The original version of this page can be found at : http://forum.sfreader.com/default.aspx?f=19&m=68406
| Posted By : nathan - 2/5/2008 4:44 PM | | This question is an offshoot of some of the discussions we've had on this board involving the trophes of fantasy role-playing and how some/many editors relate the elfen ranger, magic user, and barbarian warrior to "D&D" stories or some such.
Reading about ley lines I got an idea for a story--and I'll go ahead and write it. However with Palladium's RPG "RIFTS" being so huge and Ley Lines and specifically Ley Line Walkers featured prominently I was wondering if anyone thought a popular connection might by unavoidable? Or is possible for a Ley Line Walker (in general of course) to exist without that immediate connotation?
If you've never heard of RIFTS or Ley Line Walkers in that game then I guess that's an answer too.
Thoughts?
VIEW IMAGE"Writing the wet dreams of teenage boys" - Lindsey Llyod, Tangent Reviews
Tarantino himself has been forward and unapologetic about his influences. In a 1994 interview with Empire magazine, he said, "I steal from every single movie ever made. If people don't like that, then tough tills, don't go and see it, all right? I steal from everything. Great artists steal, they don't do homages." |
| Posted By : H.P. Lovesauce - 2/5/2008 5:15 PM | I'm almost afraid to ask, but... what is a Ley Line Walker? I had an idea for my fantasy game of a group of monks who follow the ley lines of their world, going under, over, or through any man-made obstructions (kind of like wuxia parkours).
If my ideas have already been done in RIFTS, I might as well kill myself now. |
| Posted By : Bill Ward - 2/5/2008 5:16 PM | To me ley lines as a concept is common enough (I was mulling over something vaguely similar to ley lines in something I'm planning) that people won't automatically make the connection. I've heard of Rifts, never knew it was big on ley lines, but I definitely think the concept is no more exclusive to an rpg as spells, familiars, magic weapons, etc.
billwardwriter.com |
| Posted By : Daniel Ausema - 2/5/2008 5:22 PM | Yeah, my response is the same as Bill's--ley lines themselves are far more widespread in folk traditions and mythology than any single game. Rifts sounds vaguely familiar as the title of a game, but I certainly knew nothing about it. So I wouldn't worry about it at all.
Twigs and Brambles (my writing blog) |
| Posted By : nathan - 2/5/2008 5:31 PM |
H.P. Lovesauce said...
I'm almost afraid to ask, but... what is a Ley Line Walker? I had an idea for my fantasy game of a group of monks who follow the ley lines of their world, going under, over, or through any man-made obstructions (kind of like wuxia parkours).
If my ideas have already been done in RIFTS, I might as well kill myself now. My idea is the same--only using triad connected human smugglers. The Rifts concept is just like yours but the monks read more "shamanistic" as I recall. But as pointed out Ley Lines are common folk mythology--thus their original inclusion in the game.
So far somethings seem possible from the kind responses. Now, as long as the editors of most pro- semipro & paying markets are unfamiliar with the game I'll feel safe.
VIEW IMAGE"Writing the wet dreams of teenage boys" - Lindsey Llyod, Tangent Reviews
Tarantino himself has been forward and unapologetic about his influences. In a 1994 interview with Empire magazine, he said, "I steal from every single movie ever made. If people don't like that, then tough tills, don't go and see it, all right? I steal from everything. Great artists steal, they don't do homages." |
| Posted By : Jordan Lapp - 2/5/2008 6:30 PM | Rifts is totally about Ley Lines. I used to play it a lot.
HOWEVER, I don't think it's been around long enough to enter "trope" phase. In fact, the only reason D&D is there is because D&D itself is "inspired" by Lord of the Rings, which is widely read. Rifts has no popular foundation like that, so I think you're safe.
Lovesauce, it might be worth it to look into Rifts. Ley Line Walkers are mages that draw magical power from lines of energy that criss cross the planet (forming Nexuses where they cross--often at ancient site like Stonehenge). Even if your ideas are fairly similar, I wouldn't worry too much. Rifts isn't so widely known that people would automatically equate your idea with it.
Jordan Lapp
Managing Editor
|
| Posted By : Jordan Lapp - 2/5/2008 6:30 PM | Why are you still writing shorts, Nathan? You have novels...don't they pay much more?
Jordan Lapp
Managing Editor
|
| Posted By : nathan - 2/5/2008 6:41 PM |
Jordan Lapp said...
Why are you still writing shorts, Nathan? You have novels...don't they pay much more? Yes. And I don't know. 
VIEW IMAGE
"Writing the wet dreams of teenage boys" - Lindsey Llyod, Tangent Reviews
Tarantino himself has been forward and unapologetic about his influences. In a 1994 interview with Empire magazine, he said, "I steal from every single movie ever made. If people don't like that, then tough tills, don't go and see it, all right? I steal from everything. Great artists steal, they don't do homages." |
| Posted By : crystalwizard - 2/5/2008 7:30 PM | Daniel Ausema said...
Yeah, my response is the same as Bill's--ley lines themselves are far more widespread in folk traditions and mythology than any single game. Rifts sounds vaguely familiar as the title of a game, but I certainly knew nothing about it. So I wouldn't worry about it at all.
Rifts is huge. It's from Palladium.
I doubt that they have claim to Ley Lines as in copyright, but every gamer out there that is even slightly aquainted with the term is going to think you stole it from Rifts if you use it, Nate.
Daniel, here's the Rift's site:
www.palladiumbooks.com/WhatIsRifts.html |
| Posted By : DAWaverly - 2/5/2008 8:42 PM | Nathan: The popular anime series "Outlaw Star" refers to Ley Lines as well, although in a SF setting instead of a Fantasy setting. Galactic Ley Lines, I think is what they call them. You'd not need to worry about them though. Read up on Rifts, and make your ley lines seem different.
CW: Any gamer that is not well read will always make the connection and likely make bad assumptions. I talked with a guy at Origins gaming convention six or seven years ago who thought Tolkien's work was an unauthorized Forgotten Realms ripoff. (Yeah, Really! I walked away as fast and as nonchalant as possible.)
- Deven
Blogtide Rising |
| Posted By : crystalwizard - 2/6/2008 3:01 AM | DAWaverly said...
CW: Any gamer that is not well read will always make the connection and likely make bad assumptions. I talked with a guy at Origins gaming convention six or seven years ago who thought Tolkien's work was an unauthorized Forgotten Realms ripoff. (Yeah, Really! I walked away as fast and as nonchalant as possible.)
ROFL! that's hysterical. I"m not the least bit surprised, but that's still hysterical. How old was the gamer? |
| Posted By : DAWaverly - 2/6/2008 6:14 AM | crystalwizard said...
ROFL! that's hysterical. I"m not the least bit surprised, but that's still hysterical. How old was the gamer?
He was balding... I assumed a young thirty-something.
- Deven
Blogtide Rising |
| Posted By : Keralen - 2/6/2008 6:08 PM | Ley lines are old as time and nobody should be able to copyright them.
My mother used to spend summers on the Isle of Iona, off Scotland, which is supposed to be a ley line nexus. One summer about 15 years ago, something astrologically huge was going on and crowds of intense, hairy people were swarming all over the island scaring the sheep. It rained like hell the whole time, which delighted the locals. |
| Posted By : H.P. Lovesauce - 2/7/2008 9:31 AM | "There's something momentous happening in the heavens."
"Oh, and you can tell this, can you?"
"Oh aye--you know because that's when all the hippies come." |
|