4e D&D GSL Live

[JDJblatherings]

What's weird to me is that they included the languages as 4E References...

yup and those cool alphabets in the PHB can't be used by 3pp in adventures since they aren't part of the GSL.

 

[ashockney]

So...

Is Morrus's "fan creation of the week" compliant with the new GSL?



I haven't seen much discussion on what you CAN do, only what you CAN'T.

On 10/1 can you:
Release a classbook with DRUID, BARBARIAN, BARD, MONK, etc?

Release a standalone module for use by itself without reference? What if EVERY creature I use has at least one +1 level to it?

Release a DUNGEON Magazine type product to compete with the online product from WOTC?

Release a class splatbook with all new powers you can use "instead" of the existing powers in the Core Rules (Daily, Encounter, At Will)?

Release a book of feats?

Release a book of magic items?

Release of book of "common" treasures?

Release a monster book with every monster statted out for every level? Goblin 1, Goblin 2, Goblin 3...Goblin 30

Is there a way you could do something similiar to Arcana Unearthed any longer?

Is there ANY way you could do something like Conan, simply without referencing the experience/advancement, but with all new classes, powers, abilities, feats, etc. (all low magic themed).

Can you do Star Wars? (or Star Warriors to avoid OGL issues) or Spycraft, or Superheroes?

Can you create rules content and support for things that don't exist? How to handle large scale wars, empire building, running a kingdom, running a business, forming and leading an organization or guild, the game effects of a catastrophe?

Can you create new tools or new ways for characters to get powers beyond those from their race, class, feats, and magic items? For example, visiting a static location, or as a benefit for being part of an organization, or for pledging allegiance to a diety...

What can you do within the context of the GSL?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

So...

Is Morrus's "fan creation of the week" compliant with the new GSL?



I haven't seen much discussion on what you CAN do, only what you CAN'T.

On 10/1 can you:

Release a classbook with DRUID, BARBARIAN, BARD, MONK, etc?

Looks like you can. Unclarity what happens when WotC later produces a class with that name.

Release a standalone module for use by itself without reference? What if EVERY creature I use has at least one +1 level to it?

Interesting question. I was wondering that myself. It might actually be allowed, but I am unclear on that issue. The Kobold Wyrmpriest Lich seems to indicate you can describe him in his entirety, and it's just applying the rules.

Release a class splatbook with all new powers you can use "instead" of the existing powers in the Core Rules (Daily, Encounter, At Will)?

Release a book of feats?

Release a book of magic items?

Release of book of "common" treasures?

Yes.

Release a monster book with every monster statted out for every level? Goblin 1, Goblin 2, Goblin 3...Goblin 30

If you don't reuse the existing monster, yes.

Is there a way you could do something similiar to Arcana Unearthed any longer?

Is there ANY way you could do something like Conan, simply without referencing the experience/advancement, but with all new classes, powers, abilities, feats, etc. (all low magic themed).

Core rule changes, no. But new classes, feats, powers, races, all that is possible. You just can't create an entirely new spell system or something like that...

Or maybe you can. But not without creating a strange class - no class powers (or rather - class powers without use) and then tacking on the entire subsystem in the class feature description.

At least that's my assumption. I am not sure if it's actually required to use the power structure.

Can you do Star Wars? (or Star Warriors to avoid OGL issues) or Spycraft, or Superheroes?

With some work, and staying within the framework, I think you can.

Can you create rules content and support for things that don't exist? How to handle large scale wars, empire building, running a kingdom, running a business, forming and leading an organization or guild, the game effects of a catastrophe?

Yes, you can. There is no provision against creating new rules subystems.

Can you create new tools or new ways for characters to get powers beyond those from their race, class, feats, and magic items? For example, visiting a static location, or as a benefit for being part of an organization, or for pledging allegiance to a diety...?

Yes, I think that would be possible.

 

[argash]

So...

Is Morrus's "fan creation of the week" compliant with the new GSL?



I haven't seen much discussion on what you CAN do, only what you CAN'T.

On 10/1 can you:
Release a classbook with DRUID, BARBARIAN, BARD, MONK, etc?

Release a standalone module for use by itself without reference? What if EVERY creature I use has at least one +1 level to it?

Release a DUNGEON Magazine type product to compete with the online product from WOTC?

Release a class splatbook with all new powers you can use "instead" of the existing powers in the Core Rules (Daily, Encounter, At Will)?

Release a book of feats?

Release a book of magic items?

Release of book of "common" treasures?

Release a monster book with every monster statted out for every level? Goblin 1, Goblin 2, Goblin 3...Goblin 30

Is there a way you could do something similiar to Arcana Unearthed any longer?

Is there ANY way you could do something like Conan, simply without referencing the experience/advancement, but with all new classes, powers, abilities, feats, etc. (all low magic themed).

Can you do Star Wars? (or Star Warriors to avoid OGL issues) or Spycraft, or Superheroes?

Can you create rules content and support for things that don't exist? How to handle large scale wars, empire building, running a kingdom, running a business, forming and leading an organization or guild, the game effects of a catastrophe?

Can you create new tools or new ways for characters to get powers beyond those from their race, class, feats, and magic items? For example, visiting a static location, or as a benefit for being part of an organization, or for pledging allegiance to a diety...

What can you do within the context of the GSL?

Right now it looks like on 10/1 we'll see alot of titles go on sale with really cool sounding names and when you open them you'll see 80 pages of pure white scratch paper for you to take notes on. Of course some one will try to compete by using velum or some other crazy type of paper.

 

[TimeOut]

On 10/1 can you:
Release a classbook with DRUID, BARBARIAN, BARD, MONK, etc?

Yes. But if WotC adds those terms to the SRD in the future, your content would violate the GSL.

Release a standalone module for use by itself without reference? What if EVERY creature I use has at least one +1 level to it?

I think you are only allowed to reprint the changed parts. So if all your creatures are +1 level, you may only post any changed stats that are a result of the level change.

Release a DUNGEON Magazine type product to compete with the online product from WOTC?

As long as the complete magazine is licensed under the GSL and WotC doesn't terminate your license, I would say "yes".

Release a class splatbook with all new powers you can use "instead" of the existing powers in the Core Rules (Daily, Encounter, At Will)?

Are those additional powers? If so, yes. If those are replacements or changes, no.

Release a book of feats?

New feats: Sure. Changing old feats: No.
Same thing as point 1 applies here: If WotC adds something with the same name to the SRD that is different from your implementation, your product violates the GSL.

Release a book of magic items?

I think so, same as feats.

Release of book of "common" treasures?

What are common treasures?

Release a monster book with every monster statted out for every level? Goblin 1, Goblin 2, Goblin 3...Goblin 30

See monster statblocks above. (No.)

Is there a way you could do something similiar to Arcana Unearthed any longer?

No idea, don't know AU.

Is there ANY way you could do something like Conan, simply without referencing the experience/advancement, but with all new classes, powers, abilities, feats, etc. (all low magic themed).

New stuff: Sure. But we don't know if you can remove or restrict the use of "old" stuff.

Can you do Star Wars? (or Star Warriors to avoid OGL issues) or Spycraft, or Superheroes?

If you have to change existing 4e References: No. If everything is possible by extending or generating new content: Yes.

Can you create rules content and support for things that don't exist? How to handle large scale wars, empire building, running a kingdom, running a business, forming and leading an organization or guild, the game effects of a catastrophe?

As long as nothing has an impact on existing 4e References: Yes.

Can you create new tools or new ways for characters to get powers beyond those from their race, class, feats, and magic items? For example, visiting a static location, or as a benefit for being part of an organization, or for pledging allegiance to a diety...

Same as the answer above.

 

[Vascant]

This is the most disappointing post I have seen for a long time. I really count on Vascant's products to prepare my campaign adventures...

I don't think I even need my lawyer to read this, software is out..

 

[keterys]

Never fear, anyone who is willing to publish for ego bucks, as opposed to real bucks, is likely to continue doing so.

*ashamed* That's totally me. The profit margins in RPGs are lousy, but the payoff in warm fuzzies for making stuff people actually use is huge.

 

[jaldaen]

So I noticed a lot of people are reading the SRD section headings as 4e Refrences in addition to being a section heading. My question to Scott and Linae is:

Are the section headings in the SRD also 4e References, which cannot be defined, redefined, or altered in any way?

So are Dwarf, Human, Fighter, Wizard, Demon, Devil, etc... 4e references or just intended to make it easier to use the SRD in conjunction with the Core Books?

This is a question I've asked in other threads, but I figure it deserves its own thread since this one difference in reading the SRD can make all the difference between a very restrictive SRD and a very open one.

Thanks for your response

 

[DaveMage]

Actually, I don't think that's quite correct. If you look at Section 6.3, the punishment for re-publishing something back under the OGL is having your GSL license terminated. So, in the case that your license was terminated for other reasons, they can't exactly re-terminate it to punish you. ;-)

Clark Peterson came to the same conclusion I did:

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=231754

 

[MerricB]

Although I'm generally quite forgiving of Wizards - and I do like 4e - I'm astonished at the levels of stupidity involved in the GSL. I don't think it's all intentional. For instance, I really don't expect they meant the license to mean a later publication of theirs to make a bunch of previous products illegal due to unintentional name duplication. However, they should have. They really should have.

Patrick Lawinger suggested that the license was really designed to only allow adventures to be written under the new system. Well, possibly. Unfortunately, by eliminating the ability to print the full stat-blocks of any monster or NPC that uses an ability from the core rulebooks, you really, really limit their usefulness.

Unbelievably stupid.

Clark Peterson has said that he's pretty sure that this license will kill dead his Tome of Horrors 4e (he's doing a full colour Pathfinder version? Cool!)

To be able to put Clark off-side with you is inventing new levels of stupidity that are beyond the dreams of wordsmiths in coming up with new terms to describe them!

Cheers!