(DaemonEye) Psionics Handbook Companion

[jmucchiello]

Quite simple actually: http://www.opengamingfoundation.org

You should join the ogl-l and ogl-d20-l mailing lists. I went and looked at the demo on your website and it has more potential d20 violations than I care to list.

You really need to go to http://www.wizards.com/d20 and read the SRD listed there as well as the supplemental material found at http://www.opengamingfoundation.org/srd.html. You also need to read the d20 system license and FAQ. Your demo makes reference to page numbers in the books, it uses wizards' book titles that are not allowed. You make reference to non-OGL rules (such as the apprentice rules). You copied material from the Psi handbook that is not in the SRD (various starting packages). And this is the tip of the iceberg.

You really need to do more homework on d20 compliance or you need a really, good IP lawyer who works for free. Read through all of the links on this page for more information: http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=33037

 

[HellHound]

Are they cool with the squid-headed illustrations of the mind flayer? That would make a lot of illustrators and publishers pretty happy.

That, I don't know. I wasn't involved in the artistic angle of the endeavor in question.

 

[Psion]

Okay, here's another BIIIIG question. WotC is not ignorant of the possibility of knock-offs of their products. To this end, they have deliberately omitted certain things from the SRD, which is the ONLY body of work by WotC that you can work from (with a few small exceptions.)

The word "illithid" is one example, but a drop in the bucket compared to the real meat that is missing from the SRD: the power descriptions. There are NO power descriptions in the SRD. Does your document include descriptions for the powers in the PsiHB? If so, you are in violation.

Also, Matthew Sprange alluded to this, but the terms of the d20 STL specifically state that the only means by which you can indicate cross-compatability are the logo and the canned "requires the use of" statements. Using the title "Psionics Handbook Companion" is likely to be considered an attempt to market your product as cross-compatible other than the allowed ones.

If you are stumbling over these major issues, I fear that you may be contending with more minor issues. Before proceeding with your publication, I would put some serious thought into ensuring you understand the OGL and d20 STL.

 

[Dark Psion]

Where exactly is the Psionic SRD anyway?? The link above doesn't include anything psionic.

 

[Strutinan]

Starting packages: Mine are different than the ones in the PsiHB, thats why they are listed. Surely the CONCEPT of starting packages isn't a violation is it?

Power Descriptions: Only ones that are either new or are altered are listed. "Tag-Line" descriptions from the PsiHB are pretty much the smae, but only if the power inquestion was not altered (otherwise the alterations are incorporated into the tag-line). Again, if the CONCEPT of a power's description is a violation, how is anybody suppossed to publish any new psionics material?

Hellhound: I got your list, and am working on it now. Expect the editted version to be lighter than the original. I think I'm going to re-mail WotC to see if I can use the Gith names (which is really the only thing that is the same as in the PsiHB).

 

[philreed]

Yes, they match.

There are NO power descriptions in the SRD. Does your document include descriptions for the powers in the PsiHB? If so, you are in violation.

Picking a power at random, Polymorph Self, the opening sentence matches. I can see in places where things are reworded slightly but it's obvious someone did a lot of typing while their Psionics Handbook was wide open.

What alerted me to the problem was the character class starting packages that matched those in the Psionics Handbook. Those are not in the psionics SRD.

 

[EOL]

Where exactly is the Psionic SRD anyway?? The link above doesn't include anything psionic.

All the way at the bottom....

 

[philreed]

How can you say this?

Starting packages: Mine are different than the ones in the PsiHB, thats why they are listed. Surely the CONCEPT of starting packages isn't a violation is it?

Selecting one at random, Human Psion (Savant), most of the text is identical. You have a couple of new (I guess "improved") categories but about 95% of the text is exactly the same.

 

[Dark Psion]

All the way at the bottom....

All of the SRD links lead me here;
http://www.wizards.com/D20/article.asp?x=srd

And I don't see Psionics anywhere.

 

[jaerdaph]

All of the SRD links lead me here;
http://www.wizards.com/D20/article.asp?x=srd

And I don't see Psionics anywhere.

Go to the Open Gaming Foundation and look - the parts of the SRD not yet officially released but considered part of the gentlepersons' agreement are there:

http://www.opengamingfoundation.org/srd.html

The Psionics rules still aren't officially released.