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D&D 5E Dear WotC: D&D 5, Hero Lab, and the OGL

D&D5 wouldn't need to be OGL to enable its inclusion in HeroLab. But I do hope some kind of license can be arranged for 3rd party software support.
 

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D&D5 wouldn't need to be OGL to enable its inclusion in HeroLab. But I do hope some kind of license can be arranged for 3rd party software support.

That's what Trapdoor Technologies/Project Morningstar already is. Or did you mean a license for 3rd party software support specifically with Hero Lab?
 


I saw no benefit of the OGL other than Free rules and a couple of great adventures. If anything I thought D20 stood for low quality products.

This is from a consumer perspective.

For creators out there it was awesome, you could use a solid ruleset to create your ideas and have a venue to make some $ off it, or just get a fan base and practice your craft.

I got the free rules
Looks like I will be getting great 3rd party adventures (kobold quarterly)
hopefully this continues

I am also not a fan of Hero lab's monetization or quality of product, so glad they dont have the rights yet.

D&D player
36 years
 


I saw no benefit of the OGL other than Free rules and a couple of great adventures. If anything I thought D20 stood for low quality products.

This is from a consumer perspective.

For creators out there it was awesome, you could use a solid ruleset to create your ideas and have a venue to make some $ off it, or just get a fan base and practice your craft.

I got the free rules
Looks like I will be getting great 3rd party adventures (kobold quarterly)
hopefully this continues

I am also not a fan of Hero lab's monetization or quality of product, so glad they dont have the rights yet.

D&D player
36 years

You're supposed to say "and counting." Don't make Thaumaturge angry.

Edit: For tyops.
 


That's what Trapdoor Technologies/Project Morningstar already is. Or did you mean a license for 3rd party software support specifically with Hero Lab?

Ideally, I'd prefer licensing that will allow a variety of competitive products rather than exclusives. I have a number of apps on my iPad for Pathfinder, all of which support the game in different ways, and are useful in different ways. The more I can use my iPad without having to lug around books, the better. Over the next couple of years, I'd like D&D5 to reach similar levels of support - something WotC never achieved with 4e under the GSL.
 

Ideally, I'd prefer licensing that will allow a variety of competitive products rather than exclusives. I have a number of apps on my iPad for Pathfinder, all of which support the game in different ways, and are useful in different ways. The more I can use my iPad without having to lug around books, the better. Over the next couple of years, I'd like D&D5 to reach similar levels of support - something WotC never achieved with 4e under the GSL.

Sure, but on the other hand 4e sported a pretty solid set of first-party digital tools, including the best RPG database I've ever used and one of the best character creators I've ever used.

It's worth noting that WotC never achieved the level of support you're longing for, even when they did produce content under the OGL. THe idea of mobile apps were, of course, a non-starter back in the early 2000's, but 3pps were free to create OGL software, which we ended up seeing precious little of before the end of 3e's lifecycle (and certainly not with the degree of rules integration that we saw in 4e's tools).
 

D&D player
36 years

Thank you Wrathamon for the assist.

Bugleyman, I don't think WOTC needs the game to be OGL in terms of electronic support. Even 3e was not fully OGL in terms of electronic support, and much of electronic support was carved out of the OGL. I would much prefer Project Mornstar turns out to be awesome and the primary source for people to go for their electronic support of D&D 5e. I don't care about Hero Lab at all.

D&D Player
37 years and counting.
 

Into the Woods

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