Creator Product Badge

[Clint_L]

Let's talk about it. (I know it has come up in many other threads, but I thought a more focused discussion could be useful).

My thinking is that there is a lot of potential here that could resolve some of the issues arising from the OGL debacle, which has created an huge rift between WotC and the 3PP creative community, not to mention fans.

In another thread, I suggested that one benefit of Creator Product Badge could be potential access to DnDBeyond (DDB). I feel that this could be a win-win-win for all sides. It allows WotC to keep approved products in their ecosystem, and it brings another revenue stream to them, since they would be able to negotiate a royalty or other fee for access to DDB. It gives 3PP, for whom distribution is always a challenge, potential access to a huge marketplace. And it gives fans much readier access to 3PP in a way that is really integrated with their WotC material.

As another poster recognized, this could also solve the "morality clause" issue, because instead of insisting on a morality clause for use of the basic OGL, which raises a host of potential problems, WotC could simply insist that to get their Creator Product Badge you have to meet their standards. I don't think anyone would have a problem with this.

What are other ways that the Creator Product Badge could be used to benefit WotC, 3PP, and/or fans?

 

[Morrus]

A resurrection of the d20 logo!

 

[UngeheuerLich]

A resurrection of the d20 logo!

I think OGL 1.2 as an opt in version would not be bad. You get a logo that makes you semi official.
Then an anti hate clause to remove that badge seems warranted.

 

[Morrus]

I think OGL 1.2 as an opt in version would not be bad. You get a logo that makes you semi official.
Then an anti hate clause to remove that badge seems warranted.

Yep. It’ll be 2002 again!

 

[aco175]

They could look at DMsGuild and see if the regular content sells more than the special guild adept writers to compare and then decide if giving the companies a bit more is worth the badge.

 

[Clint_L]

Ultimately, I am trying to figure out what would be best for 3PP that Hasbro could still live with. It doesn't make sense to suggest outcomes where Hasbro is the clear loser, because why would they agree? I feel like this product badge could be a place where there is something for everyone, and in particular it could address one of the biggest challenges facing 3PP: getting their product in front of fans. It still allows Hasbro to build their walled garden, but now as an opt-in for 3PP rather than as a mandate.

I dunno - it just seems like more of a "give a little to get a little" solution than what Hasbro has been trying to push through. But, not a 3PP or lawyer, so I am probably missing a ton of problems.

 

[Enrahim2]

A GSL identical to 1.1 allowing use of the badge, and as the only license for the planed 5.2 would likely have given them absolutely everything they wanted, including VTT dominance.

The badge would have been worth gold as a guarantee that the suplement indeed was supposed to be used with and fully compatible with the latest version of D&D. Most customers would likely not want too look deeply into if there might be any subtle incompatibilities with the deprecated 5.1SRD material, and many DMs would likely considder only to allow that kind of 3rd party content of similar reasoning that many have only accepted official content.

(Similarly I think people would have flocked to the only VTT fully supported this revised edition)

However they just had to try to make completely sure that no VTT could compete.

The result? Now that badge is going to be absolute poison. It is likely going to drastically reduce your chances of being featured on certain important promotion channels. Anyone buying such content and showing to anyone in the know will likely be told about its troubled history, and hence the social stigma against it will spread among even most causal consumers.

Trough overreaching i believe wizards have managed to turn a possibly incredibly valuable badge to something with negative value. I for one will at least be more hesitant in getting a product with the badge. (I know some using it will do so due to being "forced" to do so, so no ill intent there. It is more about seeing this badge being prone to give me poor associations about something I don't want to be reminded about)

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

Yeah, I don't think the morality clause or the product badge should be part of an Open Game Licence, those should go into a separate compatibility license.

On the other hand, I wouldn't really have a problem with some mandatory disassociation clause that required language such as "The views and opinions expressed in this product do not reflect those of...", for every entity you cite OGC from, unless you enter into a separate compatibility license.

 

[Clint_L]

I don't know if I agree that the creator product badge is necessarily completely poisoned. Yet. Obviously, Hasbro's roll out was a disaster, but nothing has become official yet and they have shown movement. I think the badge offers them an opportunity to pivot and get a "win" without losing too much face, while still backing away from their most contentious positions.

And it could give 3PP everything they asked for, plus potential access to DnDBeyond, which would be invaluable to many of them.

 

[Dausuul]

I'd be entirely cool with resurrecting the "OGL/STL" system. I really doubt Wizards is willing to go that route, however. They're going to great lengths to kill the OGL -- offering everything they can think of to get us to back off that one point.