.

I'm in no way an expert, but looking at these terms I can't help but advising to be very cautious.
Alternatives: "Dark Knight (Warrior)", "Dark Sorcerer", "Frost Fiend", "Frostbear", generic proper name for the Frozen Horros.

But again, I don't know anything about copyright, so this might draw some ridicule at me...

You generally don't copyright names, you trademark them. There is no possible way anyone could trademark 'Chaos Warrior'. In fact, GW just got its bid to copyright 'Space Marine' shot down in flames.

[Daedalus]

I've been reading about a relevant case that is in the US courts now between Chapterhouse, a Texas-based minis company that makes 40K compatible mini parts, and GW. As things stand now, the court has ruled on some summary judgements that have trimmed the case, but there is a lot that yet needs to be decided. One example that has been decided in GW's favor is that thier oversized shoulderpads on the space marines is copyrightable. Chapterhouse lost that one, arguing the hemispherical shape was public domain, and shoulderpads were aready part of armor from certain soldier expamples presented by an expert witness. CH's shoulderpads were the same, but a bit smaller.

There's tons more to it, but it has been shown that you can't cut too close to the quick in minis IP design or the courts side with GW .

As an interesting aside:

-Chapterhouse followup motion for summary judgement

"I have never had any written agreement with Games Workshop concerning ownership of copyrights in any of the works I created as a freelance artist.
...I have never assigned any of my copyrights to Games Workshop.
"
- Freelancer Gary Chalk testimony

That's Hero Quest IP that is owned by him, not GW, if I read rightly. Back in the day GW didn't regularly create tight contracts to transfer IP from freelancers, which they used regularly.

[chaoticprime]

GW and Milton Bradley co-created HeroQuest. Hasbro bought Milton Bradley, and GW dropped their rights to it. Original copyright does not transfer once sold (the term is different). Because it was a jointly-created, commercial work, it only had a life of twenty years. If Hasbro cared about the IP, they would have shut down this site for hosting their materials for download.

[Nephew of Mentor]

I'll have to read through this topic fully some day, but for now I want to say, if you ever do get the kick starter going I will pay money, absolutely. Keep us informed.

[Jewels!]

I'll have to read through this topic fully some day, but for now I want to say, if you ever do get the kick starter going I will pay money, absolutely. Keep us informed.

As would I.

Now if I read this correctly, neither Hasbro or GW hold any type of copyright or trademark claim to the game anymore?

[chaoticprime]

I think they actually both do, but not fully in all cases. Hasbro has Kellar's Keep, Mage in the Mirror, and Frozen Horror. GW has Wizards of Morcar and Against the Ogre Horde. You cannot copyright a rules set, however.

[knightkrawler]

The title HeroQuest has been used for an entirely different RPG for some years.
That is also a setback.

[chaoticprime]

The title HeroQuest has been used for an entirely different RPG for some years.
That is also a setback.

There's no possible issue with Hasbro or GW, because we would not actually be using the name or logo. We could release products "for use with" and be just fine.

I would love to start this project up, but I just don't have it in my to personally direct it all. I really do not want to create the kickstarter project page, and manage it day to day, or deal with the people that think kickstarter is some kind of store.

[chaoticprime]

Another thing I wanted to talk about, was furnishings. The first set focused on this, but no others really did. I would like to see the furniture sculpted, too.

[Goblin-King]

Another thing I wanted to talk about, was furnishings. The first set focused on this, but no others really did. I would like to see the furniture sculpted, too.

Yes! The cardboard parts have always bothered me, even as a kid.Would it really had been that much trouble to just sculpt a whole chest instead of piecing it together by four parts?