Getting Monster Manual II added to the SRD

[Sir Elton]

Or...

We could all just write emails to the appropriate people at Wizards, and ask nicely.

I did that. Andy Collins said he was going to do it, but never got around to it. I asked for some of the monsters based on mythology to be added to the SRD. And of course, the Gem Dragons.

 

[Pants]

I would hope they would choose a good monster book and not MM2

heh, yep.

Though it would be nice to have all the critters updated to 3.5.

 

[Nellisir]

Ahem. You are obviously unfamiliar with Necromancer Games's Tome of Horrors series, as well as Green Ronin's Book of Fiends -- some of the best and most influential d20 monster books out there.

So, just WotC, Atlas Games, Green Ronin, Bastion Press, and (I think) AEG (which I know didn't really do a monster book other than Creatures of Rokugan, where the names mostly were protected -- but there were monsters in other books and I think those names were open. AEG was pretty darned cool with their OGC.)

I'm sure there are pdf publishers also, but I'd have to look at declarations and I'm busy at the moment.

As far as WotC goes...I don't expect any more updates to the SRD for...probably a year. And if not then, probably never again. It all depends on how much value WotC thinks they derived from the SRD & OGL the first time around.

I don't really care if WotC updates the SRD. I'm happy with plain old OGC.

I think there are a number of reasons for the low level of reuse of OGC among publishers. I think the biggest ones are false, but I also think the easy answer isn't the right one either.

 

[Crothian]

heh, yep.

Though it would be nice to have all the critters updated to 3.5.

I think the third one is. They did the first one as a PDF upgrade to 3.5 and I imagine if that had done better they would have done the second one.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Obiviously. It came out after I lost my last job.

elton.

The first one came out in 2002.

 

[Nellisir]

I think the third one is. They did the first one as a PDF upgrade to 3.5 and I imagine if that had done better they would have done the second one.

Are you talking about Tome of Horrors or the Monster Manuals? Cause I think he's talking about the first, and you're talking about the second (and, I -think- ToH2 is 3.5)

 

[rounser]

No argument here.

Thirded. I don't understand MMII copping flack, I think it's far more consistent in flavour and utility than the original MM is (no-brainer staples such as orcs aside).

 

[Mark]

I believe that WotC will add all the monsters and templates in MMII to the SRD. And this is how they are going to do it.

I would like every d20 Publisher, Player, and Game Master who doesn't have a copy to buy a copy of the Monster Manual II.

I stopped believing in that possibility when WotC failed to add any material from the 3.0 splat books.

 

[Hussar]

What reason would WOTC have for updating the SRD? The SRD has never been about helping gamers. It's purpose is to allow other publishers to use core mechanics in their products. The only place you use monsters is modules. Since, other than Necromancer and Goodman, pretty much no other (I'm sure there are exceptions that I'll be called on) publishers make modules, and haven't for some time, what incentive is there to add to the SRD?

It would make much more sense for WOTC to protect its own PI and use it in their own modules which they are coming out with on a fairly regular basis.

Sure, I'd love it if they did. I once complained rather vocally when Dragon did a lengthy series of Ecology articles based on (mostly) MMII creatures and the current Savage Tide AP has loads of MMII creatures in it as well.

But, I just can't see what WOTC gets out of the mix.

 

[Mark]

(. . .) pretty much no other (I'm sure there are exceptions that I'll be called on) publishers make modules, and haven't for some time, what incentive is there to add to the SRD?

Creative Mountain Games has published five adventures, one is for sale and four of them are free on the CMG website.