Is it permissible to do a Let's Play with the Adventure Game?

[Menarker]

I have a legal question about the Order of the Stick Adventure Game.

The situation is this. I have pretty well no friends or family who would seriously consider playing the deluxe edition game I just received via Kickstarter (with Sticky Shticks). I was wondering if it would be legal/permissible to do a game online via me recruiting players on a forum such as this one to play the respective characters while I act as GM by setting up the board and drawing the cards in proxy of the characters in my own home. I'd inform the players of their list of cards, their options and results of battle either via PM or in the forum's respective threads as well as carry out the wishes of the players during the course of the game (while possibly taking pictures of the present state of the board at any given time)

Another potential legal issue here is whether the scanning and PMing of card images (to display cards in hand or being used) to the recruited players is permitted in such a game or if everything would have to be represented via text. Or if there are certain conditions under which such an endeavor may or may not be conducted.

Advanced thanks for the time and attention to this question.

[PePe QuiCoSE]

As long as it's all in good faith, yeah it's cool. About the scans, just do them in low resolution so they keep their nature as only informative. This also is cool since you are basically promoting the game by having people play and others being able to watch a forum game.
And I would gladly play.

[Hamiltonz]

I have all of the cards from the original game scanned. I can adjust those to any resolution to help out with this project.

In my opinion any reasonable resolution for reading the text will be too high. The players will need to use their own cards in order to read the text.

Because we (my wife and I) have these cards in svg format I could also adjust and or remove key elements to further avoid any problems with using those images.

I have a computer version of the game that I wrote for personal use. It's not completely finished. The friends that I played the game with locally lost interest in the game before I completed the state engine. Essentially what I have now is a sand box where all the visuals work: loot, shticks, rooms, move arrows, player icons, and battle cards all show up and can be zoomed in for easy reading. If permission could be obtained for low res images (or nerf'd images) I could be persuaded to finish the game. I had this dream that my work could be included as a free CD in the super deluxe edition, if one was ever produced.

If you need volunteers for playing I'm up for that, and I bet I can get my wife to play (as long as she gets to be Haley.)

[Menarker]

I appreciate the offer, and I may very well take you up on that.

I had PMed the Giant a few days ago with the content of the opening post, to get a more official statement on his stance on the matter. No response from him yet although I am under no time pressure and would not want to put any of the sort on him, especially considering his hard work with Kickstarter logistics and the creation of the comics (whether they be the main comic or some of the rewards he had promised).

I had also asked him if there was any place to find the rules for the game, but I found out that APE-Games have the rules all available, especially for the Sticky Shticks which are not part of the original rulebook.

http://www.apegames.com/downloads.html

Keep in mind that if I do run a game, that I have pretty much no prior experience with it as a whole. I tried doing a 2 player game recently which got aborted due to said other player's lack of patience with the stick figure medium.
I was going to run a game on a different forum where I'm more active, but doing a play-run here where the demographic of members are familiar with Order of the Stick (and possibly the board game itself) will probably make the first attempt at running this game a smoother process.

[PePe QuiCoSE]

In my opinion any reasonable resolution for reading the text will be too high. The players will need to use their own cards in order to read the text.

Well, while this basically runs in the code of honor we realistically would need only 1 copy of the game between the participants to make it fair. So no, the idea of low resolution is to avoid other people printing it and passing it as real, it's good if it's informative. Though since this shticks had not been undisclosed experience has shown that exposure of this stuff tends to increase sales. (ie http://www.boardgamegeek.com/images/...sticky-shticks ). So no biggie. And I think it's safe to go ahead and start, GITP would let you know if they are not OK with it.

[Menarker]

Alright, in that light, I'll make a post announcing my intent to start this game very soon. Keep in mind however, if the Giant responds to my PM or I get some sort of moderator's notice regarding the game though, I'll naturally comply.
EDIT: In light of Rich's recent injury, it doesn't seem like he'll be able to respond quickly to my PM anyhow.

Before I start a sign-up, can I get confirmation on the three of you (Pepe, Hamiltonz and his wife) on whether you'd be joining and your preferred character? (Hamiltonz mentioned that his wife would prefer to be Hailey, but wanting to clarify on the matter)
Basically the 3 of you get first dibs. =3

I should also mention that I intend to be fairly fast paced (at least on my end) with being able to respond within the course of the same afternoon/evening (depending on time zone and whether I'm actually online at the time or whether I am busy at work and thus have to wait until I get home to read any input.)

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to ensure randomization for the cards? Otherwise, what I will do is make a file list of written description of all the cards and assign a number to them (with duplicates also getting their own number). I'll then use a random number generator for the purpose of randomly assigning dungeon floors or card draws.
I'll try to find (again) the number generator that records the numbers I roll for others to view. Perferably ones that allows me to switch between public or private since some of the rolls pertaining to card draws are obviously meant to be secret except to the party it pertains to.

EDIT: Assigned numbers to all the cards. Now to provide written details for what I can...

[PePe QuiCoSE]

Oh yes, this is keeping in good faith with GitP.
Yes I'm up for it with any char really, might take V or Belkar if nobody wants them.

I guess I can also get an average of 1 turn a day but take point that this will run slow no matter what, forum games always do.

I'm pretty sure there are dice rollers web pages we can use for battles. A quick search on google returned this:
https://dicelog.com/newlogdice

We can use it for card drawing too (more if you create a public excel doc and we update it) but if it's not much work for you I think again we can rely on you as the moderator.

[Menarker]

Game Thread Up!

Please refer to this thread. I have included your names in the sign-ups, but I'll need you to confirm over the next few days, or I'll have to accept other players if they do come and put them in your slots.

[Unisus]

While i'm not familiar with the legal issues connected with this (and even if i were, we should not give advice), it's wrong to take no answer as a "go". Especially with Rich not able to answer at the moment, i would wait until he gives his ok (and remember, the game is not a Rich-only-project, so he may not be the only one to ask).

On a completely other note: I don't think that this game is very playable in this matter.

Let's take a look at a very common action: a player moves into the next unexplored room.

GM: announces the room
active player: may use abilities of any sort if appropriate
other players: have to choose Monsters from their hand one by one to make a battle stack
active player: has to make many decisions one by one while going through the battle stack, with any other player may enter this process with "screw this" cards

Such thing may be playable in a chat, but with every action depending on the reactions of others, a forum game may last several years.

[PePe QuiCoSE]

Well, the game is already in course so we'll have to work it out for ourselves. I plan in PMing the moderator what actions I would be taking off turn to speed things up for example.

I do think though Menarker that we should do the short version (which for me is the standard, 3 floors + Xykon).

On the legal issue, there's nor problem as long as it's in good faith. But, we'll respect GitP desires if they don't see it fit, no biggie.