Links: More from Origins 2012, Science Fiction in Games & Playing Extra-Extra-Extra-Extra Innings

I like Kickstarter, I really do. However, I'm concerned that Kickstarter may end up having an unintended negative impact on a convention like Origins (and possibly the mighty Gen Con). This year, there was a lot of "Hey, check out our game once you get home; you can get on Kickstarter, order the game, and get it sometime in November!" I may be an anomoly, but as much as I go to a convention to play games, I also go to buy games. I like to rip open games at the next game club meeting and have them "ooh and aah" over the new hotness. I couldn't do that this year as much. I'll be going to my next meeting and saying, "Hey, in five months, we're going to have this cool game I played last week!" Not quite the same.

Loosely, the SF genre covers quite a large percentage of boardgames; I should perhaps be satisfied with this, but I would like to see more intellectual SF games. Too often, the background of spaceships, aliens and technological advances is simply used as imagery rather than the core structure. Too often, the point of SF is missed (or perhaps more accurately, lost in translation) when used as a game theme. It may be difficult in a boardgame to convey the paranoia, the social dilemmas and the excitement that future changes might bring; but I'd rather the attempt be made than live with the two-dimensional approach of throwing in a few pictures of laser weapons and calling it SF!

1. A "11-Point List of Minimum Standards in Agreements between Game Publishers and Game Designers." This paper provides the basis for future talks with the "Fachgruppe Spiel", part of the German Toy Association, and other publishers in the gaming industry at home and abroad.

2. A resolution entitled "Five Points to the Copyright Debate", makes clear the position of the SAZ in the current debate on a reform of copyright law in Germany. (Editor's note: Detailed in German in a separate PDF —WEM)

3. The awarding of a SAZ Publisher Prize, for publisher who present or involve authors in their communication in an exemplary manner. Target is to move the game designers as creative minds behind the games more in the public eye. This prize will be awarded for the first time in Essen during the SPIEL '12.

4. The application for associate membership in the "Institute for Copyright and Media Law" in Munich in order to obtain the special interests of the game authors under copyright law experts and the public with a stronger voice.

5. Working with an attorney as a legal adviser to the SAZ. This will provide the members of the SAZ as needed even more professional support in contractual matters and advise the SAZ on fundamental issues around copyright and contract law.