D&D 5E OrcPub is Closing Down

Rellott · Aug 30, 2017

manduck said:
I can't say I'm surprised, though I am disappointed. He was using non-SRD content without a licensing agreement or anything like that. With Beyond out there, it was just a matter of time before he was shut down. Really though, it was a solid product and WOTC probably should have hired him and his team to do Beyond. Trying to make money on a product that uses someone else's IP will get you that cease and desist though.

To my knowledge, there was no team. It was a one-man operation as a side-gig/hobby for him. Which makes it that much more impressive.

manduck · Aug 30, 2017

Rellott said:
To my knowledge, there was no team. It was a one-man operation as a side-gig/hobby for him. Which makes it that much more impressive.

Wow, it was impressive enough if a team had worked on it. If it was just him, then I'm that much more impressed. He has some incredible skills and ideas.

Mercule · Aug 30, 2017

manduck said:
Wow, it was impressive enough if a team had worked on it. If it was just him, then I'm that much more impressed. He has some incredible skills and ideas.

Yeah. It makes some of the DDB shortcomings that much more painful.

Don't misunderstand. I do actually think that WotC was well within their rights to send a C&D (assuming that's what happened). I also did not use OrcPub because I like MPMB's sheet much, much better. I'm hoping that MPMB putting his(?) sheet on the DMsGuild gives some protection from a similar fate, but I've been concerned about it since DDB was announced.

manduck · Aug 30, 2017

Mercule said:
Yeah. It makes some of the DDB shortcomings that much more painful.

Don't misunderstand. I do actually think that WotC was well within their rights to send a C&D (assuming that's what happened). I also did not use OrcPub because I like MPMB's sheet much, much better. I'm hoping that MPMB putting his(?) sheet on the DMsGuild gives some protection from a similar fate, but I've been concerned about it since DDB was announced.

I completely agree. WOTC was well within their rights (assuming that's what happened). Were I in their position and someone was using my content for a similar product that wasn't licensed with my company, I would do exactly the same thing. It really is a shame to see that talent and good work wasted though. I haven't checked out MPBM's sheet. I wasn't even aware of it, as I don't get to DM's Guild much. So I'll have to take a look and see what it's all about.

Mistwell · Aug 30, 2017

D&D Beyond should have hired him, and bought his work with the deal.

Istbor · Aug 30, 2017

Mercule said:
Yeah. It makes some of the DDB shortcomings that much more painful.

Don't misunderstand. I do actually think that WotC was well within their rights to send a C&D (assuming that's what happened). I also did not use OrcPub because I like MPMB's sheet much, much better. I'm hoping that MPMB putting his(?) sheet on the DMsGuild gives some protection from a similar fate, but I've been concerned about it since DDB was announced.

Keep in mind those that made D&DB had people they had to answer to when trying to add ideas to product. A single person or small independent team has no such restrictions.

Seramus · Aug 30, 2017

Mistwell said:
D&D Beyond should have hired him, and bought his work with the deal.

Agreed. This would have been the ideal solution. You hire freelancers for their awesome creations.

FrogReaver · Aug 30, 2017

It's sad.

akr71 · Aug 31, 2017

Morrus said:
He did great work. I wish he'd do one for my game!

Sounds like he's got some free time... maybe you should reach out to him. From the Kickstarter post:

[FONT=&quot]I may reuse the infrastructure to support other games, we'll see.[/FONT]

Mercule · Aug 31, 2017

Istbor said:
Keep in mind those that made D&DB had people they had to answer to when trying to add ideas to product. A single person or small independent team has no such restrictions.

I get it. I'm a professional web application developer. The bureaucracy takes its toll, even though it also pays the bills. I would almost guarantee that having extra layer of Curse/WotC licensing is more a multiplicative factor than additive.

Cause doesn't really matter, though. It's not a rational response, just perception.

D&D 5E OrcPub is Closing Down

Rellott

Explorer

manduck

Explorer

Mercule

Adventurer

manduck

Explorer

Mistwell

Crusty Old Meatwad (he/him)

Istbor

Dances with Gnolls

Seramus

Hero

FrogReaver

As long as i get to be the frog

akr71

Hero

Mercule

Adventurer

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