Can you reference two (or more?) OGLs when making one product?

[Jaini]

I'm hoping this is a simple question:

Let's say I'm trying to write a roleplaying game that uses "Advantage" and "Disadvantage" from D&D 5e, but also the "Backgrounds" or "One Unique Thing" mechanics from 13th Age. Could I pull material from two different Open Gaming Licenses and use them both in one product?

 

[Nagol]

I'm hoping this is a simple question:

Let's say I'm trying to write a roleplaying game that uses "Advantage" and "Disadvantage" from D&D 5e, but also the "Backgrounds" or "One Unique Thing" mechanics from 13th Age. Could I pull material from two different Open Gaming Licenses and use them both in one product?

So long as you fill in Section 15 correctly, you can use any number of sources.

 

[Morrus]

There's only one Open Gaming License. But yes, the idea is that you can use OGC from as many products as you like. Check out the lengthy list in some Pathfinder products - some of them have a a whole page full of products listed in their s15.

 

[aramis erak]

There's only one Open Gaming License. But yes, the idea is that you can use OGC from as many products as you like. Check out the lengthy list in some Pathfinder products - some of them have a a whole page full of products listed in their s15.

There are about half a dozen open licenses used in the gaming industry...

The Wizards OGL 1.0a (W-OGL henceforth) is actually one of the more restrictive.

Also used within the gaming industry:

• Creative Commons licenses. CC is a collection of related licenses, not a singular one. Most commonly used is CC-NC-BA-SA (non-commercial by attribution share alike). Has its own requirements for inclusion. CC is a collection of related licenses, not a singular one.
• GNU Free Document License - not used much, but several early games used it. Permits ONLY EXACT duplication of covered text, allows additions
• EABA Open Supplement License - Can't reprint the core, but can produce supplements based upon it.
• GNU Copyleft- which disclaims all rights except attribution of source. Few of those floating around, but it was used before the W-OGL
• Wizards GSL - which authorizes supplements but not copying the core text.
• Several other system specific open licenses such as...
  • the custom license for BTRC's Epiphany (specifically, it was a non-commercial open supplement license)
  • The Traveller Fair Use Provision (another variation on non-commercial open supplement, but allowing limited text copying)
  • The Traveller Cloning Policy (now deprecated) that allowed copying whole materials published by GDW with the Traveller Trademark, but only one copy per original allowed to be given away. (was in effect during the timeframe 1998-2004)

And then the variety of supplemental licenses that restrict the above but allow use of compatibility marks. The (now deprecated) D20 STL, the Traveller Logo License, the Pathfinder Logo License, the Foreven Free License, the RuneQuest Logo License (now deprecated)...

The OGL by wizards is the only one that applies directly to D&D as we know it; be warned that not all open content is under the W-OGL...

Mixing can be problematic because the majority of them do not allow use without passing rights to that use onward, and several require that the entire work be placed under the same licensing...

If it's under the W-OGL, it's fair game in a W-OGL based product, unless it's defined as product identity.

 

[darjr]

Ooooh that is a sticky wikit of a question if you are asking about mixing the GSL with the OGL. Man I can't even begin to know but I'd sure like to. I'm sure there are quite a few 4e hold outs that might like a way to clone 4e or to make an SRD of a type to create new content.

 

[trancejeremy]

There are about half a dozen open licenses used in the gaming industry...

The Wizards OGL 1.0a (W-OGL henceforth) is actually one of the more restrictive.

Yeah, but there is only one specifically called the "Open Gaming License" or OGL and thus is what everyone (but you apparently) understands OGL to mean.

Also, you've confused trademark licenses which are separate things, allowing people limited use of a company's trademark under specific conditions and really don't have anything to do with OGL but are just for branding

 

[Morrus]

There are about half a dozen open licenses used in the gaming industry...

Yes, but they aren't the Open Gaming License.

 

[Nagol]

Ooooh that is a sticky wikit of a question if you are asking about mixing the GSL with the OGL. Man I can't even begin to know but I'd sure like to. I'm sure there are quite a few 4e hold outs that might like a way to clone 4e or to make an SRD of a type to create new content.

By and large different licensing schemes do not play well together. It is hard and sometimes technically impossible to abide by the combined requirements.

 

[aramis erak]

Yes, but they aren't the Open Gaming License.

Most people don't know the difference between open game license (generic term) and the Wizards Open Gaming License 1.0a. Anyone looking to use stuff from other open games needs to be aware that the licenses other than WOGL1.0a exist, are in common use, and are not always compatible with it...

 

[Umbran]

And, hasn't the d20 GSL been rescinded, such that it is no longer available?

I think most of that list are likely non-issues for most people, given how they merited a note to the effect of "not used much".