Kickstarter opportunist

[Akomander]

Hi guys!

I've received the following e-mail today:

"I got your email address from www.gamefaqs.com. I really love your video game strategy/tips there and I'm wondering if you would let me use them for some unofficial strategy guides that I would like to make. I would need to make some modifications to the verbiage but the main credit would go to you as I would site your name as the source in the guides and I would also provide a direct link to your website or whatever venue you choose. If you would like to see more of what the guides would look like you can check out my Kickstarter at or just Google it as “Retro Strategy: (Unofficial) Interactive Game Guides.”

If you like what you see on Kickstarter, perhaps share it with your friends or those that would be interested. I have a passion for old-school video games and so I was wondering with your permission, would you allow me to use your tips/strategies?

Your support is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,"

I uploaded several FAQs on Gamefaqs a long time ago (mostly Castlevania) and I'm apalled to see that someone is trying to make a profit out of the work that people have offered for free...

[8 Bit Dreams]

Man that's pretty bogus. I was wondering when something like that would happen over there. At least they are asking? Still...

I just watched the kickstarter video, this looks dumb..

[ZenithianHero]

Wait, so each guide is $10 from the pledge tiers and you have to pay $295 for all 30 of this guy's planned NES Classic guides? Many of those NES games that have countless guides and tips for online?

Yeah no, this is not worth it whatsoever.

[elektrolurch]

Uuuuuuuuuuhm.
You would get credit, but no money whatsoever, while he would try to make money out of it, right? Right?
What the... ?
It's like going to a cooking community for instance and try to use the recipes there for a paid cooking book.
Shady and stupid.

[Son of Suzy Creamcheese]

Wow, this is scummy, a pointless idea, and just a terrible way of pricing things.
At least it looks like it won't get funded by the way things look now.

What did you reply to him?

[Akomander]

I'm so flabbergasted I haven't replied yet...

[The Great Klaid]

Here I'll help. "Fuck off". If that's too brief you think. Feel free to copy and paste it multiple times. You're new so I'm not even gonna charge you for the first 600 times you feel like sending it to him.

[Weasel]

Tell him "no" - most FAQs tend to have licensing information in them that specifically says "This FAQ should only be found at Gamefaqs.com / other places etc etc" - he's breaching that by using your work without permission. You have grounds to sue him over it, actually.

[moran]

I actually don't think the guides themselves are a bad idea after looking at the Kickstarter. But damn, if you're not going to at least put the work yourself to make the guides you have to pay people for their's. Its like any other art industry that "pays" you in exposure.

And good luck getting $50,000 anyway.

[The Great Klaid]

So I actually looked this over. And I cannot believe he's charging $10 a guide. For images. Barely a guide. Like I've never even understood why you'd buy a strategy guide outside of a realitively complex RPG. One with tables and charts for crafting or skill building. You know?

But $10 for a level map? That you can click on some enemies to get the manual entry?

[toei]

Oct 19, 2016 8:49:02 GMT -5 moran said:

I actually don't think the guides themselves are a bad idea after looking at the Kickstarter. But damn, if you're not going to at least put the work yourself to make the guides you have to pay people for their's. Its like any other art industry that "pays" you in exposure.

And good luck getting $50,000 anyway.

But isn't he just ripping off free material from Gamefaqs and charging for it? It seems like the most pointless thing of all time.

[toei]

Oct 19, 2016 6:18:40 GMT -5 Akomander said:

I'm so flabbergasted I haven't replied yet...

Well, what would Golgo 13 do?
Wait, no, he'd just shoot the guy in the head and slowly walk away to the sound of an electric guitar. DON'T DO THAT