The Great Dreamscape Name Debate

[T'oma]

I too _AM NOT_ a Lawyer, but I am under the impression that there is a significant difference between TradeMark and Copywrite.  'TradeMark' refers to a recognizeable, iconic Logo.  Most lawsuits involving TradeMark are 'Infringement', in which an entity asserts that use of a Word, abbreviation, or Sigil within a TradeMark by another Entity would cause "significant confusion in the Marketplace".   Copywrite is more general dealing with published works of course.

Having said that:  Stick to your Guns, man!!
This is _exactly_ similair to a WWW Domain Name, and (as someone earlier pointed out) you have Staked a Claim on this Gold Mine.  This presumes of course that you Have, in fact, actively pursued legal copywrite, and left a train of causality evidencing that fact.

If all else fails and they prove a apriori claim: Demand Cash to cede your rights: settle out of court & you may have $  enough to do a Print Run of a re-named product

[etherworld]

May I suggest these alternatives:

Dreamworld
Dreamland
Dreamrealm
Dreamdomain
Dreamscar
Dreamforge
Dreams 'n things (sorry)
Dreamdawn
Dreamhorizon
Dreamquest (ick)
Dreamarch
Nightmare
Dreamhaunt
Dreamsoul
Dreamspirit
Dreamcube

I can think of a dozen more if you want. LMK.

[Valamir]

If you do go ahead and use the name I would heartily recommend going on to register your published work and send the requisite copies to the library of congress.

Registration is absolutely not required in order to claim copy right.  But it is required in order to pursue legal action against someone violating your copy right.  If you wait to register until after a violation occurs you lose the ability to claim legal fees or be awarded putative damages (actual damage only).*

Registering is something of a pain in the ass that ordinarily may not even be worth it for a small publisher...but given that you know there are potential issues right from the start its probably worth your while.  If memory serves registration is free apart from a nominal filing fee and having to provide a couple of copies of your best edition to the LoC.


*speaking here of US copyright law.

[Simon W]

May I suggest these alternatives:

Dreamworld
Dreamland
Dreamrealm
Dreamdomain
Dreamscar
Dreamforge
Dreams 'n things (sorry)
Dreamdawn
Dreamhorizon
Dreamquest (ick)
Dreamarch
Nightmare
Dreamhaunt
Dreamsoul
Dreamspirit
Dreamcube

I can think of a dozen more if you want. LMK.

I had already considered and discarded a lot of these. However, Dreamsoul and Dreamdawn I hadn't considered. I particularly like the former. Hmmm. Someone else came up with Sandmen, which I quite like too.

Thanks for your ideas.

Simon W

[jdagna]

As for new suggestions, what about "Dreamcatchers"?

The real-world definition for that is an item made by certain Native American tribes to bring good dreams to its owner.  If you haven't seen one, they're basically a hoop with a sort of spiderweb of string and beads, often with strings hanging down off the hoop as well.

In a fairly literal sense, your characters are dreamcatchers, so it might fit.

[Simon W]

As for new suggestions, what about "Dreamcatchers"?

The real-world definition for that is an item made by certain Native American tribes to bring good dreams to its owner.  If you haven't seen one, they're basically a hoop with a sort of spiderweb of string and beads, often with strings hanging down off the hoop as well.

In a fairly literal sense, your characters are dreamcatchers, so it might fit.

Dreamcatchers feature heavily in my It's a Dog's Life RPG already - I can't use that name for this game, people might think I have a thing about them or that I'm some sort of New Age Hippy.

Simon W
http://www.geocities.com/dogs_life2003/

[Ron Edwards]

Hello,

This thread seems to have become a "name my game" interaction, which I'm not sure really helps you much, Simon. Fun as it might be.

Do you want to continue to discuss the actual choice you face - whether to say No to these guys? Or have you come to a conclusion about that?

I'm concerned that the default attraction of the "name my game" playpen might accidentally draw you into making a decision about the real issue without having actually reflected on it first.

Best,
Ron

[Simon W]

Hello,

This thread seems to have become a "name my game" interaction, which I'm not sure really helps you much, Simon. Fun as it might be.

Do you want to continue to discuss the actual choice you face - whether to say No to these guys? Or have you come to a conclusion about that?

I'm concerned that the default attraction of the "name my game" playpen might accidentally draw you into making a decision about the real issue without having actually reflected on it first.

Best,
Ron

Good point Ron.

We have now resolved the issue (without threats or nastiness) and I'm changing the name of my game.

Cheers everyone
Simon W

[Simon W]

Just for everybodies information Dreamscape is now being renamed

                                   DreamKnights.

Work has started on updating the rules and I hope I can get everything done by the date I originally planned to launch the game at RPGNOW. I won't stress over it though and so DreamKnights may be out a bit later than planned.

Simon W

[GMSkarka]

Now the problem is that I have just received an email from a company who are also looking to use the name Dreamscape and tell me they have a CCG and RPG planned.

That's interesting.

To muddy the waters further, Adamant Entertainment released a D20 supplement called DREAMSCAPES on RPGNow in mid-January, and haven't gotten an email from any company.

Here's the product link:

http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=4113&;

[Simon W]

Yeah, I noticed Adamants game before, which is one of the reasons I wasn't too bothered about changing mine - it would be confusing with 3 rpgs with the same or similar titles.
I guess the difference is that Adamants game has an 's' on the end.

Simon W
http://www.geocities.com/dreamscape2020/