D&D Fan Site Toolkit

[Mercutio01]

The point you're missing is that the GSL says "no licensed product will include (a) web sites..."

Taken in conjunction with the fan site policy, that means you couldn't even use your fansite to publish your GSL approved adventure.

To recap - fansite policy says no adventures. GSL policy says no websites. The two effectively cancel each other out. Am I interpreting that incorrectly?

As a further point - "no Licensed Product...(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)". A website can't be a Licensed Product. And adventure that is "incorporated into" a website, is banned per this clause too. Again, am I reading it wrong?

 

[ProfessorCirno]

That's a lot of words to cover "Yeah just don't even make one, seriously, we hate that crap."

Anyways, here's a link to someone who is upset about it!

http://d7.pipemaze.com/blog/2009/08/07/wizards-fan-site-kit-is-not-a-fan-site-policy/

PS: "Suits?" Honestly? Dude WotC just stop man. You're like a 70 year old man who just started trying to dance to hip hop. You aren't going to come off as being cool.

 

[Nagol]

The point you're missing is that the GSL says "no licensed product will include (a) web sites..."

Taken in conjunction with the fan site policy, that means you couldn't even use your fansite to publish your GSL approved adventure.

To recap - fansite policy says no adventures. GSL policy says no websites. The two effectively cancel each other out. Am I interpreting that incorrectly?

You can host GSL adventures on a fan site so long as the adventure is stored as a "single-download electronic book format" (see GSL section 3). Section 5.5 shuts down other forms of content so no room-a-day updates for you!

 

[TheYeti1775]

So basically to get it directly from Wizards you have to agree to the 'Fan Site Policy', or you just ignore it and download it from somewhere else.

Sorry but forcing 'Fan Sites' into an agreement where they can't have folks download things they create for free won't fly in the majority of the community. Least I would hope it wouldn't.
Example, you have created a world in which you have fleshed it out completely. Towns/Cities/Countries/Politics/etc, think a small version of Forgotten Realms. You wouldn't be allowed to have the 'Fan Site' package unless it completely meets the GSL? What if your 'Fan Site' is for your 2E game? The way I read it, you wouldn't be allowed to use this. Please correct me if I'm wrong, Lord knows I am often enough.

Heck the way it reads, technically EnWorld wouldn't even qualify as a 'Fan Site'.

Sometimes folks just over-lawyer things, when WotC could have just said something to the effect of: "Your our fans, we offer these images for non-commercial use in conjunction with your self-created 'fan sites'. If found in use for commercial... yada yada yada" You get the point, than fans would willingly take them and use them.

Now all that being said, I do have to applaud them for taking the GIANT step forward in the attitude for 'fan sites' in general. This is a long way from the days of the TSR C&D Letters that went out to any site that dare mentioned D&D or looked like they did. For that definite props to WotC.

 

[Fifth Element]

The point you're missing is that the GSL says "no licensed product will include (a) web sites..."

Yes, the GSL covers adventures. WotC apparently does not want adventures published on websites at all. That's their apparent fansite policy.

Edit: See Nagol's post above. You can apparently post adventures to your fansite per the terms of the GSL.

 

[Fifth Element]

PS: "Suits?" Honestly? Dude WotC just stop man. You're like a 70 year old man who just started trying to dance to hip hop. You aren't going to come off as being cool.

I've seen enough perfectly serious comments about "suits" here to realize it's a pretty common term when discussing WotC. I can't fault them for using it.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

Now all that being said, I do have to applaud them for taking the GIANT step forward in the attitude for 'fan sites' in general. This is a long way from the days of the TSR C&D Letters that went out to any site that dare mentioned D&D or looked like they did. For that definite props to WotC.

...Uh, what?

It's also a huge step back from 3e and from every other RPG developer in existance. Even White Wolf and their at times shady view towards websites is better then this.

You're praising WotC for giving you an STD instead of AIDs.

 

[kenmarable]

Unfortunately this license clarifies pretty much nothing, especially concerning posting fan-created mechanics which I think people are far more interested in than using product covers.

For example, how does EN World and this forum in particular stand? Are they fine under this license? Or do they have to operate under the GSL?

Can I post a 4e encounter on a fan site or even here in the 4e Fan Creations? "Modules" are forbidden, but are a handful of encounters ok?

What about new classes, races, monsters? Use the fan site license or GSL?

Oh, and if you do have to use the GSL, it can no longer even be a fan site, it has to be a downloadable PDF or other non-HTML.

Also, if it does come down to "use the GSL for posting fan created content", then things like githyanki therapy and the massive amount of fan conversions of pre-4e material are no longer allowed. They reference material not in the SRD.

So I'm certainly not understanding the nerdrage at this and comparisons to the evil "T$R". I seriously doubt a wave of lawsuits are on their way. However, it is disappointing to see a company whose games I really enjoy acting so clueless and squandering opportunity after opportunity. It's not that this fan site license is "evil", it's just kinda worthless in it's current form.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

Side note - I was wondering when WotC's next hilarious customer service blowout would happen

 

[avin]

Hey The Rouse, break the boss door and ask for a raise dude