Timeboxer
Explorer
Not that I'm a lawyer or anything, but the following is how I interpret the GSL, as I read it, in straightforward language:
Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition
Game System License
This is the GSL.
1. You have to send us a letter saying you accepted this license. After you send us your acceptance letter, if we don't get back to you within 14 days, you're good to go. Tell us if any information changes or you might have to send us another one. You can't sell anything before October 1, though.
2. We can update the license whenever we want. It's up to you to make sure you're in compliance.
3. You can only use this license to make hardback or softback books, or electronic books. You can also make anything else to support those books unless we say you can't in Section 5.5.
4. You can use our stuff for free, but you have to follow our rules.
4.1. You can refer to everything we list in the SRD, but you can't redefine any terms in said SRD. You can add more stuff relating to those terms, though. We can update the SRD whenever we want. It's up to you to make sure you're in compliance.
4.2. You have to use our logo on your books. You can use it for other stuff too.
5. Requirements and limitations.
5.1. You can't use our trademarked stuff except in referring to the game and the core books.
5.2. Cut and paste this text block in your book's front somewhere. It has to be readable.
5.3. Cut and paste this text block in your ads. It's okay if some people can't read it unless they wear glasses.
5.4. You can't sell any books until October 1. If you do, you don't get to play. You can tell people you have books coming though.
5.5. You can't sell any web sites, computer-y things, miniatures or character creators that use our stuff. You also can't talk about character creation or leveling, claim to be part of the core books, point to our art, or reprint our core rules text. You also can't use our stuff in something that doesn't play by these rules.
5.6. You can't sell the contents of the SRD or definitions of what's in it.
5.7. You can't use our art.
6. OGL stuff.
6.1. You can convert your stuff to GSL, but you can't sell your old OGL stuff, except for your back stock. You can't convert back ever.
6.2. You can't weasel out of 6.1 either.
6.3. If you try, you don't get to play anymore.
7. Your stuff has to be relatively tame. That means no gore, no sex, and no social injustice, unless we're talking elves hating dwarves. Don't harass anyone or explain how to do something illegal.
8. Don't do anything illegal, either.
9. We get free copies of your stuff if we ask!
10. Ownership stuff.
10.1. We still own all the stuff we own. You can't use any of the stuff we own unless we let you. FYI: This includes the core rules and the SRD.
10.2. If you use someone else's stuff, we're not responsible.
10.3. You have to help us protect all the stuff we own, but we'll pay you. You can't legally argue that we don't own what we own. Don't break what we own either.
10.4. If you break the rules, you have to pay us.
11. Breaking things off.
11.1 We'll send you a note if we're breaking up. If we change our minds about everything we'll tell everyone.
11.2. Everything that seems like it can be permanencied, is.
11.3. If we say you can't play anymore, you have to get rid of everything yourself. You can't pretend like we didn't break up with you, either. If you ask us, we might let you keep some of the stuff you made, though.
11.4. If you break the rules, we might have to go to court. You have to pay us for that too.
12.a. You have to tell people that you own all your own stuff, unless it's somebody else's.
12.b. You can't agree to all this stuff for someone else who's not you.
12.c. You can't agree to this if it means you'd have to break some other agreement.
12.d. You can't violate anyone else's copyright.
12.e. You can't violate anyone's privacy or say anything bad about them.
12.f. You have to do what the government says if they're helping us.
13. We don't guarantee anything.
14. If someone else blames us for your stuff, you have to say it's your fault.
15. You can play, but that doesn't necessarily mean we're friends unless we talk first.
16. You can't tell someone else that they're allowed to use this license.
17. If you break the rules and we ignore you, that doesn't necessarily mean we're going to ignore you next time.
18. You can make your stuff and we can make our stuff, but you can't blame us if our stuff competes with your stuff. We can also ask other people to use their stuff that you might already be using, and you can't complain.
19. If we have to go to court, we're gonna do it in our backyard. No jury, though.
20. If the judge says part of this license is illegal, you still have to play by the rest of it.
21. That's it. We'll call you if anything changes.
Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition
Game System License
This is the GSL.
1. You have to send us a letter saying you accepted this license. After you send us your acceptance letter, if we don't get back to you within 14 days, you're good to go. Tell us if any information changes or you might have to send us another one. You can't sell anything before October 1, though.
2. We can update the license whenever we want. It's up to you to make sure you're in compliance.
3. You can only use this license to make hardback or softback books, or electronic books. You can also make anything else to support those books unless we say you can't in Section 5.5.
4. You can use our stuff for free, but you have to follow our rules.
4.1. You can refer to everything we list in the SRD, but you can't redefine any terms in said SRD. You can add more stuff relating to those terms, though. We can update the SRD whenever we want. It's up to you to make sure you're in compliance.
4.2. You have to use our logo on your books. You can use it for other stuff too.
5. Requirements and limitations.
5.1. You can't use our trademarked stuff except in referring to the game and the core books.
5.2. Cut and paste this text block in your book's front somewhere. It has to be readable.
5.3. Cut and paste this text block in your ads. It's okay if some people can't read it unless they wear glasses.
5.4. You can't sell any books until October 1. If you do, you don't get to play. You can tell people you have books coming though.
5.5. You can't sell any web sites, computer-y things, miniatures or character creators that use our stuff. You also can't talk about character creation or leveling, claim to be part of the core books, point to our art, or reprint our core rules text. You also can't use our stuff in something that doesn't play by these rules.
5.6. You can't sell the contents of the SRD or definitions of what's in it.
5.7. You can't use our art.
6. OGL stuff.
6.1. You can convert your stuff to GSL, but you can't sell your old OGL stuff, except for your back stock. You can't convert back ever.
6.2. You can't weasel out of 6.1 either.
6.3. If you try, you don't get to play anymore.
7. Your stuff has to be relatively tame. That means no gore, no sex, and no social injustice, unless we're talking elves hating dwarves. Don't harass anyone or explain how to do something illegal.
8. Don't do anything illegal, either.
9. We get free copies of your stuff if we ask!
10. Ownership stuff.
10.1. We still own all the stuff we own. You can't use any of the stuff we own unless we let you. FYI: This includes the core rules and the SRD.
10.2. If you use someone else's stuff, we're not responsible.
10.3. You have to help us protect all the stuff we own, but we'll pay you. You can't legally argue that we don't own what we own. Don't break what we own either.
10.4. If you break the rules, you have to pay us.
11. Breaking things off.
11.1 We'll send you a note if we're breaking up. If we change our minds about everything we'll tell everyone.
11.2. Everything that seems like it can be permanencied, is.
11.3. If we say you can't play anymore, you have to get rid of everything yourself. You can't pretend like we didn't break up with you, either. If you ask us, we might let you keep some of the stuff you made, though.
11.4. If you break the rules, we might have to go to court. You have to pay us for that too.
12.a. You have to tell people that you own all your own stuff, unless it's somebody else's.
12.b. You can't agree to all this stuff for someone else who's not you.
12.c. You can't agree to this if it means you'd have to break some other agreement.
12.d. You can't violate anyone else's copyright.
12.e. You can't violate anyone's privacy or say anything bad about them.
12.f. You have to do what the government says if they're helping us.
13. We don't guarantee anything.
14. If someone else blames us for your stuff, you have to say it's your fault.
15. You can play, but that doesn't necessarily mean we're friends unless we talk first.
16. You can't tell someone else that they're allowed to use this license.
17. If you break the rules and we ignore you, that doesn't necessarily mean we're going to ignore you next time.
18. You can make your stuff and we can make our stuff, but you can't blame us if our stuff competes with your stuff. We can also ask other people to use their stuff that you might already be using, and you can't complain.
19. If we have to go to court, we're gonna do it in our backyard. No jury, though.
20. If the judge says part of this license is illegal, you still have to play by the rest of it.
21. That's it. We'll call you if anything changes.
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