Can I Get the OGC From M&M?

[DarkSoldier]

Since the Mutants & Masterminds system is so highly praised, and I'm unable to procure a copy of the book (saving up for more important things), I was wondering if somebody could compile the OGC from the book and post it somewhere.

Redistributing declared OGC under the License is legal, right?

 

[Lizard]

Redistributing declared OGC under the License is legal, right?

Yes. But you can't just scan the book.

You'd need to:
a)Scan it.
b)OCR it.
c)Edit out all the text which is NOT OGC -- which is a lot.

This is not a trivial enterprise, and thus, it's doubtful anyone has done so and not yet announced it.

 

[Blacksad]

You'll have to pay someone to get all that OGC typed

Plus you'll lack the advancement and character creation rules, so it might allow you to use the stats of character but not to advance them (or you could but certainly not in a balanced way, as the power cost is closed content).

Finally, it's not very nice toward Green Ronin, while legaly you could do it, I tend to consider OGC to be something shared freely between publisher not customer, to ensure creativity in the RPG industry (you do not need to reinvent the wheel, as you can use it for free), while keeping the industry alive kind of like shared algorithms in the computer industry (my future working sector ).

This problem of OGC distribution has already come up on the d20 publisher forum, and publisher are always worried by the creation of OGC distribution website, while OGC localisation (knowing in which book you might find firearms rules, etc.. but this might be done by a simple a post in the d20 publisher forum, plus you might get to know, if several different rules exist, which set of ruls is best for you).

Just in case, do not say that a single fish will not affect the industry, while the print side might not be immediately affected, this kind of distribution might seriously hamper the PDF side of the industry given the sales number of some publisher (in the hundreds after several months, with top notch PDF, like those from Philip J Reed).

 

[Ranger REG]

Since the Mutants & Masterminds system is so highly praised, and I'm unable to procure a copy of the book (saving up for more important things), I was wondering if somebody could compile the OGC from the book and post it somewhere.

Redistributing declared OGC under the License is legal, right?

While it is legal, personally I find it disrespectful you would not go to the length of buying a copy of MnM.

 

[whydirt]

Let me understand:

You really like MnM, but you don't want to pay for it.

Instead you'd like someone who has paid for it to type up the rules for you to have free of charge? What's the motivation for anyone to do that for you?

MnM really is a well-done product and I suggest you save up to get it if you want it.

 

[DarkSoldier]

Let me understand:

You really like MnM, but you don't want to pay for it.

Instead you'd like someone who has paid for it to type up the rules for you to have free of charge? What's the motivation for anyone to do that for you?

MnM really is a well-done product and I suggest you save up to get it if you want it.

I have a confession: I am a worm.

I'm sorry, but the money I'm saving is going toward a massive computer upgrade (the one I use now is 5 years obsolete, yet still runs... but for how long?).

 

[jaerdaph]

I have a confession: I am a worm.

Actually, I have a lot more respect for you then I would for someone who asks where they can download a scanned copy.

 

[jaerdaph]

...while legaly you could do it, I tend to consider OGC to be something shared freely between publisher not customer, to ensure creativity in the RPG industry (you do not need to reinvent the wheel, as you can use it for free), while keeping the industry alive kind of like shared algorithms in the computer industry (my future working sector ).

I tend to agree with you, but I would extend "publisher" to include someone like me- a fan with a Web site who creates their own new, original material (product identity and OGC) under the OGL, but uses OGC from other sources as well if they fit a need you may have. The spirit of the OGL is to take bits and pieces of OGC (so you don't have to "reinvent the wheel", so to speak) and add them to your own work, which in turn should add to the body of OGC as well. I think its akin/analogous to "enhancement of the prior art", but I'm not a lawyer. I think stripping a product down to the OGC bare bones and distributing that OGC goes against that spirit.

Edit: removed repeated word

 

[Ranger REG]

You still need to know the source (i.e., book or product) of where you get the OGC. Which is why it is important you know how to add/update Section 15 Copyright Notice of Open Game License (your copy of the OGL attached to your web page aka HTML or XML document).

Then there is the thing called Professional Courtesy. Monte Cook did an essay about promoting the etiquette of asking the author's permission despite the legal "safe harbor" provided by the OGL.

 

[jaerdaph]

Then there is the thing called Professional Courtesy. Monte Cook did an essay about promoting the etiquette of asking the author's permission despite the legal "safe harbor" provided by the OGL.

Good point, REG. Another thing I support, even though it isn't required.