Answers on the GSL!

Mouseferatu · May 2, 2008

Zaister said:
I can't really imagine that the GSL will allow you to publish stuff that effectively pre-empts Wizards' own upcoming books like Player's Handbook II by publishing your own versions of druids, bards, and gnomes, for example.

WotC has never particularly cared what sort of content other companies publish, so long as it meets their community standards. They know full well that no book published by a third-party company is going to have more than the tiniest impact on their own sales, if that.

I suppose they could try to restrict what sorts of materials other companies publish as you suggest, but it would require a level of oversight they've never shown an interest in maintaining, and it would require them to constantly provide third-parties a list of what future material they planned to release. I don't see it as remotely likely.

JohnRTroy · May 2, 2008

Brown Jenkin said:
For those interested in the sblock is the list of original questions.
7) Is the new GSL an open license? Will it allow publishers to use each others' content under the provisions of the license? [y] The first part was answered the second not.[/y]

8) How does the new licensing policy affect fan created works? What is WotC's current policy on such works?

8a) Will utilities similar to d20SRD.com be prevented from existing under the GSL?

8b) Is WoTC planning on providing an easily available, downloadable copy of the rules available both online and off without a fee?

11) A major criticism of the old licensing structure is that it caused a product-bloat due to the low bar to accessibility; it is common wisdom that the d20 logo lost its value because of this. Will the GSL address this problem?

13) What mistakes do you feel were made regarding the old licensing structure (the OGL and d20 STL)? What has prompted the shift in policy? Specifically, what about it is undesirable now that was desirable when it was adopted?

13a) What are WotC main goals regarding the GSL? Do you believe that third-party products will drive sales of the D&D core rulebooks?

15) Why was the GSL developed in secret, and what is the reason for the confidentiality surrounding it?

15a) Why did development of the GSL take so long? Was this time period the reason the $5000 fee was dropped?

16) Will future D&D products from WotC be added to the list of material made available via the GSL?

17) Will WotC continue to sell its own d20 PDFs (D20 Modern, 3.5 D&D, 3.5 Eberron, 3.5 Forgotten Realms, etc.) after the d20STL expiration date, or will those d20 products be retired or expired?

Regarding #7, part 2, my gut tells me the license is no longer "viral", since it is no longer fitting the "open license" standard, and is now a contract solely between WoTC and the Licensee. My guess is any arrangements to share content from one publisher to another would have to be on a publisher by publisher basis, as well as the third party also having a GSL.

I hope we get an official answer to #8, since that is very important for the fan base.

Numbers 11, 13, and 15--I don't think they'll ever answer these questions. These pretty much involve us poking our curious noses into how WoTC makes their decisions, and like I said in the other thread from their perspective, it's probably not considered any of our business by WoTC management.

Number 16 will be interesting. I guess this all depends on if they are licensing everything, or if they've decided to "hold stuff back" for exclusivity reasons, similar to how certain monsters were under the original OGL.

As for Number 17, why should they? They don't have to follow the same standards they ask their licensees to. I think that will all depend on whether they continue to offer legacy products like PDF downloads. I hope they don't give this up, from a collector's standpoint.

Urizen · May 2, 2008

Maybe I missed it, but, what about Castles and Crusades, M&M, true20, etc?

I didn't see a definitive answer for those types of products.. or did I, and not recognize it?

Mustrum_Ridcully · May 2, 2008

Zaister said:
I can't really imagine that the GSL will allow you to publish stuff that effectively pre-empts Wizards' own upcoming books like Player's Handbook II by publishing your own versions of druids, bards, and gnomes, for example.

Why not? Sure anyone so "desperate" to get his gnome/bard/druid fix to get the first third party supplement covering it will also be interested in WotC solution to the classes.

And note that the examples specifically list new classes as a possible option. (emphasis mine)

Q. What products would WotC like to see come out of the third party publishers that they are not currently interested in producing themselves?

A. The easy answer is we want to see quality products that support 4th Edition D&D. I’m guessing you want specific examples, right? The GSL is designed for publishers to make Adventures, “Fluff,” Campaign settings, Alternate Classes, Races, Monsters, Paragon Paths, Epic Destinies, and other creative supplemental products.

Have you trouble in believing WotC answer?

lkj · May 2, 2008

Jack99 said:
Speaking of you and your jobs. Ari, do you know if
means that the Advanced Player's Guide that you wrote for NG won't be able to be published, or does this prohibition only relate to the classes created by WoTC?

Oh, and thanks to WoTC for giving us, what looks to me, a fair and decent G

Seems like this--

Q. What products would WotC like to see come out of the third party publishers that they are not currently interested in producing themselves?

A. The easy answer is we want to see quality products that support 4th Edition D&D. I’m guessing you want specific examples, right? The GSL is designed for publi)shers to make Adventures, “Fluff,” Campaign settings, Alternate Classes, Races, Monsters, Paragon Paths, Epic Destinies, and other creative supplemental products.

-- suggests that it's ok to make other classes. And it's kind of hard to see them restricting it to classes they aren't making in the future. At worst, maybe you'd have to change the name of the class. But I'd guess that's not the case. But who knows?

AD

(Seems I was too slow

)

Zaister · May 2, 2008

Who knows what they mean by "Alternate Classes". Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Mustrum_Ridcully · May 2, 2008

Urizen said:
Maybe I missed it, but, what about Castles and Crusades, M&M, true20, etc?

I didn't see a definitive answer for those types of products.. or did I, and not recognize it?

What about them? As far as I can see, these products need no GSL. They don't exist to support D&D 3rd or 4E directly, do they? They are mostly game systems that work on their own.

Jack99 · May 2, 2008

lkj said:
Seems like this--

Q. What products would WotC like to see come out of the third party publishers that they are not currently interested in producing themselves?

A. The easy answer is we want to see quality products that support 4th Edition D&D. I’m guessing you want specific examples, right? The GSL is designed for publi)shers to make Adventures, “Fluff,” Campaign settings, Alternate Classes, Races, Monsters, Paragon Paths, Epic Destinies, and other creative supplemental products.

-- suggests that it's ok to make other classes. And it's kind of hard to see them restricting it to classes they aren't making in the future. At worst, maybe you'd have to change the name of the class. But I'd guess that's not the case. But who knows?

AD

(Seems I was too slow )

While you might have been slow

, it definitely appears that I was too quick >< I can't believe I missed a whole question and answer reading through that post.

Thanks for clearing this up.

Cheers

Jack99 · May 2, 2008

Mustrum_Ridcully said:
What about them? As far as I can see, these products need no GSL. They don't exist to support D&D 3rd or 4E directly, do they? They are mostly game systems that work on their own.

I am no expert, but at least M&M should fall under the non-fantasy clause, right?

Delta · May 2, 2008

(a) Why do they insist on releasing these blurbs on Friday night, just as everybody goes incommunicado for the weekend?

(b) Frankly, without the precise definition of what counts as a "product line", the answers to the first two most important questions are practically content-free. It could be a particular branded imprint, or every fantasy-based product by a given company, or anything in between.