d20 translations?

[Ranger REG]

That last was irony, right?

F&S will NOT comment on third party useres using the german translations of the SRD-Material, so I guess anyone here in the good ol' BRD will have to use the english SRD. Which in a way defeats the purpose of doing GERMAN material in the first place. But then, F&S always were slightly arrogant.

Maybe the SRD wasn't discussed during the licensing negotiation. F&S wanted to translate the D&D core rulebooks so they contacted WotC for that specific purpose.

If F&S won't establish communication with you, then talk to WotC.

 

[arscott]

That's BS. F&S isn't allowed to tell you what you can and can't do with the SRD. Technically, Wizards isn't allowed to tell you what you can and can't do with the SRD.

You can do whatever the hell you want with the information in the SRD. All you have to do is give credit to Wizards in the section 15 and follow the rest of the OGL to the letter. Not only is the law on your side, but if F&S decides to be jerks about it, they may get in hot water with the folks who actually wrote the stuff that they're translating.

This, of course, assumes that you do your own translation. If you choose words based on what the official translators chose, then all bets are off.

 

[Infernal Teddy]

I think I'll give it a go with "own translation". If Olli (Hoffmann) wants to argue about it, well, he has my number...

 

[Selganor]

What would a "new" translation acchieve?

You can't use the "official" translations for ANY of the terms as these are (c) Feder&Schwert/Amigo, so some strange and unusual terms will need to be found.
And people who know the official translation would nor be able to recognise ANY of the terms, so they would have to learn the game with a "new" language.

AND, as you wouldn't be allowed to compile a list that puts the "official" translations together with "your" translations there would then be three versions: The Original (english) Version, the "official" German Version and your "unofficial" German Version.

And as no "official" German products could be used with the "unofficial" version of the rules (as even the attribute and class names would have to be different) no "official" material could be used with this version.

I'd suggest you write a proposal to Feder&Schwert (or visit them at a convention they are present like Buchmesse or SPIEL) and talk to them about what you would need to use the official translations.

 

[arscott]

There's nothing preventing him from using some of the terms in the official german translation. If he happens to pick the same word for evil, or druid, or hobgoblin that the official guys did, it's not going to matter. But he has to get that word from a english-german dictionary or something, not from the original translation itself.

Of course, it may be easier to write directly to wizard's ogl guys and voice your concerns directly to them. I imagine they, not F&S, own the rights to the translated work.

 

[Selganor]

The problem with german copyright law apparently lies in the fact that a translator has got the rights to his translation.

And if too many terms would be too similar (or even identical) the new translator MIGHT be sued for "copying" the "official" translations. The only way he could claim NOT to have "copied" them would be if he could prove that he did never hear the "official" translations (a thing that's almost impossible)

But I'd really like to hear WotCs statement regarding these problems sometime...
As apparently the french translators seemed to be able to provide an english-french list as a free download

 

[Ranger REG]

That's BS. F&S isn't allowed to tell you what you can and can't do with the SRD. Technically, Wizards isn't allowed to tell you what you can and can't do with the SRD.

You can do whatever the hell you want with the information in the SRD. All you have to do is give credit to Wizards in the section 15 and follow the rest of the OGL to the letter. Not only is the law on your side, but if F&S decides to be jerks about it, they may get in hot water with the folks who actually wrote the stuff that they're translating.

This, of course, assumes that you do your own translation. If you choose words based on what the official translators chose, then all bets are off.

While I agree with you on the technicality, the thread starter in his remark desires F&S to also translate the SRD into German, for his convenience.

I can only reason that the SRDs are not part of the separate agreement between WotC and F&S.

 

[Ranger REG]

I think I'll give it a go with "own translation". If Olli (Hoffmann) wants to argue about it, well, he has my number...

#1 Advice: Get a lawyer. One should go to him/her for legal advice as you would a doctor for medical advice.

Other tips: Lock away your D&D core rulebooks. It would minimize temptation as you attempt your own translation of the SRDs.

Do not forget to attach the OGL with your work.

 

[Infernal Teddy]

#1 Advice: Get a lawyer. One should go to him/her for legal advice as you would a doctor for medical advice.

Other tips: Lock away your D&D core rulebooks. It would minimize temptation as you attempt your own translation of the SRDs.

Do not forget to attach the OGL with your work.

Good thing I don't own the german rulebooks.

The more I think / read about this, the more I get the feeling that the only place you're able to ACTUALLY USE the OGL/SRD-complex is the US. Makes you sick.

 

[Selganor]

You CAN use it here in Germany, too...

Just not in a translation. So why not do what the rest of the German d20 community is doing?

Using only the original and behaving like the translation never existed or will exist to be usable - just ike the translators are ignoring German D&D with regard to "official" webpages