OGL Section 15 Question

[DragonSword]

If I adapt a third party's OGC for use in my own, how do I represent that in S15. I'm not using it as if, but am adapting it to make it slightly more balanced.

 

[morrigan]

If I adapt a third party's OGC for use in my own, how do I represent that in S15. I'm not using it as if, but am adapting it to make it slightly more balanced.

Firstly, I AM NOT A LAWYER.
Are you copying and pasting (or retyping) any of the original OGC or are you simply using an idea from another product but rewriting it entirely to better fit with your concept?

If the former, you need their Section 15 info in your Section 15 even if you did change a few words here or there. If the latter, I think you'd be fine not listing the original (this is assuming you have completely rewritten the rule in your own words and changed it somewhat to fit your needs).

Cheers,
Scott Agnew
Morrigan Press Inc.

 

[DragonSword]

Thanks, Scott.

What I want to use is a special ability from some OGC for one of my prestige classes. It will probably change slightly to fit in with what I want, but the basic concept comes from someone else's work.

 

[GMSkarka]

I did that for some of the THRILLING TALES Advanced Classes. Re-wrote and re-tooled some abilities from other Open Content. I went ahead and credited them in Section 15, for two reasons: One, it's no hassle to do so; and Two, they *did* provide the material that was the inspiration for what I ended up putting in the product, so I figure they deserved the credit.

Would I have been on strong legal footing had I not credited them? Possibly, but who cares? It's a couple of lines of small type on one page. Worth doing just to stay "ethically clean", IMO.

 

[DragonSword]

Cool, thanks Gareth.

 

[Nellisir]

You have to include the S.15 information for any OGC that you modify. No question about it.

Cheers,
Nell.

 

[HellHound]

If I adapt a third party's OGC for use in my own, how do I represent that in S15. I'm not using it as if, but am adapting it to make it slightly more balanced.

From the text of the Open Game License proper:

Definitions:

“Derivative Material" means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in
which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted

“Open Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures,
processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity;

“Use," “Used," or “Using" means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate, and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content;

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, from your description, you are in fact "modifying or distributing" open game content, and thus you "include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing"

 

[HellHound]

As a footnote, almost no one actually re-uses OGC directly, but instead adapts it and modifies it to suite the product it is being used in. That's the point of the OGC, and the viral license involved.

 

[DragonSword]

Thanks, Guys.

Hellhound: I re-read through the OGL after I posted and noticed that. But thanks anyway.

That's settled then. The source goes in S15.

 

[afstanton]

So the entirety of every source's section 15 gets duplicated, right? (I assume that if you use multiple sources and there are duplicate entries, like the SRD, you can eliminate duplicates?) Is there anything about keeping things in the same order? (Because removing duplicates changes the original order...)