Avalanche Press stops using d20 license

[Brown Jenkin]

I really don't want to bad mouth Avalanch, but lets face it, a lot of their products weren't up to spec (i don't see that many good reviews on their material). Personally it would be more of a statement if one of the bigger 'corps' would banish the D20 Logo...

We still haven't heard from Mongoose who has about an 80% failure rate when it comes to the new rules on nipples alone. Plus they have other books like Quint Pschic Warrior which as far as I am concearned is the one unusable Quint book because of the way over the top adult mutilation content.

 

[Mongoose_Matt]

I think we have said enough on other forums. In a nutshell, we support WotC in this and will continue to use the d20 licence.

 

[KDLadage]

We still haven't heard from Mongoose...

Yes we have. From the MONGOOSE PUBLISHING messageboards:

Hi guys,

The Official Word from the Mongoose:

We support WotC in every way with regards to the D20 Licence and will endeavour to ensure any books with the D20 Logo comply with their wishes. WotC are allowing us, by default, to play around with their Dungeons & Dragons game and produce very nice books in the process. In this way, they have been instrumental in the rise of the Mongoose and we have no intention of turning our backs on them now.

In other words, this really is a storm in a tea cup and while there are a few other publishers getting their knickers in a twist, it won't stop you getting the books you want.
_________________
Matthew Sprange
Mongoose Publishing

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com

So there you have it. And this seems to be a rather reasonable response, if you ask me. Not one I agree with 100%, but reasonable, none-the-less.

 

[KDLadage]

I think we have said enough on other forums. In a nutshell, we support WotC in this and will continue to use the d20 licence.

Sorry... did not see you posting there.

Hope you do not mind me quoting you from the MONGOOSE BOARDS. Just let me know and I will remove the quote, if so desired.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

I think we have said enough on other forums. In a nutshell, we support WotC in this and will continue to use the d20 licence.

Sorry, I do not regularly look at your boards.

 

[Razuur]

I think it is great that Avalanche is taking this step. Frankly I have been surprised that more publishers have NOT done more OGL work. The number is actually very small.

I wish Avalance success on their future products. And Cergorach, you should really check out Avalanche's Celtic and Viking Age. This two mega historical supplements are absolutley fantastic. The only thing wrong with their other stuff (aside from the scanty covers) are the fact that they aren't meaty tomes too!

On the other hand I also respect companies like Mongoose and Green Ronin for sticking with the whole D20 process.

Overall, I think our options have just changed a little, but the system we love ( be it D20 or OGL ) is going to be here for the long haul.

Razuur

 

[Strutinan]

Speaking as a publisher: I too am following the avalanch and ditching the whole d20STL. This is just the latest, and most public, slap in the face fo us small-time companies.

Speaking as a person who has eyes and more than two brain cells to rub together: Mongoose's buddy-buddy posistion on this subject was an obvious response.

Who I want to hear from are AEG and Fantasy Flight!

 

[Ranger REG]

Fat chance that AEG will abandon the d20 logo, although I would be surprised. Andy mentioned that they have major publishers that have stayed within the boundaries of QS prior to this clause being added to the new version of the trademark. Although I hate to assume, AEG is a major publisher of d20, courtesy of their Rokugan (with a one-time help from Wizards), Spycraft (who got special permission to used the not-yet-OGC Vitality/Wound points health system, and soon-to-be popular Stargate RPG (based on the TV show; rules engine follow Spycraft closely).

 

[johnsemlak]

Um, it's a popular perception that people down at the local FLGS are all as enlightened as people on the boards. That is often not the case. My players almost NEVER visit the boards, and probably don't know this is even going on if I didn't tell them.

My DM thinks 'd20' is a company.

 

[Mouseferatu]

And every one of us discussing this issue online or in their FLGS knows exactly what companies are producing something they can use with their Dungeons & Dragons books, d20 logo or not. It's not the death sentence people make it out to be.

To second what others have said...

Yes, those of us discussing this know (to an extent) what's going on.

But we're not most gamers. The truth is, a very small percentage of the gaming community actually stays informed on this sort of thing; many of them don't even know there are issues on which they can stay informed.

Further, many people who think they know what they're talking about actually don't.

I agree with you that going OGL over D20 isn't a death sentence; ways exist to make compatibility clear. At the same time, don't kid yourself into thinking the D20 logo has no relevance anymore. The fact is, the vast majority of the market doesn't understand, or isn't aware of, the various levels of the OGL/D20L arena. For a large number of D&D/D20 gamers, if the D20 logo isn't on it, they're not likely to look at it, unless the company's done an exceptional job of indicating what they are in some other fashion.

(Before someone jumps in to correct me, I know that this isn't as much the case as it used to be. But I still believe it's the case more often than not; I know that it's so in my own experience.)