The Weekly LIVE 222 – The Fellowship of the King, Don’t Look Back New Edition, Amazon Signs Warhammer and AI Art Accusations

Posted on December 28, 2023 by upturnedtable_sx8obi

Demetrious Polychron, author of “The Fellowship of the King,” lost a lawsuit against Amazon and JRR Tolkien’s estate, claiming infringement on his Lord of the Rings fanfic. Polychron demanded $250 million but now owes $134,000 in legal fees to the Tolkien Estate. The court ruled that Polychron’s book infringed upon Amazon’s Rings of Power series. The judge described Polychron’s lawsuit as “frivolous and unreasonably filed.”

Black Site Studios released a new edition of the Horror miniatures game, Don’t Look Back, featuring updates, revamped mechanics, and new characters. The edition includes bonus rules for Vehicles and Companions, incorporating previous expansions. The set includes 32mm resin miniatures and a new Core Rulebook.

Amazon Studios secured global rights to Warhammer 40,000, with Henry Cavill set to star and executive produce multiple projects. The deal covers series, films, and more. Cavill, a high-profile Warhammer fan, expressed excitement, and Amazon plans to work with Games Workshop and Vertigo Entertainment. The announcement follows Cavill’s involvement in various upcoming projects. Games Workshop announced a £2,500 end-of-year bonus for all employees as part of its 2023 profit share scheme. This comes after the release of Warhammer 40,000’s 10th Edition ruleset and the Leviathan box set. Additionally, Warhammer: The Old World is set to receive a robust reboot in 2024.

Wizards of the Coast denied claims that generative AI was used in artwork teasing the 2024 core rulebooks. Responding to social media allegations, the company stated that no generative AI was used, consistent with their artist guidelines. The artist, Nestor Ossandón, defended the process, sharing early sketches and work-in-progress versions. Concerns over AI-created artwork in the industry were raised following recent layoffs at Hasbro.

Nightfall Games discovered that artwork for Terminator 2 and RESIST on Kickstarter had AI-generated elements, identified as resembling the ‘Midjourney’ AI art generator. The company expressed disappointment, stating AI art is theft, and vowed to fix the issue. They are working with external artists to ensure AI-free art and implementing checks before payment and acceptance. The team thanked backers for their support.

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The Weekly LIVE 208 – Highlander RPG, Stronghold Games Defends AI, Monsters! Monsters! 2.7, Larry Elmore Volume 3 and Fables in Public Domain

Posted on September 18, 2023 by upturnedtable_sx8obi

Highlander Cinematic Adventure: Evil Genius Games has released a “Cinematic Adventure” for its Everyday Heroes RPG, based on the Highlander movie franchise. Written by Sigfried Trent with an adventure designed by Ree Soesbee, the adventure focuses on the first Highlander film and introduces a few subclasses and a unique dueling mechanic for Immortal characters. While it doesn’t delve deeply into the lore of Highlander, it offers a fun RPG experience.

Terraforming Mars AI Art Controversy: Publisher Stronghold Games has faced some backlash from fans after using AI-generated content, such as artwork, in an upcoming board game expansion for Terraforming Mars. Some backers were surprised by the use of AI tools for art creation, and Kickstarter now requires creators to justify their use of AI in projects. Concerns are raised about the potential impact of AI-generated art on artists’ job opportunities in the industry.

Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 on Kickstarter: Ken St. Andre and Steven Crompton have launched a Kickstarter campaign for “Monsters! Monsters! Rules 2.7 & Crystal Caves Challenge solo,” an expanded RPG rulebook and adventure. The project offers various books, standees, maps, and adventures, exploring the world of Zimrala with a focus on monsters. It’s the latest installment in the Monsters! Monsters! series, offering a comprehensive rulebook for fans of the RPG.

Larry Elmore’s Complete Elmore Volume III: Larry Elmore, a renowned fantasy artist, has announced the third and final volume of his career retrospectives, titled “The Complete Elmore III: Highlights of a Path Well Traveled.” This hardcover book will feature over 300 pieces of art, some previously unpublished, and will put the artwork front and center with minimal commentary. It’s available exclusively through Kickstarter and includes limited-time offers for previous volumes and additional artwork.

Bill Willingham, the creator of the popular comic series Fables, has made a surprising announcement by releasing the entire franchise into the public domain. This decision stems from a deteriorating relationship with DC Comics, with whom he had a long-standing agreement for Fables. Willingham cites various issues with DC, including disputes over contracts and creative control, as reasons for this move. While his contracts with DC remain in force, he believes he can legally relinquish his ownership of Fables, allowing anyone to create new works using the series’ characters and settings. This decision reflects his desire for more equitable intellectual property laws and his frustration with DC’s practices. It also adds to the ongoing discussion about how major comics publishers treat their creators, highlighting issues of compensation and creative control in the industry. The impact of this bold move on Fables’ future and how DC will respond remains uncertain.

Monsters! Monsters! 2.7 Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stevecrompton/monsters-monsters-rules-27-and-crystal-caves-challenge-solo

Larry Elmore Volume 3 Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/larryelmore/larry-elmore-the-complete-elmore-volume-iii-hardcover-book