... and still could get slapped with a cease-and-desist letter. You don't have to be making money, to be violating someone's copyrights, nor (especially) Trademarks.

With that said, if it's not about the money ... a pitch to be allowed to write and distribute, without charge (but perhaps accepting donations), a clearly-marked-as-UNofficial PnP adaptation, might have a better chance of success. Maybe.

At which point, you could simply go with a pure PDF distribution model, and contact any of the number of online shops that will (at least on occasion) distribute free products. For two examples: http://www.rpgnow.com/ and http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/.

I suppose I wouldn't mind that concept too much. It matches how much I'm in it for the money (it would be nice to have a little compensation for my time) and it would distribute pretty well... though not as much as I'd like.

I think my major concern with it would be that if I could succeed with an approval to do something unofficial, why not go for the gold? I'm certain many companies would love to work on a Fallout project, especially if they have someone who's created a unique game system for the world (in Three Dog voice 'avoiding two licenses or ...ewww... d20fication'). And I can't see Bethesda preferring something out there flying fancy free just because it's official... they'd rather have something they can control.

I'd be open to the option, but it seems less likely than going an official route.

Alot of times companies also have to be worried about the legal problems arising from reading submitted ideas as well. I think it's Marvel Comics (DC possibly as well) that have a flat policy of not reading unsolicited ideas for their comics. The problem being that they're worried about a lawsuit arising out of a fan who submitted some fan fiction noticing a similarity to what he submitted and what he ends up reading in one of the issues. Even if it's totally coincidental (or if the fan is not as original as he thought he was,) it's still a lot of hassle to prove you didn't steal someone's idea.

So they just don't look over anything that isn't solicited, or that doesn't go through official channels. One common "filtering" technique is that anything that shows up from someone they don't have on their files already (for any reason) gets tossed. If there's not already an existing history of communication (or you're not already a celebrity - Steven King likely has less hoops to run through for his ideas than most other people,) then it often doesn't ever get looked at. A lot of places, just sending a letter asking what they'd recommend you do is enough to get you into that category of something they'd actually read.

It might be kind of the same problem with working with Videogame companies, as well. I'm sure every Developer gets a near-constant barrage of videogame ideas, or spin-off proposals - so it's likely going to be a little hard to get yourself taken seriously.

Like others have said, likely the best bet is to find yourself an agent (as that's what their job is in the first place.) Other than that, there might be someone you can get in contact with at the company to find out what their system for reviewing proposals might be, and where to send yours.

I am always careful with what I say. Until I am told that my submission will not become property I do not mention it. It's just like I've talked on this forum. All I've said is it is an RPG with a new system. But the concern may be less in this instance since it isn't like I'm suggesting something they likely are thinking of producing. (If I had an idea for DLC or spin off, that would be different).

How to contact people... that is the key- I agree with that.

Question - Why are you making it absurdly difficult for yourself when you could be making any post-apocalyptic table-top RPG?

One thing you'd need to do before you start pitching to a big company is to get some credentials, a history to show "you're the right man for the job", start from the ground and work your way up. Get a reputation. Make a business for yourself, anything to show you're not just a hopeful fan hoping to make a quick and easy buck, whether you are or not, that's what you'll be portrayed as if you just jump into the deep end. You seem determined enough on paper, but that's not enough.

If you make your own story with your own theme and ruleset, it's yours (if you copyright it), from there you can do what you like with it, you don't need to lease anything from anyone. You never know, maybe one day someone will pop onto a forum somewhere asking how they can pitch an idea to "paladincarvin enterprises" you never know, the scope of business is limitless.

Small point of fact: while active registration of copyright is still very useful, under United States law, ALL works are protected under copyright immediately upon creation, registered or not. Of course, registration provides a hard and fast date, with third-party corroboration. But, the letter you sent to Great Aunt Edna last week? Copyrighted. The moment you last lifted pen from paper, even.

EDIT: I'll retract my statement as it wasn't entirely accurate. So inaccurate in fact, that it's gone

All copyrights are temporary.

So far, anyway. If Big Media has it's way, that'll go the way of the dodo, sadly. 8(

The copyright-by-default has the same duration as other copyrights - 25 years without renewal, IIRC.

I could sell my concept on its own, but I lack a world. I lack a place for everything to be. I have no interest in developing a whole new world. I wouldn't know how to make a post-apocalyptic world, especially without stealing a ton of ideas from Fallout. Besides, my system uses SPECIAL and all the Fallout skills. No, it's Fallout or bust pretty much.

Copyright is pretty moot considering everything.

Well, you would need to attain rights to SPECIAL as a separate entity. You could still acquire rights to SPECIAL if they let you, alright there's everything else to consider, but that's one avenue.

All I'm saying is, even with the development effort, going your own will be the best chance you have at bringing your idea to life right now. I'm not saying it wouldn't be so in the future. But you say you have little money. And as I'm aware you have little to no business/development background to pass as credentials to your skill and determination. It's also just you, without a team behind you as I understand it. Your best outfit would be to sell an idea I feel, rather than lease rights to develop it yourself. I think you'll need to make some very decisive actions in regards to your finances (securing a grant/loan and owning a business account, for starters), and then examine your avenues from there.

I agree, I can't make it just myself. I want to make it happen. I'll give the 'egg' of my idea to a team like SJ Games or Green Ronin. I'd take whatever position from that point that I have to. Someone at Bethesda has to say 'I believe this could happen' before anything can happen, though.

I'm not going to create a business around one tiny idea. That's a recipe for failure. I've studied the Games market, being that I'm trying to start up a business there. Boardgames though.

As I said, it's been attempted before, pretty recently, and Bethesda said no.

This makes me wonder what stopped the talks. If they were one sided entirely, there may simply be no hope. But if there was any thought of it on the Bethesda side... well, it would make sense that it's just a matter of appeasing the issue that stopped the talks.

As I said, Bethesda was not interested at all in licensing out any projects that would potentially encroach on the lore.

That's the thing then. You don't have to touch lore to make an RPG. In fact, it may be far better not to. There are two views of Lore protective RPGs; one is to make it entirely sterile and the other is to work with only existing lore. Unless the concern is that this would help people create non-canon material, but seems ridicules given their promotion of fan-fiction. I only have a system to offer, honestly.