More Questions About OGL / D20 STL

[Tellerian Hawke]

However, one of the conditions of the OGL is that if you do use any material, it needs to be properly credited in Section 14. So you probably wouldn't get an explicit credit for "Ellis Kvar", but you would get a credit for "Kvar's World by Tellerian Hawke Publishing", or whatever.

I may be wrong about this, of course.

Yes, that's what I was thinking of. (I have read the OGL twice, but I am still a bit fuzzy.) So basically, if anyone uses the content I create, they have to put a notice that says something to the effect of: "Prudent Ward is OGC, contributed by TellerianHawkeGaming LLC, and is used with permission under the OGL."

 

[delericho]

Yes, that's what I was thinking of. (I have read the OGL twice, but I am still a bit fuzzy.) So basically, if anyone uses the content I create, they have to put a notice that says something to the effect of: "Prudent Ward is OGC, contributed by TellerianHawkeGaming LLC, and is used with permission under the OGL."

My mistake - it was Section 15.

Anyway, since I have it handy, here's the section 15 for "The Divinity Drive":

15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors: Jonathan Tweet, Monte
Cook, and Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
It Came from the Stars Campaign Guide, © 2013 Zombie Sky Press; Authors: John Bennett, Clinton
J. Boomer, Chuck DiTusa, Scott Gable, Michael Kortes, Colin McComb, Richard Pett, John Pingo, David
Schwartz, and Mike Welham.
Angel, Monadic Deva from the Tome of Horrors Complete © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc.,
published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by
Gary Gygax.
Angel, Movanic Deva from the Tome of Horrors Complete © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc.,
published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by
Gary Gygax.
Aurumvorax from the Tome of Horrors Complete © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and
distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax.
Froghemoth from the Tome of Horrors Complete © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc.; Author: Scott
Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax.
Vegepygmy from the Tome of Horrors Complete © 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and
distributed by Frog God Games; Author: Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax.
Pathfinder Adventure Path #90: The Divinity Drive © 2014, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Crystal Frasier, with
Adam Daigle, Thurston Hillman, James Jacobs, Will McCardell, Amber E. Scott, and Greg A. Vaughan.

You'll notice that it gives document titles and copyright details, but it doesn't list every specific item - it doesn't say what was used from the "It Came from the Stars Campaign Guide" for instance.

 

[Morrus]

Yes, that's what I was thinking of. (I have read the OGL twice, but I am still a bit fuzzy.)

It's pretty short, and pretty clear.

So basically, if anyone uses the content I create, they have to put a notice that says something to the effect of: "Prudent Ward is OGC, contributed by TellerianHawkeGaming LLC, and is used with permission under the OGL."

6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder's name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute

 

[Morrus]

You'll notice that it gives document titles and copyright details, but it doesn't list every specific item - it doesn't say what was used from the "It Came from the Stars Campaign Guide" for instance.

It uses the exact copyright text originally incuded by the content creator. Technically, that could include the full text of War & Peace, if the content creator felt so inclined.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Ok, so lemme see here... is this correct?

6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder's name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.

So, the copyright notice would look like:
==============================

Blabberblah's House of Rare Magic Items is published under Version 1.0A of the Open Game License and SRD, by permission from Wizards of The Coast.

Designation of Product Identity: The following items are hereby designated as Product Identity, in accordance with the Open Game License V1.0A, Section 1(e): Any and all [HAWKESCOMPANYNAME, LLC] logos, identifying marks, and trade dress, including all [HAWKESCOMPANYNAME, LLC] product and product line names, including but not limited to the [HAWKESCOMPANY, LLC] logo, and the [CAMPAIGNWORLD NAME] logo; all artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, illustrations, likenesses, poses, logos, graphic designs, maps and cartography; all characters, character names, place names, locations, organization names; all stories, story lines, plots, thematic elements, fiction and dialogue; except such items that already appear in the OGL, and are therefore already open gaming content by virtue of appearance in that document. The above Product Identity is not open game content.

Designation of Open Gaming Content: Subject to the Product Identity Designation above, all text in this volume is released as open game content.

All contents of this publication, regardless of their designation, are copyright 2015 [HAWKESCOMPANY, LLC], all rights reserved. Reproduction or use without the express written consent of the publisher is strictly forbidden, except for the purpose of review.

The mention of, or reference to, any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned.

This material is protected under international copyright laws. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the non-ogl material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written consent of [HAWKESCOMPANY, LLC].

Copyright 2015, [HAWKESCOMPANY, LLC].

================================

(I cobbled this together by looking at the license, and at a copyright page on an OGL product called "Everyone Else.") ... I am a little fuzzy on this. Do I need to give them credit for basing my legal declaration of terms upon the one that they used? My instinct says yes, but I am not sure if legal declarations fall under the domain of "you can't copyright legal procedures" in the same manner as "you can't copyright game methodologies."

 

[Morrus]

You've lost me there. You've listed the s15 OGL copyright notice, the designation of product identity, your own credits and copyright page, and some general text. These are all different things. And I'm not even sure I understand your question at the end.

I think you may need to consult directly with somebody who knows what they're doing. The OGL isn't copyright law, it's contract and licensing law. It has nothing to do with whether things can normally be copyrighted; it's to do with agreeing via a license to do certain things certain ways.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

The way that they designed their copyright page looked pretty clear and straightforward to me. So I modeled my declaration after it. (I.e., the way they set forth what is and isn't OGC, etc.)

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

I think I get it now. Basically, Pathfinder is doing what you're referring to (in regard to listing copyright notices... one big, huge list of 'em!)

 

[Morrus]

The way that they designed their copyright page looked pretty clear and straightforward to me. So I modeled my declaration after it. (I.e., the way they set forth what is and isn't OGC, etc.)

You're confusing their copyright page with the s15 OGL declaration. These are two different things.

Put whatever you want o your copyright page. A picture of a bagel. The lyrics to your favourite song. The OGL doesn't care. The OGL tells you what to put in s15 of your copy of the OGL, plus asks you to make it clear what is PI and what is OGC.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Like this? ...



Carry on my wayward son,
there'll be peace when you are done.
Lay your weary head to rest...
DON'T YOU CRY NO MORE!

Ha ha sorry, couldn't resist!