WotC To Give Core D&D Mechanics To Community Via Creative Commons

Wizards of the Coast, in a move which surprised everbody, has announced that it will give away the core D&D mechanics to the community via a Creative Commons license.

This won't include 'quintessentially D&D" stuff like owlbears and magic missile, but it wil include the 'core D&D mechanics'.

So what does it include? It's important to note that it's only a fraction of what's currently available as Open Gaming Content under the existing Open Gaming License, so while it's termed as a 'give-away' it's actually a reduction. It doesn't include classes, spells, or magic items. It does include the combat rules, ability scores, and the core mechanic.

 

[Scribe]

Also, the provision on no hateful content, while well intentioned, seems way to broad. If I made a game that was based on an alternate history of the US set during the pre-Civil War era and used the new OGL would I have to purge all references to slavery and racism?

Ask Wizards.

Every day, every week, every year, in which you wish to continue to publish.

 

[BlueFin]

Also, the provision on no hateful content, while well intentioned, seems way to broad. If I made a game that was based on an alternate history of the US set during the pre-Civil War era and used the new OGL would I have to purge all references to slavery and racism?

I agree. I like the idea of being able to reject objectionable content, but there are problems with this, not least that of it being in the hands of wotc, who have proven themselves to be completely untrustworthy and in no way could be trusted to not use this clause for their own benefit (ie. to kill a product that was competing with their own).

 

[Voadam]

Regardless of whether this announcement is good or bad (your opinion may vary) the deauthorization of OGL 1.0 is still B.S. and WotC has already shown they don't operate in good faith. At this point, even if they walked everything back it would be too late for me.

Also, the provision on no hateful content, while well intentioned, seems way to broad. If I made a game that was based on an alternate history of the US set during the pre-Civil War era and used the new OGL would I have to purge all references to slavery and racism? Based on the wording of the new OGL it certainly seems so.

I think you would have to ask WotC if you wanted to be sure it was not a problem. And all future versions of WotC.

From the release they can apparently just terminate your license at any time in their discretion if at any point think there is a problem with hateful content or conduct.

I have not read the exact proposed provision yet.

 

[Mistwell]

PF1.

Why couldn't you do that?

 

[The Sigil]

Wait... at least in America, Civil Trials aren't by Jury in the first place, right?

Actually, that's wrong - civil trials can be by jury... I know because a few years ago I served on a jury in a civil trial.

Juries are used in both criminal and civil trials; the difference between the two is basically (1) the "prosecutor" in a criminal trial is always the government, (2) only a criminal trial can result in jail time, and (3) the standard of proof is higher in a criminal trial ("beyond a reasonable doubt" - in other words, there is no other reasonable explanation than that provided by the prosecution) than a civil trial ("preponderance of the evidence" - in other words, which side's story is more likely).

I'll let the resident lawyers go deeper if they want to, but I can guarantee civil trials can be by jury since I was part of one.

 

[BlueFin]

I would love for an actual lawyer to chime in here, but I can't see how they can tell a VTT creator "you can't create a visual effect that could be used to represent something we claim ownership to". And so, once we find out that it is "unenforceable", per 9(d) wotc can "declare the entire license void", which would leave everyone in a far worse position than they are in now.

So cynical am I now regarding wotc, I can even see the potential of wotc themselves turning up in front of a judge and saying "we don't believe this thing we put in our license is actually enforceable, please agree".

 

[Mistwell]

3e, 3.5e and Modern SRD-based materials.

And avoiding being called 'harmful' and knifed in the back should someone for whom being born a certain way is 'harmful' get the reigns at Hasbro.

So if they also added 3e, 3.5e and Modern as OK under the old 1.0a, or added that SRD to the new 1.2, that would cover that part?

As for avoiding being called hateful, I think that's a much more narrow issue. I think they can improve that clause, but I also think had the original 1.0a had that clause nobody would have been all that bothered by it.

 

[BlueFin]

No trial by jury means trial by judge. The judge will make the ruling.

Jury trials are only a constitutional right for criminal law stuff.

And so what they are saying is, they don't want to be judged by their peers ... hhhhmmm, I can understand why!

 

[Xyxox]

I kind of feel it has to.

Question: Would it be possible/acceptable to Wizards to withdraw the 5.1 SRD from 1.0 OGL as a 'half deauthorization' ?

That is what they are trying to do. And they cannot do it because 5.1 under the OGL 1.0a is STILL on their own site:

https://media.wizards.com/2016/downloads/DND/SRD-OGL_V5.1.pdf

If you don't have a copy, I suggest you download it ASAP.

 

[Scribe]

Why couldn't you do that?

The classes are not part of the 1.2 OGL.