D&D General Are you jumping ship? What will you be switching to?

[Paul Farquhar]

Yup even something like the ability score system is potentially iffy Sans OGL.

So, about ten million computer games? Frankly, I find this hysteria hysterical. WotC would find itself mired in a million years of lawsuits (including against big boys like Electronic Arts) if they tried to shut down everything vaguely D&Dish.

There is a big difference between theoretically possible, and practically possible. It's like time travel. It might be theoretically possible, but good luck building that time machine.

 

[ctorus]

Nah I'll just carry on playing 4e. With the VTTs we have these days, it's just getting even better.

I looked at PF2, but the monsters look like a massive pain to run compared to 4e. All those spells to look up! But if I absolutely had to switch systems for fantasy, I suppose I'd give it strong consideration, along with:

• Fantasy Age
• Some form of Rolemaster/Against the Darkmaster/MERP/HARP
• Dragonbane
• Savage Worlds

 

[Dioltach]

So nobody's switching to Star Frontiers: New Genesys then?

 

[Zardnaar]

So, about ten million computer games? Frankly, I find this hysteria hysterical. WotC would find itself mired in a million years of lawsuits (including against big boys like Electronic Arts) if they tried to shut down everything vaguely D&Dish.

There is a big difference between theoretically possible, and practically possible. It's like time travel. It might be theoretically possible, but good luck building that time machine.

Those games have separate licenses with WotC generally.

Games based off the OGL could be in trouble eg Pathfinders Kingmaker.

They don't need to win either to deplatorm you if other companies comply eg Kickstarter, one bookshelf etc.

 

[Ondath]

I was already considering switching to Level Up A5E, and provided they can continue to exist in the coming days, I'll probably stick to that.

If not, I'll probably switch to whichever system looks the most like 5E and stick to that. Thing is, I like 5E, it's the management that I have a problem with. If OGL v1.1 goes live as leaked, I won't give them a single dime or ever speak positively of them, but I like the foundation on which 5e was built. Whichever system would help me keep that would get my vote.

 

[Zardnaar]

I was already considering switching to Level Up A5E, and provided they can continue to exist in the coming days, I'll probably stick to that.

If not, I'll probably switch to whichever system looks the most like 5E and stick to that. Thing is, I like 5E, it's the management that I have a problem with. If OGL v1.1 goes live as leaked, I won't give them a single dime or ever speak positively of them, but I like the foundation on which 5e was built. Whichever system would help me keep that would get my vote.

If OGL goes away and they can make it stick you won't have a supported 5E like game.

 

[Ondath]

If OGL goes away and they can make it stick you won't have a supported 5E like game.

I'm sure a similar enough clone with mechanics that feel the same (without using D&D product identity) can be made.

 

[Baldurs_Underdark]

I'm just happy rolling my d20s and playing D&D, using paper books that I bought a while ago, at a table with friends and a fridge full of beer. We always homebrew our stories and will probably not buy any new books. Wasn't going to do that anyway, and the OGL stuff does not change it.

And I regret that some content-creators cannot make money anymore because of the OGL, but I was never their customer anyway, so the current storm does not change our course.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Those games have separate licenses with WotC generally.

No, they don't. There are lots and lots of unlicensed CRPGs that have D&D style attributes: Dragon Age: Origins (EA), Fallout's SPECIAL system, World of Warcraft, Warhammer 40K (with a movie and TV deal in the works) and lots and lots of lots produced by smaller companies. Go on Steam and do a search for RPGs.

Games based off the OGL could be in trouble eg Pathfinders Kingmaker.

They have plenty of money to fight Hasbro, given that the video game adaptations would also be effected.

They don't need to win either to deplatorm you if other companies comply eg Kickstarter, one bookshelf etc.

WotC can't afford to loose. The reason they introduced the OGL in the first place was because there was uncertainty about what was and was not WotC's intellectual property. And they wanted to avoid having to test it in court. Not only would that have been expensive, the chances are they would win on some points and loose on others. But either way, it's outside their control. The OGL was a way to try and gain control, but it only worked so long as people were willing to abide by it.

But WotC's problem now is that one of the big companies, like EA, Microsoft or Apple could beat them to the punch with a popular D&D-clone VTT or MMO. I'm afraid Solasta has proved that is possible and legal under the current OGL, and that is probably what has the lawyers spooked. It didn't matter when D&D was a minor thing, but with it's increasing popularity, there is a very real threat that a bigger fish than WotC might use the OGL to try and steel D&D out from under their nose. It's unfortunate that WotC's attempts to defend itself could lead to a return to the Wild West conditions of the 70s and 80s.

 

[Zardnaar]

I'm sure a similar enough clone with mechanics that feel the same (without using D&D product identity) can be made.

Probably not a clone no.

Theoretically you could clone 4E hell people wanted to do it.

Note no clone.

Not saying WotC would win but it's theoretically possible.

I suspect they expected companies to roll over idk how many have bent the knee (if any).