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RPG Legalities: OGF/4eGSL/d20STLDiscussions about the Open Gaming Movement, the Open Gaming License, along with WotC's GSL. This is the new home of the OGF-L and d20-L listserver discussions.
Lidda already addressed this, she's not giving any ETAs or anything like that, since it just makes people madder when you setup a release date and miss it.
If you guys respect her and Scott, don't keep starting "where is it?" threads like this, especially with the sacrasm.
I'd settle for some indication the process is moving forward. What would thrill me would be an explanation of why something whose necessity has been known for three years (at least since the start of 4e development) and which should be very simple to produce (there's got to be a dozen boilerplate fan site licenses out there) is being so delayed. It sends the message that WOTC doesn't care about fan sites, or, even worse, that the policy is not a generic boilerplate ("Please don't post Sex Toys Of Faerun or show Mialee in intimate relations with an aboleth, and, oh yeah, don't post the full text of our books and call it sharing. KTHXBAI.") but is instead something with a lot more hoops to jump through and some questionable restrictions. In the abscence of any news, one turns to speculation, and one rarely speculates about more positive possibilities...
On the GSL, products go on sale in two and a half months. The answers to the questions asked will help determine policies and products for publishers; the longer WOTC waits, the better the odds publishers might be forced to change their plans mid-development, to the detriment of all.
I mean, sure, there's a chance that having seen the less-than-enthusiastic reception of the GSL, the Powers That Be are thinking, "Hey. Y'know...let's do that OGL thing again.", which would be great. There's also a chance I'll win Powerball tonight, but I'm not going to max out my credit cards in anticipation of it.
or show Mialee in intimate relations with an aboleth
Hmmmm, now there is a site that would probably be successful. Not saying it would interest me, but this is the intarwebs after all.
__________________ Brain: Come Pinky! We must prepare for tomorrow night.
Pinky: Why? What are we going to do tomorrow night?
Brain: The same thing we do every night....TRY TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!
My point Lizard, was that if you're gonna start a complaint thread, just can the sarcasm and stop phasing it as a sarcastic inquiry for information when it's been covered before and there's another thread for this.
Yes, it's a pain in the rear that they don't have a fan policy yet--but people can put up their sites in good faith and then comply later, and most fans have the common sense not to anger WoTC with porn D&D sites, so it's really a tempest in a teapot.
As far as the FAQ goes--well, I don't see tons of publishers complaining about the lack of a FAQ. Most professionals know how to read a license and what lines not to cross. I want a FAQ too but we know it's taken a long time just to get where we are now. I notice a lot of the publishers aren't talking about the GSL anymore--they just choose to license it or not. At some point it becomes pointless to keep complaining about the same things over and over again.
My point Lizard, was that if you're gonna start a complaint thread, just can the sarcasm and stop phasing it as a sarcastic inquiry for information when it's been covered before and there's another thread for this.
Where's the sarcasm in his post? Maybe you meant some other word than "sarcasm"?
In any case, I appreciate Lizard keeping their figurative feet to the fire publicly. I'm an avid follower of a few of the "official" fan sites and I would like to know their fates.
explanation of why something whose necessity has been known for three years (at least since the start of 4e development) and which should be very simple to produce (there's got to be a dozen boilerplate fan site licenses out there) is being so delayed.
I think this is really the central issue. The question is not so much when will the thing be finished (fan site policy, DDI, GSL FAQ, and so on). But how in the world could it not already be finished.
I actually like 4E. I think it is much better for how I like play than 3E. I love the simplification. I don't need rules to tell me every little detail. I can create my own solutions that fit complex, infrequent problems not covered in source books. 4E intrinsically knows this. But I digress.......
The point is that WOTC knew these licenses and policies were needed. There is no logical explanation for not having them by now, and we are all exasperated to see it bungled so badly. Gaming is an important thing to a lot of ppl. And if WOTC, as the flagship producer, continues bungling things this badly it makes me feel worried about the future of gaming. Maybe I'm being melodramatic, but so be it.
I'm annoyed and ticked off. As I write this, individuals are developing a 4E clone that would fall under OGL terms. Even if that effort fails, eventually ppl are going to produce a set of open systems that cater to 99% of the market needs. :cue the I have a dream overplay:
well maybe not, but anyway, the whole thing is kinda rediculous at the end of the day. just poor leadership. but I guess gamers aren't known for excellent leadership skills anyway.
__________________ Again, you could play this as just a flat series of die rolls, but if that's all you want to do, why are you playing a RPG? - Keith Baker
The first post is sarcastic. "Fan Policy? FAQ? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?" is sarcasm and you should be able to recognize this.
Every working definition of sarcasm I know involves using language deliberately opposite of what one means. I don't think anything in that sentence signifies the opposite of what Lizard really intends. Sure his first is laced with possible (to an interpreter) subtle contempt and scorn but that is not what makes sarcasm sarcasm. I honestly believe Lizard wants to know the status of the Fan Policy, if Lizard didn't truly care about an update then it could be sarcasm. Because he means it, it's not.
I dunno, lately I'm just a pedant about misused words.
Uhm...Lizard did not intend "subtle contempt and scorn". Lizard wants to know if there is any news, even a "We can't stop to work on the FAQ now, we're too busy counting the money from the sold-out PHB." Lizard attempted to evoke a humorous moment from a classic 1980s film. Lizard forgot humour doesn't work well on the net unless you add smileys to everything . If John Swift lived today, he'd have been an accountant.
__________________ Joe Mucchiello, Head Honcho at Throwing Dice Games
Priority One: Fatherhood.
Priority Two: Sanity.
Down on the list: seemingly real close to releasing a notebook essential. It's in layout! Has been for months now. (Just nod politely so I won't cry about this.)
"I've never heard of the term Flavor lawyer..." -- Scribble
The more I think about it, and the more I don't want to admit it, I think the lack of news and info has everything to do with Hasbro's lawsuit against RJ Software and Scrabulous.
If Hasbro loses this suit, and I think they will, the affects are going to be felt throughout gaming for some time to come...I think.
But what do I know?
__________________ Again, you could play this as just a flat series of die rolls, but if that's all you want to do, why are you playing a RPG? - Keith Baker
Without gleemax, any proposed fan site policy might be more liberal, as there is no longer any reason for WOTC to consider MyCoolDnDSite.com a potential distraction from their own social network.
Without gleemax, any proposed fan site policy might be more liberal, as there is no longer any reason for WOTC to consider MyCoolDnDSite.com a potential distraction from their own social network.
So true. I'm a bit surprised gleemax is being taken out behind the barn and being put down . . . well, partly surprised.
So true. I'm a bit surprised gleemax is being taken out behind the barn and being put down . . . well, partly surprised.
Some one some where realizes how badly things have been messed up. This is the first public sign of that acknowledgment.
I think that DDI's fate is in question now. I mean, it may not be. There is no real reason for it to be so. But, if you can't make a simple forum community work, I think its reasonable that DDI's launch may not be handled well either (but that is a big stretch on my part)...assuming it is actually produced to begin with. Well, I like 4E the system. But everything else is definitely a failure. Oh well, it was a nice idea.
__________________ Again, you could play this as just a flat series of die rolls, but if that's all you want to do, why are you playing a RPG? - Keith Baker
But, if you can't make a simple forum community work, I think its reasonable that DDI's launch may not be handled well either (but that is a big stretch on my part)...assuming it is actually produced to begin with.
From what I have read, the part of gleemax that is being ushered away is the social network part, not the forums.
smileys 
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