Converting a pen and paper setting into a larp setting

[Harry O'Gane]

Greetings, y'all.

For the last 3 years, I've been discovering larp and all the goodies such a game brings. For those not acquainted with the term, see teh following link here.

Ever since I've started playing pen and paper, I've been mostly holding onto GURPS, due to its flexibility and sandbox mood. What totally got me hooked was the setting called the Infinite Worlds. I've run many games in the setting, on various power levels (with people playing everything from cadets to members of I.S.W.A.T.), and I grew pretty accustomed to the setting. Right now I could freely say it is one of my favourite ones.

My question is, what would be the legal terms, i.e., would it be ok if I took an effort of converting an already existing setting made for a pen and paper game into a larp game? What I'm looking for here is whether it is ok to simply take the already existing idea and simply apply it into a game, just like any other pen and paper game, or would this bring up some legal issues, such as copyright problematics, since I would rather take the already complete setting than making a wierd one which only draws inspiration from the IW.

[alexondria]

Not a legal expert.

That being said my guess is that it would depend on if you were running a game for some friends or doing it as a business.

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by alexondria

Not a legal expert.

That being said my guess is that it would depend on if you were running a game for some friends or doing it as a business.

Possibly. Being heavily inspired by other people's IP is legal, and while some companies might sue anyway, I really doubt SJ Games would do that (that kind of lawsuit tends to generate bad PR).

But as for using the name, it's fairly easy just to contact SJ Games and ask, explaining the intent, saying whether there are any monies involved (especially profit, but they'll probably appreciate being told even if money are only changing hands to cover expenses), and then wait a few weeks, maybe a bit over a month, for a reply.

Or maybe SJ Games already has a LARP policy, spelled out somewhere on their website?

[Harry O'Gane]

The game would be mainly organized for a group of friends in the beginning, that's the first thing.

Secondly, this has nothing to do with earning money. Even if some money would be charged for participation in the game, it would be spend for the funding of the larp (supplying some in-game equipment, fee required for the rent of the place we would play in etc.)

What I had in mind was making a progressive larp in which the players would start off as Infinity cadets, the first game being their training.

Now, I did not plan on making it public, but just in case it turns out great, there is a possibility of making it a bit bigger and public. In this case, I would gladly credit SJGames for making the setting, but I'm just worried whether there is some kind of a policy for larps, as you've mentioned.