OGL Questions

[EdwardForrester]

Greetings to all,
Some friends of mine are slowly gathering ideas and are thinking about tossing out little hat in to the D20 ring. But I was wonderng about a couple of things, first of which is D20 Modern OGL. I have some wicked ideas for it but I want to make sure it is OGL before I put pen to paper as it were. I am pretty sure Urban Arcana is locked and not OGL if memory serves. If this has been asked before apologies then, it has been a while since I have looked at D20 Modern.
Also with the Mongoose Publishing OGL books they are putting out I want to understand something. I can use this book to create my own world and campaigns and adventures and it is all legal due to it being OGL with Mongoose. That is so wild them doing setting OGL books, not a bad idea if I may say so. Thank you all for your time, and thanks in advance to your responses.

 

[johnsemlak]

It seems to me you're mixing OGL with OGC.

OGL--Open Game License, a term now used to refer to products using the d20 system but not under the STL, and which don't have the d20 logo on them.

OGC--Open Game Content, material in any d20/OGL product that can be used by other publishers (of course in accordance with the rules in the OGL)

Many OGL products have little OGC in fact. I believe this is the case with Arcana Unearthed. As I understand, if you want to use material from Arcana Unearthed, you need to make an agreement (i.e. do so under license) with Malhavoc Press (as Mystic Eye Games and Fiery Dragon have done).

Anyway, I don't know how much material in Mongoose's OGL line will be OGC. EDIT, Okey, Mongoose's site site says it is "100% Open" but via a "a royalty-free, world-wide licence to existing publishers". So as I understand very little/none of the material will actaully be OGC, but is available for free use.

Phew, about the most complex bit of legalese I've ever typed out. Please correct me someone if I've erred.

 

[Nellisir]

There is a d20 Modern System Reference Document at the WotC website -- use THAT when creating your own OGC material. Urban Arcana (which is not Arcana Unearthed) is indeed locked, and should be utterly ignored for all intents and purposes.

I don't know how Mongoose has designated OGC in their OGL line of books, so can't help you there.

Cheers
Nell.

 

[0-hr]

In the front of the Cybernet (Mongoose OGL) book, it says everything other than propernames and character creation/advancement is open content.

Yea Mongoose!

 

[Nellisir]

In the front of the Cybernet (Mongoose OGL) book, it says everything other than propernames and character creation/advancement is open content.
QUOTE]

Huh. Does Mongoose have any requirements or license to either force you or allow you to put something like "This product requires/recommends the use of the OGL Cybernet book from Mongoose Publishing"?

It's a great open designation, but slightly...weird. If you want the d20 license on your product you can't use character advancement rules anyways, and if you don't care for the d20 logo, you can just pull char gen rules from the SRD or some other OGC source.

It only makes sense if Mongoose has made provisions for creating a d20 style license & logo.

Curious
Nell.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

Many OGL products have little OGC in fact. I believe this is the case with Arcana Unearthed. As I understand, if you want to use material from Arcana Unearthed, you need to make an agreement (i.e. do so under license) with Malhavoc Press (as Mystic Eye Games and Fiery Dragon have done).

Although the thread is focusing on Urban Arcana (not Open Game Content), the above is slightly inaccurate. Large parts of AU are OGC. The rest are not, but Monte offers a free limited license. You have to email him for terms and conditions to determine what PI you might be able to use with it. (I don't have a copy.)

On the topic at hand, I assume you've already located the d20 Modern SRD? I believe I saw the page at WotC, but don't have a bookmark handy.

 

[Nellisir]

Although the thread is focusing on Urban Arcana (not Open Game Content), the above is slightly inaccurate. Large parts of AU are OGC. The rest are not, but Monte offers a free limited license. You have to email him for terms and conditions to determine what PI you might be able to use with it. (I don't have a copy.)

Large parts of MCAU are OGC. Certain parts aren't. And some parts are so vaguely defined that it's impossible to tell. They certainly aren't "clearly defined". The license is only useful if you want to use MCAU's PI; it doesn't go any further in clarifying OGC, or open up non-OGC material for use in non-MCAU products.

Back to your regularly scheduled thread
Nell.

 

[johnsemlak]

Although the thread is focusing on Urban Arcana (not Open Game Content), the above is slightly inaccurate. Large parts of AU are OGC. The rest are not, but Monte offers a free limited license. You have to email him for terms and conditions to determine what PI you might be able to use with it. (I don't have a copy.)

Ah, my bad, sorry.

 

[kingpaul]

On the topic at hand, I assume you've already located the d20 Modern SRD? I believe I saw the page at WotC, but don't have a bookmark handy.

http://www.wizards.com/D20/article.asp?x=msrd

 

[jmucchiello]

you can just pull char gen rules from the SRD

There are no char gen rules in the SRD.

Someone said only use the Modern SRD at Wizards' website as the basis for anything d20 modern based. That is the best advice on this thread.