Another Cease and Desist Letter: 4E Powercards

[Emryys]

Although it might compete with their own power card products...
This was the type of service Wizards should offer as part of DDI. Power card generator bonus tool. Some will want the fancy printed product, while others would want the convenience... similar to print or PDF.

I'd like them to finish the dungeon builder so I could premake maps and/or use my dungeon tiles... choice of convenience or fancy product.

 

[El Mahdi]

The power card template is part of the GSL SRD and is ok to use as it is presented in the SRD.*




*Note your product must be compliant with other aspects of the GSL

Okay, so it's part of your SRD. But isn't a blank power card basically just a blank form? Whether you guys make it part of your SRD or not, can it really be considered protected material?

If a blank card contained copyrighted text or terms, then I could see it, but a blank template that doesn't contain these things is just a blank form. How can it be restricted?

Now if someone has signed the GSL, then they have agreed to those terms. But, I don't see how someone who hasn't signed the GSL could be restricted as long as they don't violate copyright?

edit: p.s.(that seems like a good reason not to sign the GSL, but that's just my opinion)

 

[Scribble]

So... I have reported some news. Make of it what you will. I'll kindly excuse myself from the rest of the thread.

Hey my apologies if you felt I was attacking you in some way. I wasn't trying to in any way shape or form.

I was just trying to make conversation, about what I saw as a similar concept, and how one seems clearly to be wrong, but the other seems to have more leway in people's minds for some reason. That's all. Nothing specifically against anything you said!

 

[Scott_Rouse]

Okay, so it's part of your SRD. But isn't a blank power card basically just a blank form? Whether you guys make it part of your SRD or not, can it really be considered protected material?

If a blank card contained copyrighted text or terms, then I could see it, but a blank template that doesn't contain these things is just a blank form. How can it be restricted?

Now if someone has signed the GSL, then they have agreed to those terms. But, I don't see how someone who hasn't signed the GSL could be restricted as long as they don't violate copyright?

IANAL so this is beyond my scope.

I was simply pointing out that Urizen can use terms, tables, and templates as part of the GSL to make original powers in a 3pp book and does not need to get another opinion.

 

[Mark]

The power card template is part of the GSL SRD and is ok to use as it is presented in the SRD.*




*Note your product must be compliant with other aspects of the GSL

3. Licensed Products. The license granted in Section 4 is for use solely in connection with Licensee’s publication, distribution, and sale of roleplaying games and roleplaying game supplements that contain the Licensed Materials and are published in a hardcover or soft-cover printed book format or in a single-download electronic book format (such as .pdf), and accessory products to the foregoing roleplaying games and roleplaying game supplements that are not otherwise listed as excluded in Section 5.5 (“Licensed Products”).

(. . .)

5.5 Licensed Products. This License applies solely to Licensed Products as defined in Section 3 and to the specified uses set forth in Section 4. For the avoidance of doubt, and by way of example only, no Licensed Product will (a) include web sites, interactive products, miniatures, or character creators; (b) describe a process for creating a character or applying the effects of experience to a character; (c) use the terms “Core Rules” or “Core Rulebook” or variations thereof on its cover or title, in self-reference or in advertising or marketing thereof; (d) refer to any artwork, imagery or other depiction contained in a Core Rulebook; (e) reprint any material contained in a Core Rulebook except as explicitly provided in Section 4; or (f) be incorporated into another product that is itself not a Licensed Product (such as, by way of example only, a magazine or book compilation).

Without the fansite policy, the only way to not violate the license would seemingly be to create a pdf and allow it to be downloaded but not as a page on the website (though those portions seem potentially contradictory).

 

[Azigoth]

WotC's move isn't at all surprising to me, based on their similar behavior in the past. It still makes me mad, though -- regardless of the "legalities" of it (which were all made into law by the urging of the lobbying businesses like Hasbro over the decades). Anyway....

What's annoying is that unless someone has pirated copies of the rules and hasn't in any way compensated WotC for playing 4e, there just isn't any harm in using a site like 4E Powercards. You need WotC's products to make use of it in the first place. It only enhances something that WotC makes money off. I bought and paid for the books (even though their business practices make that morally harder and harder to do), and that site was useful to me. As I think on it, I am not exaggerating when I say that 4E Powercards added value to the game for me.

I have to wonder if the perceived "value" WotC gets out of this "market research" is really worth it when stacked against their legal department's expenses and the cost in customer goodwill. Sigh.

 

[knifie_sp00nie]

Although it might compete with their own power card products...
This was the type of service Wizards should offer as part of DDI. Power card generator bonus tool. Some will want the fancy printed product, while others would want the convenience... similar to print or PDF.

The Character Builder will print out sheets of power cards as part of the character sheet. All your powers and items with the math done for you.

 

[carmachu]

Interesting, though I must say not surprising, development.

I wonder if a fan site policy is ever coming.

In a way, it already has.

 

[El Mahdi]

IANAL so this is beyond my scope.

I was simply pointing out that Urizen can use terms, tables, and templates as part of the GSL to make original powers in a 3pp book and does not need to get another opinion.

Roger that. Not trying to start an argument. If I came across that way I apologize. I was just seeking clarification (from you and our resident legal "experts"). Thanks though, for your clarification.



Keep up the "Good Fight", Scott.

 

[Admiral Caine]

Hey my apologies if you felt I was attacking you in some way. I wasn't trying to in any way shape or form.

I was just trying to make conversation, about what I saw as a similar concept, and how one seems clearly to be wrong, but the other seems to have more leway in people's minds for some reason. That's all. Nothing specifically against anything you said!

You're right Scribble. You didn't do any of that. I was seeing a trend in some of the other posts. No worries. We're cool.