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Abstruse's profile
Darryl Mott
Darryl Mott
Darryl Mott
@Abstruse

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Darryl Mott

@Abstruse

Owner: Gamer's Tavern Media. Freelance columnist: ENWorld, formerly AICN. Writer, audio/video producer/editor, games/media critic. Opinions are my own. He/Him.

Nederland, TX
gamerstavernshow.com
Joined November 2008

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    Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

    So in case you don't know what's going on in #TTRPGs the last couple of days, here's a summary of events. There are now two companies called "TSR Games", neither of which are directly related to the original TSR Inc. from the 1970s that created D&D.

    12:08 PM - 26 Jun 2021
    • 1,544 Retweets
    • 3,946 Likes
    • Eric Primm Psychopomps-R-Us Falchion Brainwise (he/him) still wears a mask 😷 Howie Day Knolan Solidarity Seth 🌹 Mewah charles oney kidwell
    96 replies 1,544 retweets 3,946 likes
      1. New conversation
      2. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        The first, @TSRGames, formed in 2011 and created the new edition of Top Secret as well as publishing Gygax Magazine for a few years. They registered the trademark for "TSR" after it was apparently abandoned by @Wizards_DnD and continued to use it.

        2 replies 21 retweets 821 likes
        Show this thread
      3. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        The second, @TSR_Games, noticed that the first company did not file their paperwork to re-register the trademark in time so they decided to register the trademark themselves. This company announced two games - Star Frontiers (I'll get to that) and Giantlands.

        1 reply 22 retweets 772 likes
        Show this thread
      4. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        To avoid confusion between the various companies named TSR in this thread, I shall label them using the last name of their original primary executive not named "Gygax". So TSR (Kaye) created D&D, TSR (Elliot) made the new Top Secret, and TSR (LaNasa) is brand new.

        3 replies 28 retweets 723 likes
        Show this thread
      5. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        I want to repeat that aside from various connections to different members of the Gygax family - despite what one of them claims - NONE OF THESE COMPANIES ARE RELATED. TSR (Kaye) formed in 1973 and dissolved in 1997 when Wizards bought them.

        3 replies 25 retweets 826 likes
        Show this thread
      6. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        When TSR (Elliot) allowed their registered trademark to lapse, they did not lose legal protection for the trademark. But attempting to protect their trademark from TSR (LaNasa) requires legal filings, which means paying lawyers, which is expensive for a small RPG publisher.

        2 replies 18 retweets 733 likes
        Show this thread
      7. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        TSR (LaNasa) agreed to "license" the trademark of "TSR Games" back to TSR (Elliot), reportedly for $10/year. So both companies currently exist and both call themselves "TSR Games", one formed in 2011 one formed in 2020.

        1 reply 17 retweets 688 likes
        Show this thread
      8. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        This past week, @Gygax_Jr, the son of Gary Gygax and vice president of TSR (LaNasa) did an interview where he said multiple problematic things. He laughed at and mocked the concept of gender identity and disparaged Native Americans among several other statements.

        7 replies 78 retweets 976 likes
        Show this thread
      9. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        TSR (LaNasa) at first attempted to distance themselves from those statements, saying that Ernie was "not a corporate guy" (despite him being the vice president of that company) and that Ernie's opinions were his own. This lasted only a few hours.

        1 reply 25 retweets 771 likes
        Show this thread
      10. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        Since then, TSR (LaNasa) has taken to Twitter making vague posts in support of "diversity" with a "both sides" tone while at the same time harassing people for criticism of Ernie's statements or those of TSR (LaNasa), blocking several afterward so they could not respond.

        2 replies 23 retweets 798 likes
        Show this thread
      11. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        TSR (Elliot), who stayed mostly silent on the whole trademark issue earlier this week, then came forward to explain how the trademark for "TSR Games" was taken from them due to late paperwork and that they could not afford to fight it in court.

        1 reply 22 retweets 757 likes
        Show this thread
      12. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        TSR (Elliot) then made statements unequivocally in support of transgender rights, racial justice, women, and the LGBTQ+ community in order to distance themselves from TSR (LaNasa)'s continued problematic statements.

        2 replies 48 retweets 1,029 likes
        Show this thread
      13. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        GaryCon, the convention organized in Gary Gygax's memory, and Ernie's brother Luke Gygax also made statements distancing themselves from Ernie and TSR (LaNasa), as have creators who worked on TSR (LaNasa) products prior to these statements, such as artist Jeff Dee.

        4 replies 33 retweets 869 likes
        Show this thread
      14. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        TSR (LaNasa) announced two games as part of their new company, Giantlands and Star Frontiers. Giantlands is an unfulfilled Kickstarter from 2017 with cover credits to @drawmsemaj and @SEDart4. The former has made vague tweets in support of TSR (LaNasa)...

        2 replies 20 retweets 683 likes
        Show this thread
      15. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        ...while the latter has made their own transphobic statements, calling a request for a statement in support of transgender rights "disgusting". This echoed a reply to the request from the official Giantlands Twitter account, which called the person themselves "disgusting".

        3 replies 22 retweets 728 likes
        Show this thread
      16. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        Star Frontiers was a game originally published in 1982 by TSR (Kaye) which also has had a lapsed trademark registration. @EvilHatOfficial attempted to register the trademark in 2017, but @Wizards_DnD republished the original Star Frontiers which stopped that from moving forward.

        2 replies 16 retweets 659 likes
        Show this thread
      17. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        I should note the exact reasons why Evil Hat decided not to continue with their plans to revive Star Frontiers have not been made public to the best of my knowledge outside that they could not work out terms with Wizards of the Coast.

        2 replies 10 retweets 625 likes
        Show this thread
      18. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        The original Star Frontiers is currently available in PDF format from @Wizards_DnD, so the only claim to that IP that TSR (LaNasa) has - a trademark registration - is dubious at best. They do not own the original game nor any of the copyrights associated with any material for it.

        1 reply 16 retweets 663 likes
        Show this thread
      19. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        TSR (LaNasa) is also currently using a TSR logo that was originally used by TSR (Kaye). To the best of my knowledge, they do not have the rights to this logo as it is owned by @Wizards_DnD as part of their purchase of TSR (Kaye).

        2 replies 24 retweets 728 likes
        Show this thread
      20. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        In addition to the various problematic statements, Ernie also made several statements in the interview that are just...confusing for someone working in the publishing industry and particularly the modern RPG publishing industry.

        1 reply 15 retweets 703 likes
        Show this thread
      21. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        Ernie blamed Kickstarter's fees and bank payment processing fees for his failure to fulfill his 2015 crowdfunded project Marmorial Tomb, stating they were "stolen". @Kickstarter makes the 5-10% fees clear before launching a project.

        3 replies 21 retweets 725 likes
        Show this thread
      22. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        Ernie also seemed confused about the concept of taxes and did not understand that companies and individuals have to pay state and federal taxes on business income and pay accountants to sort through those taxes, calling it "wasted money".

        1 reply 23 retweets 809 likes
        Show this thread
      23. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        But aside from some more toxic statements from TSR (LaNasa) and various related accounts and TSR (LaNasa)'s questionable application of trademark law that would be better explained by a lawyer, I think that brings us up to date on this clusterfuck.

        11 replies 14 retweets 819 likes
        Show this thread
      24. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        Just to clarify who the three companies involved are on Twitter: TSR (Kaye) founded by Gary Gygax and Don Kaye in 1973 is currently owned by @Wizards_DnD TSR (Elliot) founded in 2011 is @TSRgames TSR (LaNasa) founded in 2020 and the center of this controversy is @TSR_games

        16 replies 61 retweets 851 likes
        Show this thread
      25. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 26

        Darryl Mott Retweeted Orcish Law

        If anyone would like a good overview of the legal aspects of the trademark and copyright stuff going on, @OrcishLaw made a good thread with a broad-picture, general-view summary.https://twitter.com/OrcishLaw/status/1408909969873805313 …

        Darryl Mott added,

        Orcish Law @OrcishLaw
        Because @abstruce asked for it, here’s a quick runthrough of what I see are the trademark (“TM”) issues in the TSR dispute. This isn’t legal advice, just an overview of an area that I don’t specialize in. I don’t know any of the facts beyond what I read. https://twitter.com/Abstruse/status/1408864843101360130 …
        Show this thread
        8 replies 24 retweets 511 likes
        Show this thread
      26. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 27

        Darryl Mott Retweeted 𓍘𓅱𓀁𓇋𓄿𓅱𓀗

        *wakes up* *reads new developments* *regrets choice to quit drinking*https://twitter.com/IHeartFargo/status/1409190967270383618 …

        Darryl Mott added,

        𓍘𓅱𓀁𓇋𓄿𓅱𓀗 @IHeartFargo
        Doubled over laughing in horror pic.twitter.com/KOjnVznw2Y
        3 replies 23 retweets 325 likes
        Show this thread
      27. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 27

        Darryl Mott Retweeted Dice Will Roll

        And this gentleman threatening to kill people for talking about him was a game designer on the original D&D, apparently brought into the TSR Games in some capacity, and I previously reported on credible allegations of his sexual harassment.https://twitter.com/DiceWillRoll/status/1409230991252676612 …

        Darryl Mott added,

        Dice Will Roll @DiceWillRoll
        Deepening the shitshow that is TSR! In a courageous defiance of being called transphobic, Frank Mentzer proved critics wrong by telling them he would kill them pic.twitter.com/8ulOMTzjPQ
        6 replies 16 retweets 183 likes
        Show this thread
      28. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 27

        Darryl Mott Retweeted David Flor

        *sigh* I just wanted to spend today playing Mass Effect...https://twitter.com/BrainClouds/status/1409237987544780816 …

        Darryl Mott added,

        David Flor @BrainClouds
        So LaNasa & Co seem to think that TSR is their god-given birthright and can therefore threaten TSR Facebook groups that dont follow their agenda. pic.twitter.com/o5wGEU74uI
        4 replies 11 retweets 217 likes
        Show this thread
      29. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 27

        Darryl Mott Retweeted Solarian Games

        Looks like TSR (Elliot) is cutting all ties with TSR (LaNasa) including the trademark licensed forced on them. Not sure if this means they're going to be contesting the registration after all or if they're dropping the TSR name.https://twitter.com/TSRgames/status/1409212101315284992 …

        Darryl Mott added,

        Solarian Games @Solariangames
        Update to our earlier tweet - we will NOT be licensing anything from the new company claiming rights to the TSR logos. We are not working with them in any fashion.
        5 replies 11 retweets 199 likes
        Show this thread
      30. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jun 27

        Darryl Mott Retweeted Morrus #levelup5e launches October 5th

        For those looking for links or documentation, here's a thread from @Morrus with the various articles about this story on EN World. Whatever it is you want to see for yourself in context, it's likely in one of these.https://twitter.com/Morrus/status/1409283607995224065 …

        Darryl Mott added,

        Morrus #levelup5e launches October 5th @Morrus
        Quick catch-up on my coverage of this story, as it spans several articles now. 1/x
        Show this thread
        4 replies 4 retweets 126 likes
        Show this thread
      31. Darryl Mott‏ @Abstruse Jul 3

        Darryl Mott Retweeted Solarian Games

        So TSR Games (Elliot) is no longer TSR Games. They're now Solarian Games.https://twitter.com/TSRgames/status/1411153710122602497 …

        Darryl Mott added,

        Solarian Games @Solariangames
        We have rebranded officially as SOLARIAN Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us this past week, your good vibes have made everything better ❤️🧙‍♂️👨‍🦽🕺🤓🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ We still publish Top Secret NWO, and even more games that you can get at: https://solariangames.com/ 
        2 replies 6 retweets 25 likes
        Show this thread
      32. Show replies

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