How do you feel about WOTC, the 3PP and the intent of the GSL

[Mallus]

The GSL/3pp support for 4e will only become an issue for me if, at some future point, I find myself needing 4e material that isn't available in the marketplace.

I don't suspect that will happen.

My group will stop using 4e --well, once we start, our 1st campaign beings in Sept.-- if it turns out we don't like it after giving it a thorough play test in full campaign mode. Licensing deals won't play a factor.

 

[thundershot]

I can't wrap my head around the fact that at the time of this posting, 39 people are willing to STOP PLAYING D&D over something like this. Back in my day, I didn't have 3rd parties to fall back on (that I knew of, at least). I bought all my D&D books at the book stores, and we were happy.

My feeling on the entire thing is that I like D&D 4th Edition. If it hadn't come out, I wouldn't be playing D&D at all right now, because 3E's numbers got too crazy. I would LIKE as many 3rd parties to support it as possible, but it's not a deal breaker for me. I will, however, support the companies that produce 4E compatable material for me, regardless of whether they're using the GSL or not.



Chris

 

[Cadfan]

I can't wrap my head around the fact that at the time of this posting, 39 people are willing to STOP PLAYING D&D over something like this.

Many are probably 1. lying, 2. not playing D&D right now anyways, or 3. intending to quit for multiple reasons, of which this is only one.

 

[El Mahdi]

I voted Yes, I am disapointed in WoTC, but I won't stop playing D&D. However, the poll doesn't have the option of which incarnation of D&D people would choose to play. For me, my disapointment leaves me feeling like not playing any "current" D&D and sticking with the OGL and my house-ruled game. I might still be interested in new adventures and fluff books but that's because I can convert it all to my rules set.

I'm not going to get into an argument about whether WoTC has made bad decisions, or whether others approve or disapprove of their decisions. I think this can be accurately said; there are a lot of 3pp who, like Necromancer, have really been in a holding pattern for the last year. A situation that doesn't seem like it will be resolved any time soon. It seems the 3pp side of the industry is evenly split on waiting to see whether WoTC will make an usable GSL or if Paizo will be successful, before they commit to a course. Of course, I feel the GSL is what's forcing 3pp to have to choose one or the other. Add to this, WoTC will not make the expected amount of money this year because of delays with DDI. All of this together makes me feel that the RPG industry is teetering on a brink, and in the current economy, wouldn't take much to push it over the edge. If some things aren't done, and done soon, the industry could be right back where it was in the 90's. The fate of WEG might become more common for other publisher in the next 6 months to a year.

Whatever one feels about the OGL, whether it was a gift, whether we have a "right" to it or not, the OGL was a brilliant business decision. It not only breathed life into the former TSR assets that WoTC had bought, but it breathed life back into the RPG industry itself. It was that open cooperation that made everyone winners. It just seems like that cooperation is gone (and not just from WoTC, some 3pp took unfair advantage of the OGL), it's too bad it's hurting the bigger 3pp who really are WoTC friends.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

I voted Yes, I am disapointed in WoTC, but I won't stop playing D&D. However, the poll doesn't have the option of which incarnation of D&D people would choose to play. For me, my disapointment leaves me feeling like not playing any "current" D&D and sticking with the OGL and my house-ruled game. I might still be interested in new adventures and fluff books but that's because I can convert it all to my rules set.

This option for me.

I tried 4E, I think it's a good game, but it's not for me.
I will continue playing with a mishmash of 3.5/Pathfinder/BOXM homebrew. I will continue to subscribe to Paizo's Pathfinder adventure paths and purchasing thier Gamemastery items and Pathfinder Modules. If Necromancer publishes 3.5/ Pathfinder stuff I'll buy that too.

I've supported TSR / WOTC since I was 14 (I've been playing since I was 13) when I was able to work my first summer job here in NYC. I bought my game books from BDaltons, Forbidden Planet and Complete Strategist since 1985. Even through 2nd Edition which I really grew to dislike.

4E is the 1st Edition where I actively plan NOT to support beyond the core books. It's a sad parting of ways but this time where WOTC goes I cannot follow.

 

[scruffygrognard]

4E is the 1st Edition where I actively plan NOT to support beyond the core books. It's a sad parting of ways but this time where WOTC goes I cannot follow.

That's exactly how I feel... though I don't even plan on getting the core books.

I've played every version of D&D released between 1981 and now, and it bums me out that I REALLY don't like 4th edition. I'd like to think that D&D is "old reliable," the game I could always dive back into when I get that hankering for a classic RPG. I really don't see 4th edition as D&D (even though it carries the label).

 

[Tervin]

Not voting as there is no option for me. I have mixed feelings about the GSL, but will not let that influence my choice in games. The mixed feelings are because I feel that the GSL is something that I can understand why the established 3PP feel wary about, but that I feel can also be a chance for new 3PPs to make their mark - they simply have less to risk.

And, even if I think several 3PPs make really nice products, I would not mind a new generation of companies that hopefully would do more things that suit my playstyle. (4E clearly supports my playstyle, but I don't expect WotC's products to take that route. I wouldn't mind being surprised though.)

 

[The Red Priest]

I'm going to take the subject of this thread literally and declare how feel about the whole GSL-thing.

I feel great

Total control for the game known as 4e needs to be entirely in the hands of Hasbro/WoTC. In this way, the quality level of gaming supplements will likely be equal to that of the rules.

 

[Alaxk Knight of Galt]

My thoughts on DnD and GSL are completely and utterly independent of each other.

I think 4E is a very fun, highly entertaining system.

I regret that the GSL exist in its current form because I enjoyed the wild and radical approaches that were developed with the OGL system. Mutants and Masterminds comes to mind immediately; a classless, point based, d20 superhero game.

OGL allowed everyone the opportunity to be compatible with d20 DnD and many companies jumped on the opportunity.

d20 OGL created a common gaming language that (at least in my view) everyone spoke. d20 was safe enough to do different intellectual properties in (ex: Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Farscape, Firefly) because everyone spoke the same language. These IPs would have struggled to find an audience with unique systems and niche customer bases. But power them with d20 and they have a shot at being successful.

Other companies tried to widen the audience of their unique IPs by switching to d20. L5R and Seventh Sea both attempted conversions while trying to maintain their own system. The Seventh Sea line went so far as to have d10 Roll and Keep rules alongside d20 rules. While the L5R rules were very interesting (and had me interested in learning more), the Seventh Sea conversion was just terrible.

While creativity with the d20 OGL was great, I do feel it hurt development of new game systems.

The true effects of the GSL will not be known for a decade. But it is still fun to speculate

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

I'm uninterested in 4E, so I don't care what happens with the GSL. That said, I think the GSL is bad for third party publishers, and I wouldn't touch it; I'd either publish under the OGL or straight copyright law.

Regardless of my opinions on 4E and the GSL, I'll continue playing D&D...white box OD&D, 1e AD&D, or B/X, for me.