D20 Publishing FAQ - and a new rule for this forum!

[Morrus]

First, a good guideline for this forum:

Please don't use the Publishers' forums to try to make your competitors look bad.​

That's mostly common sense (and good manners) for professional publishers, but since this problem crops up now and again we wanted to make sure everyone was aware of the rule. If you notice any problems, please report them using the "report a post" function.

-- o --

There are a few questions which crop up from time to time, so here are a few useful links:

• D20 System Introduction (by Eric Noah)
• WotC has an official D20 System Website, complete with FAQs, licenses, print-quality D20 System logos, and the parts of the SRD that have been officially released as open gaming content.
• Open Gaming Foundation
• D20 System Reference Document
• D20 Modern System Reference Document
• WotC's Fan Site Policy
• Electronic SKU Download (ESD) Conversion Agreement (this is WotC's policy concerning conversions of older 1E/2E materials to 3E)

Some related articles and interviews:

• Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
• Ryan Dancey: the D20 System and the Open Gaming Movement
• Ryan Dancey: An open letter to d20 publishers regarding the Open Gaming License
• Ryan Dancey of Organized Play on d20 Phase II (April 2003)
  
• What kind of sales can you expect from a PDF?
  

And the most common question of all....

Q: Can I use xxxxxx [insert D&D/D20 rules/material here] in my planned d20 system product?

A: If xxxxxx is Open Gaming Content then you can use it. If it's not, then you can't without specific permission.

WotC OGC is to be found in the SRDs, above, so if it ain't in the SRD, it ain't OGC - which means you can't use it.

Everyone else indicates what material they are designating as OGC in their products, so you need to look at the book in question.

 

[DDK]

Sweet, thanks for all of that. I'm just wondering though, would it be possible to put all of that into one PDF for download? Aside from legal issues (can one reprint the ESD and OGL rules?), it'd be great to have it as a D20 Publishing Primer. I'd be willing to do the grunt work (compiling, editing, PDF'ing) if someone would work with me on it.

Just a thought.

 

[Eosin the Red]

Morrus -

I thought the most common question was:

"I have this cool idea but I don't know know how to approach a publisher without them stealing my stuff?"

OR

"I have a cool world, any interested publishers please contact me by e-mail."

 

[caudor]

Thanks for putting this together. I'm sure many folks will appreciate this effort, and find it useful.

 

[Morrus]

Morrus -

I thought the most common question was:

"I have this cool idea but I don't know know how to approach a publisher without them stealing my stuff?"

OR

"I have a cool world, any interested publishers please contact me by e-mail."

Heh - the answers to both those questions are very... short.

 

[kingpaul]

Heh - the answers to both those questions are very... short.

Is it "Go away kid, you bother me"

 

[solous]

Heh - the answers to both those questions are very... short.

For those of us (or only me if thats the case) too naïve/curious/stupid, would you mind to tel what they are ?(mostly the second honestly.)

 

[Eosin the Red]

Those questions get asked with some regularity and the answers are:

1. The shortage is not on cool ideas it is on skilled and professional writers who can furnish a manuscript. The gaming companies are not crooks, they are gamers with millions of their own cool ideas. Submit your work, they won't steal it but it probably is not what they want. They want to produce their own ideas.


2. Companies do not have the time to cold read your manuscript or e-mail everybody who has a cool idea. If you want to submit - go to a companies website and look at their rules for submissions. Follow the rules.

 

[Magic-User]

2. Companies do not have the time to cold read your manuscript or e-mail everybody who has a cool idea. If you want to submit - go to a companies website and look at their rules for submissions. Follow the rules.

Here's a follow-up that someone other than me must be wondering: What companies are likely to publish a submitted manuscript? Any specific examples (i.e. EN Publishing)?

 

[Crothian]

Here's a follow-up that someone other than me must be wondering: What companies are likely to publish a submitted manuscript? Any specific examples (i.e. EN Publishing)?

You'll have to goto their websites and see what they want and what their submission guidelines are. Some are looking for specific submitted materials others will look at almost anything.