ADB Inc. On-Line Policy

ON-LINE POLICY

ADB, Inc. ON-LINE POLICY
Updated 16 April 2007

The Internet and World Wide Web are an exciting and dynamic place, in which thousands of creative and enthusiastic people promote, support, and discuss their hobbies. A few people inadvertently run afoul of the law (and good manners) due to excess enthusiasm, and a small group shows reckless disregard for the laws and rights of others. Responsible companies such as ADB, Inc., therefore establish "On-Line Policies" to define how their property can be used so that everyone knows the rules. The situation with ADB, Inc., is complicated by our contracts with Paramount, which impose additional rules and restrictions which we must pass on to others.

First let us here at ADB, Inc., say that we appreciate the efforts (many of which have been helpful) which dozens of web site designers have made to promote ADB, Inc., products. We also apologize for not creating and posting a web site policy previously. As such, no harm or ill will shall befall any site which inadvertently used something that they should not have, so long as these items are removed upon the first request from ADB, Inc.. Note that Authorized Sites will be allowed to keep many of these things, and when/if you are contacted by ADB, Inc., we are far more interested in getting you to become an Authorized Site than in getting things taken down from your site. This policy, the permissions it gives, and any similar permission(s) given under other circumstances are subject to change or withdrawal at any time without notice. All previously issued permissions expire as of 1 May 99.

This policy primarily exists to define NEW ship designs for SFB. We do NOT allow anyone to post conversions of SFB ships to Federation Commander, A Call to Arms, Starmada, F&E, or any of our other games. If you want a ship converted to another game, ask us and we'll do it when we can in an official product.

Generally speaking, there are three types of web-sites related to Star Fleet Battles and the Star Fleet Universe.

OFFICIAL SITES: These include the one run by ADB, Inc., and (with a few caveats that need not trouble us here) the one run by Agents of Gaming (for Omega Sector), the one run by Interplay for Star Fleet Command, and the one run by Star Fleet Battles On-Line (for on-line tournaments). It is not impossible that other "official" sites may be added in future, but this level is reserved for companies with major contracts with ADB, Inc. and cannot be offered to gamers and fans in general.

AUTHORIZED SITES: The owners of these sites have agreed to obey a few simple rules (defined below). These sites will have a link from the main ADB Inc. site, the use of ADB Inc. logos and scanned images, and authorization to utilize ADB Inc. property in creating materials for their respective download libraries.

UNAUTHORIZED SITES: The owners of these sites have found the "few simple rules" too onerous to bear and have decided to go it alone. These sites CANNOT use any ADB property in any shape, form, or manner. They cannot use scanned images of ADB Inc. products or any of the logos. They cannot post variants of ADB-copyrighted ships (even with SSDs done over from scratch in different formats). They cannot use ADB-copyrighted weapons tables, movement cost tables, weapons tables, or other items in SSDs they create. The official sites and authorized sites will NOT provide links to these sites or help tell anyone where they are.

ANY SITE may include reviews, tactics articles, and "personal gaming experiences". This kind of material is free game and protected speech. Note that the "Fair Use Doctrine" (which is broadly misunderstood but which is explained very nicely at http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html) will allow you to quote a few words of ADB Inc.-owned text here and there as part of a review of a report of a personal gaming experience. The Fair Use Doctrine does NOT extend so far as to allow you to reprint SFB weapons charts or turn mode tables on SSDs you created (although Authorized sites will be "authorized" to do so), or to use ADB Inc.’s standard rules in scenarios posted to Unauthorized sites. Use of Paramount property is limited to the MAIN site run by ADB, Inc., although there is a lot of material available which looks Trekish but is not Paramount property. (Hint: Ask before taking anything from the ADB, Inc. main site, or from any other site). Art based on ADB Inc. ship designs may not be posted on Unauthorized sites. Photographs of your own efforts to modify official miniatures into new designs or into representations of other ADB Inc. copyrighted ship designs may be posted on Authorized Sites.

PBEM players are authorized to post "marked up" copies of ADB Inc. SSDs to illustrate their games so long as these are posted on Authorized Sites and the game does not include ships from unauthorized products. Generally speaking, anyone can run a PBEM version of SFB on an Authorized Site.

BBS DISCUSSIONS: Anyone can host a discussion on anything. This is a basic human freedom which is not to be denied or repressed. However, ADB, Inc., would note that it has provided mailing lists and a BBS on the main site and there is really no good purpose served by having discussions elsewhere. Such discussions may have some entertainment value but as they cannot influence future design and marketing decisions by ADB, Inc., their value beyond entertainment is extremely limited. If you want to pay for the software and memory to have this on your site, go ahead, but authorized sites must ensure that their BBS/listservers comply with the Few Simple Rules. Nothing from the main site BBS can be reposted to other BBS sites without specific permission from ADB Inc.

THE FEW SIMPLE RULES

Authorized sites must be set up, run, operated, and conducted in such a way as to enhance rather than damage the value of the copyrights and trademarks. This does not stop you from posting an honest-but-negative review of a new product or including statements that you think ADB, Inc. made a mistake publishing a given rule or product. (We will expect you to correct errors of fact) This does mean that sites which are nothing but "attack" or "hatchet job" sites may not be Authorized Sites and hence cannot use any ADB Inc. property to promote themselves.

Authorized sites may NOT under any circumstances advertise, support, mention, promote, or provide additional materials for any "for use with SFB" product which is not authorized by ADB. Authorized sites must have a link to the ADB, Inc. main site, and may have links to other Official or Authorized SFB sites, but must not have links to unauthorized sites related to SFB. You can have all the links you want to sites unrelated to SFB so long as those sites do not have links to sites that support unauthorized "for use with SFB" products. Authorized sites may post additional material for the SFB game system created by the site owner (or his or her friends) under the procedure for submissions stated below. Any use of official SFB materials by any site must include the ADB Inc. copyright notice. Authorized sites may not include: illegal material, material which violates a third-party copyright, pornography; advertisements or editorial material seeking, offering, or promoting illegal activities; or anything that would generally be found offensive to a majority of people (in the sole judgment of ADB Inc.).

Authorized sites may have "advertising banners" not related to SFB. As a general rule, only the MAIN site (the one run by ADB, Inc., itself) can have quotations of rules text. If you feel that the overall game would be enhanced if a particular rule or file was published on the web, contact us and suggest that we do so on the official site; DO NOT post it on your own site. If you have created something using material owned by ADB, Inc., that you feel fits in this "useful to the game" category, contact us before you destroy the only copy. No site can reproduce out-of-print SFB products; if you feel that having such items available on the web would benefit the game, Email us and try to talk us into putting them on the main site.

No site can run any MUD, MUSH, or computer game related to SFB, or offer downloadable computer software related to SFB, without the permission of ADB, Inc. This will be very difficult to obtain.

If you wish to have ADB authorize your site, you should study these rules carefully, ensure that you are in compliance (asking ADB Inc. any questions that come up), and then send an Email to deals@starfleetgames.com asking for us to evaluate your site. We will do so as soon as possible, but as time is limited we cannot guarantee how long it will take. We will evaluate requests in the order received, but if your site requires changes before authorization your re-submission will of course go to the end of the line. Once you are an Authorized Site, you must respect all requirements for such sites and cannot modify your site in a way that violates these requirements.

If you have created a new ship, story, race, scenario, rule, tactics article, or other thing related to any game of the Star Fleet Universe, you may post this on an Authorized Web site after following this procedure.

Send a copy to ADB, Inc., either by mail or electronically. Note that due to formats and transmission problems it may be necessary to do this more than once in order to get ADB Inc. a copy it can open and read. We have not received a submission until we can read it.
ADB will, within 30 days of receiving a readable copy, respond with an evaluation of your submission. This evaluation may be extensive or brief as ADB Inc. deems appropriate and possible within the constrains of its other duties. ADB may later send further comments.
You may then (in most situations, see below) post the item to an Authorized Web Site so long as you include within the item itself (e.g., on the SSD, not in the separate description file) the following statement:
"Submitted to and copyright © 1999 ADB, Inc." You must also include the short version of the ADB, Inc. response to your submission, so that people will know if it was rejected, accepted, or is under consideration. If you do not get an answer in 30 days, you may post it with the notice "Submitted to and copyright © 1999 ADB, Inc. Evaluation by ADB, Inc., is pending." When you receive the evaluation, simply update the download. If any submission is later published by ADB Inc. in an official product, you will be compensated at standard rates. [Items on your site before this policy was posted must be submitted to ADB Inc. or removed. If submitted, they need not be replaced with copies marked as in this paragraph until 1 June 99.]
In a few circumstances, ADB, Inc. may offer you space for your submission on the main ADB, Inc. web site. We presume that anyone offered this honor would seize it, but if you just don’t want to, you don’t have to.
In a few rare circumstances, ADB, Inc., may give you a specific reason why your item cannot be posted to any web site. Sometimes this is good (we have a place to print it and don’t want to give it away). Sometimes this is not so good (your item would be damaging to the game and hence cannot be released to the public). As a general guideline, alternative tournament ships can never be posted as they confuse local events and judges. Also, you may not post ships from new classes or design concepts posted or published as playtest material by ADB Inc. (e.g., if we post a new Federation Infiltration Cruiser which is scheduled for publication in Module R12, you cannot post Infiltration Cruisers for other races until after Module R12 is published) If we post a sample ship of a new race, no one may post ships for this race before it is officially published in a C-series module.) We also cannot authorize you to post an SFB item which violates the copyrights of a third party or which violates the rules for approved sites. Items based on unauthorized "for use with SFB" products cannot be approved.

Conventions and local SFB-related newsletters may utilize materials from the official sites so long as you obtain permission in advance (which will be automatically granted so long as your convention or newsletter does not support or endorse unauthorized "for use with SFB" products and sends us a copy of the printed item when it becomes available). If you want to use something from an Authorized Site, you need permission from both ADB Inc. and from the owner of the site in question. You cannot use anything from an official or authorized SFB site to create a product for sale without permission from ADB Inc. You can use anything from the official site for your own personal amusement (desktop, refrigerator magnets, posters for your game room, covers for your rules binder) so long as you do not sell or distribute these items.

Permission is given for the use of SFB elements (but not Paramount property) as the basis to design elements other legally-produced games (e.g., "The Hydran Ranger for Babylon 5 Wars") so long as: the ADB Inc. copyright is acknowledged, no effort is made to sell items based on ADB Inc. property, the copyright holder of the other game grants permission, and the item is not posted to a site which supports unauthorized "for use with SFB" products.

Use your head. If you don’t think we’d allow it, we probably won’t. When in doubt, ask. You never can tell; many of the rumors or expectations of what we will do and why we do it that way are amusingly wrong.

Updated 30 April 2007