I'm A Banana
Potassium-Rich
You don't need the GSL to write software.
'Cuz ya can't copyright game mechanics.
'Cuz ya can't copyright game mechanics.
D&D Insider News
- Thread starter Shroomy
- Start date
Fifth Element
Legend
Unfortunately copyright law is not prone to being summarized in simple, declarative sentences.Kamikaze Midget said:
Thaumaturge
Wandering. Not lost. (She/her)
Fifth Element said:
But if it were, you'd have combat advantage over it.
Thaumaturge.
I'm A Banana
Potassium-Rich
Oh, heck yeah, it's ENTIRELY better to work with them rather than against them.
Just pointing out that there's nothing illegal about it if you don't. Because the GSL was cited above, I thought I'd just remind everyone that the GSL isn't even necessary to just make a mapping program (or, possibly, even a character generator, though that might be a bit more difficult to get on-target).
Nikosandros
Golden Procrastinator
Well, of course you don't need the GSL to do a mapping program or a virtual table top, I never claimed anything like that...Kamikaze Midget said:
As for the character creator, I think that things are a bit iffy. The makers would have to be very careful about the words they use in the program itself. Possibly someone very skilled in copyright law might attempt to "pull an OSRIC" by using terms from the OGL...
The problem is that to have a character creator, you need (at least) names of class abilities, skills, feats, and powers. None of which are open content; the ability to use those names is licensed under the GSL, which (it is believed) specifically prohibits software which does character generation or leveling up of characters.
They can't prohibit you from using class names or mechanics, as the class names have been around forever. But the feat and power lists would be tough to include without violating copyright.
This isn't to say that people won't try. Someone will do it. How far they manage to get before the lawyers come knocking? Not sure, depends (imo) on how long their in-house Character Generator takes to get to market.
They can't prohibit you from using class names or mechanics, as the class names have been around forever. But the feat and power lists would be tough to include without violating copyright.
This isn't to say that people won't try. Someone will do it. How far they manage to get before the lawyers come knocking? Not sure, depends (imo) on how long their in-house Character Generator takes to get to market.
Charwoman Gene
Adventurer
Is everyone aware that the VTT has no rules associated with it?
It is a digital kitchen table. It doesn't calculate anything.
It is a digital kitchen table. It doesn't calculate anything.
