Viewpoint Rebooting Someone Else's RP

So, taking a trip down memory lane, I've looked at many RP's I've done in the past.

And, like so many other people, I just wished that some of them had been alive for at least just a bit longer, for whatever reason.

As such it led me to think about the process of rebooting an RP.

I know it's much easier when it's one you were the GM for, but I just wanted to hear other's opinions on what you should do if you wanted to undergo the task of getting an RP made by someone else rebooted (whether it be by them, by you, or by someone else entirely), and just thoughts on the subject as a whole. For example, if you even should reboot dead RPs and if you do, if you should notify old participants, if things are different for 1x1s vs group RPs, et cetera.

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Starting off the discussion, I'd think the best thing to do first and foremost would be to get in contact with the original GM, right? See if they're willing to create a reboot of their roleplay. After all, due to the time and effort they put into creating the RP in the first place, Not to mention the rules specifically state how you should ask for the permission of original content creators, in cases where it applies, it's more than fair to not only do so, but also respect their wishes as well (In the case where they are unwilling to reboot, but also don't want anyone else to reboot it) Though, especially in cases of fandom roleplay's, that particular circumstance seems like it could be ignored to an extent, though that would open up a can of ethical worms, no doubt.

So here is how I have done it in the past (and allowed other people to do it for my own ideas.)

GROUPS
- I will contact the original creator and ask if I can do a spin off of their roleplay. If they say yes than I will create my idea and just link to the original with credit to that creator. If they say no, I thank them for their time and that's the end of that.

- If the original creator is not available then I will usually not reboot the idea directly but I might make a similar premise. So let's say the idea is - Zoo animals transform to humans at night. I might make my version due to some kind of ancient magical curse put on the zoo grounds. The original version was more a mad scientist doing illegal experiments on animals at night.

1x1s
- I will let all my partners know, hey if you want to use this idea your more than welcome to. You don't have to credit or anything.
- If I like my partners idea and they have to leave the roleplay I'll ask if I can reboot it directly.

rae2nerdy said:

- If the original creator is not available then I will usually not reboot the idea directly but I might make a similar premise. So let's say the idea is - Zoo animals transform to animals at night. I might make my version due to some kind of ancient magical curse put on the zoo grounds. The original version was more a mad scientist doing illegal experiments on animals at night.

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I try to think of ways to do this as well, even when "rebooting". As a just in case. After all, there's many times when the unavailability is temporary which may lead to awkward scenarios in the future I try to avoid those And in cases of rebooting, it allows me to make creative decisions that invest myself into the RP more as well, though GM ownership change itself will, by definition, causes a difference in creative liberties.

I remembered a few years back I did a roleplay with someone and I enjoyed it so much I figured I write it into a fanfiction but with the other's permission because some of the ideas I used came from that person.

Unfortunately I wouldn't reboot any original RP without the original creator's permission. I wouldn't want to claim someone else's idea as my own, no matter how much I liked it, even if we never got beyond a starter. I think I could definitely take inspiration from a plot and spin it around, though. If I wanted to reboot an RP but didn't know how to change it around, I'd definitely pare back down to the general concept and then make changes that explore a different part of the setting or maybe a different side of things.

Fandoms might be a bit different though. You're already playing off of someone else's concept. But if the GM created a wildly developed world and plot then I still wouldn't take that from them. In general, I'd always ask for permission lol.

kikuQ said:

Unfortunately I wouldn't reboot any original RP without the original creator's permission. I wouldn't want to claim someone else's idea as my own, no matter how much I liked it, even if we never got beyond a starter. I think I could definitely take inspiration from a plot and spin it around, though. If I wanted to reboot an RP but didn't know how to change it around, I'd definitely pare back down to the general concept and then make changes that explore a different part of the setting or maybe a different side of things.

Fandoms might be a bit different though. You're already playing off of someone else's concept. But if the GM created a wildly developed world and plot then I still wouldn't take that from them. In general, I'd always ask for permission lol.

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I definitely agree. Even when the idea seems barebones and like anyone could do it, if I even have the fleeting intention of borrowing something from someone else, permission is the first thing I try to seek.

Though I must admit I hit sort of a gray area when the original creator has been inactive.

Though I'm glad you brought up worldbuilding within the fandomverse as I definitely feel that also falls more under original content than established content (A good example of why it's always important to ask first).

Yep, getting permission is probably the only right thing to do if you want to reboot a rp. And if you get a no then you shouldn't do it.

If it's impossible to reach the original GM for whatever reasons, then I wouldn't reboot. At most, make a similar idea/setting but with different plot and character roles and not reuse any names or locations from the original. But then it wouldn't be called a reboot either, more like 'inspired by'.

Depends. If the concept is general enough or has basis in being a fandom RP, I go for it. New name. All that.

But I do ask for ye olde permish sometimes otherwise.