WotC to Revise D&D 4th Edition GSL and SRD

[lurkinglidda]

I had my gall bladder out some years back. It all makes sense ...

(Just teasing DD, that was funny, the gall bladder of evil)

Me too. And I did chuckle at the gall bladder bon mot.

 

[williamhm]

I just hope WOTC is still able to maintain control of their product, as anside if I want to play dnd I want to play dnd, not a clone or rip off, if I want to play a different rpg I do not want that rpg to be using dnd mechanics.

Also I really do not want companies to be able to mooch off of WOTC without doing a significant amount of work themselves.

Maybe its because Im not a 3rd party publisher, but can someone tell me whats wrong with the current one? I mean if you are going to publish a product for use with WOTC products shouldnt you be willing to follow their rules?

 

[Lizard]

verbatim[/b] to inflate the page count.
.

Or, it's a way to keep people from having to lug around multiple books, especially when many small details of the rules are changed to fit a setting.

 

[Carnivorous_Bean]

That said, I find myself wondering about all the talk of sales and trying to prove that they are low, or lower than expected, or whatever is trying to be proved. What, exactly, is the point of all that?

Dislike the wording of the GSL or some of the changes for 4E, sure, but how about we put down the pitchforks and torches and stop this crusade?

It is remotely possible that some of us aren't on a "crusade" and are trying to figure out why WotC is possibly changing the GSL to be more open.

Logically, even if you don't care about editions, or even D&D, they're going to change it for a reason. With a business, the reason is always money -- the bottom line. This in turn suggests either 4e is successful and they're hoping to make MORE money this way, or 4e is (relatively) unsuccessful and they're hoping to revive the franchise in this manner.

So no pitchforks need be involved to speculate that WotC's revision of the GSL (if it really happens) is motivated by poor sales of 4e, since that is an objectively logical reason for them to be making the GSL more open.

I don't object to 4th edition, because I'm sort of dissatisfied with ALL the editions of D&D at the moment .... but I certainly entertain the possibility that 4e is 'bombing,' without wishing that to be true.

 

[Filcher]

You just lost a customer. At least you can console yourself with the fact that you had total control over the attitude that lead to that outcome, and it didn't even cost you one red cent.

Atavar

Ditto, this. I might not like the GSL more than anyone else, but I can refuse to buy product from a professional that appears to lose his temper on a public forum, lombasting WotC reps. that have plenty of better things to do with their time.

Edit: The above is unclear. I'm grumpy about how LPJ is treating the folks from WotC.

And for what it is worth, there were several "what do you guys think about this" meetings between Wizards and the 3pps over the GSL. They solicited input on a number of occasions.

Am I the only one that was alive when TSR ruled the roost and the thought of an open license was alien?

 

[Carnivorous_Bean]

Maybe its because Im not a 3rd party publisher, but can someone tell me whats wrong with the current one? I mean if you are going to publish a product for use with WOTC products shouldnt you be willing to follow their rules?

Well, the current one can be changed or revoked at any time. Furthermore, whatever you have published under the current GSL cannot be published under any other system, ever. Basically, you're signing over the right to your intellectual property (IP).

So in other words, if you make up your own detailed Squidgeworld RPG and use the GSL to include 4th edition rules, and WotC later revokes the license, you cannot print Squidgeworld with a different ruleset. You have to ditch Squidgeworld totally and start all over, and you have to destroy all existing stock as well.

There's also a clause which allows WotC to sue you over violations of a contract that can be changed AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTIFYING ANYONE, and which states that the company being sued has to pay WotC's legal costs, even if WotC loses.

It's like renting a store. Sure, the owner of the building can write up a contract saying "We can decide to change the color of the paint inside the store at any time without notifying you. If we find that you haven't repainted the store to match the new color, we are legally entitled to sue you for possession of your house and your last name." But that doesn't make it a particularly fair contract, or one that it's wise to sign.

Basically, the current GSL is a very, very, very risky contract to sign, because you're giving WotC almost total arbitrary power over your company and products.

 

[vagabundo]

Thanks Guys.

I was a little hesitant about signing up the GSL, but I've had some stuff that I really want to publish for 4e. Hopefully the revision will quell most of the fears.

 

[Vayden]

Ditto, this. I might not like the GSL more than anyone else, but I can refuse to buy product from a professional that appears to lose his temper on a public forum, lombasting WotC reps. that have plenty of better things to do with their time.

Ditto. Prior to 4e, the only 3pp products I had ever purchased were Iron Heroes and Ptolus from Malhavoc. Since the announcement of 4e, I've spent a lot of time on EN World looking for news and discussion. Based only on the impressions Ari and Clark have given from their behavior on the forums (sense of humor, rationality, enthusiasm about the same elements of role-playing/game design I enjoy) I am definitely going to pick up Ari's APG when it's released, as well as the first 4e product Necromancer Games puts out if they do end up going 4e. I'm sure most of the 3pp know this already, but the way you come across on the boards is part of getting that crucial first sale, after which the quality of your product can speak for itself. For what it's worth, I've also been generally favorably impressed by Paizo's people when I've seen them on here - if they ever go 4e, I'll be checking out their stuff too.

(Looking forward to my first purchases of 4e 3pp products )

 

[Grimstaff]

You just lost a customer. At least you can console yourself with the fact that you had total control over the attitude that lead to that outcome, and it didn't even cost you one red cent.

Atavar

I agree.

Professionalism is obviously not on the "total control over" plate in this case...

 

[Grimstaff]

I'd like to chime in with Thanks to Scott and Linae for their efforts at making the GSL friendlier, and for braving the lion's den here at ENWorld to discuss it!

Imo, you've got a great new edition, and I'm looking forward to anything Necro, and other 3PPs still on the fence, can add to it.