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Categorization question

one year ago

So the storygame I am currently working on is based on a short story I wrote for a magazine years ago that was set in a particular RPG world.  While I reference the RPG in the description ot the storygame as part of the inspiration, it is very tangentially connected in this storygame form as I am not trying to incorporate any mechanics of the RPG, just some notes from the setting. Likewise, while it includes the plot of the original story, the storygame version has a lot more with the branching. Would it be more properly classified as Horror or FanFic?

Categorization question

one year ago

Not an authority--but my impression is that if your story is explicitly connected to a property you didn't create, it's fanfiction. So if you mention that it's set in a specific RPG world in the game's description, it would be fanfic.

If your plot and characters are original, and the setting is generic enough that people won't be able to tell offhand where you originally set it, you could easily just edit out that name drop and call it an original story and that would be fine. Just because it was originally conceived of as fanfiction, doesn't mean it's permenantly shackled to that idea. But if you want to maintain a connection to the source material, it's fanfiction.

I think it's probably fine to say "inspired by x" in the description and have it not be fanfic, but that's a borderline case.

If you were trying to publish this game, I'd advise doing some research on copyright law, since the magazine you published your original story in probably owns the rights to it. But since you're just posting it for free on the internet, this is a non issue.

Categorization question

one year ago

Oh yeah, if I was looking to monetize it in some way, I would have to generalize it more.  The license rights for the game has been in a jumbled nightmare for nearly 20 years now, so there is nothing to work with there.

I was trying to get a feel for where that border between FanFic and Inspired by was for this site, as I know this one walks that line. At least in this one, I could fairly easily drop any connection with the base game and may wind up going that way.  I'll just have to restructure some of the description as I was relying on that to mitigate the potential feeling of randomness when you branch into something weird or supernatural, as it starts off as a fairly normal slice-of-life kind of thing.

Categorization question

one year ago
Fanfic is probably the only category that has a hard rule as far as categorization, basically if you don't own the setting then it's fanfic.

But if you want to avoid that, just say it's "inspired by" and then switch any copyrighted names around in the story itself and you should be good.

Categorization question

one year ago

Here is the latest version of my introduction.  Which way do you think I should classify/categorize it as?

 

A retelling of the story "Industrial Still Life in Winter" written by myself for Protodimension Magazine #6. That story focuses on a particularly eventful evening in the life of freelance photographer Pamela Grey in the world of Dark Conspiracy. In this storygame you take the place of Pamela. 

The world you live in is much like today's, only a little worse.  The rich are richer, the poor are poorer. So much is controlled by the megacorporations and rich interests, that large swatches of the ever expanding urban sprawl are marked as "Outlaw Territory, Enter At Own Risk" - where even the police don't go, either for fear or lack of resources.  The middle class has mostly disappeared, and legislative changes have allowed many that would have previously been on the public dole to instead sell their vote to corporate interests in exchange for support. Crime is up, as are disappearances, theft, and violence. Even as bad as the world has become, there are persistent rumors that even worse things lurk in the shadows.  Many neighborhoods have abandoned houses that everyone knows better than to enter, and even in the outlaw where the police fear to tread there are rumors of entire blocks that no one is willing to risk going into after dark.

You and Susan, your significant other, are doing ok.  Her job with Aprico has afforded the two of you a small place in a small gated community owned by the company.  Your home is close enough to the gates that you can still easily indulge in your favorite hobby, walking through Chicago with your trusty camera in hand, particularly at night.

In the twilight one often finds isolated moments of beauty and mystery that would never been seen in the daylight, and you work to capture these moments in the perfect clarity of your lens. You know the risks of this, but even Susan has had to admit that the last couple of pictures you sold would not have been possible if you hadn't been out so late.  To help comfort her (and yourself to be completely honest), you recently bought a large knife to carry with you, just in case.

So, come explore the night and see what waits for you in the dark.