Does this violate copyright?

[reveal]

Just curious about this.

I downloaded the official Eberron character sheet from Wizards (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebwe/20040618a) and made it fillable and auto-calculating.

I am not claiming credit for the original sheet and I did nothing to it except for the fillable fields. I changed no lines, artwork, images, logos, nothing. So if I was to post a link to it here, would that violate copyright?

 

[moticon]

copyright?

Unless wizards has indicated that you can copy, modify, and distribute it then technically it does.

However, I'm sure if you sent them what you did and asked permission to post it they would agree to it, or repost it themselves (as long as it didn't change their content). They want people to play Eberron, so getting a better tool out there is in their best interest.

Moticon

 

[dead]

If I released an *alternate* PHB, DMG, and MM that was *my own* take on D&D (let's call it "dead's PHB", etc.) but reprinted ALL the "crunch" of the corebooks so that you would not have to buy/reference them AT ALL, would that breach copyright?

 

[EricNoah]

You can't protect blank forms with copyright. However, the logos, artwork, and other design elements could conceivably be protected. If they wanted to make a stink about it they probably could, but I can't see them doing that. They'd be much more likely to just say "please stop doing that" rather than make a big deal over it.

 

[EricNoah]

If I released an *alternate* PHB, DMG, and MM that was *my own* take on D&D (let's call it "dead's PHB", etc.) but reprinted ALL the "crunch" of the corebooks so that you would not have to buy/reference them AT ALL, would that breach copyright?

Because of the OGL, this becomes not so much a copyright issue as a licensing issue. Short answer is yes, you could include all of the text of the D20 System System Reference Document (not the "core rulebooks" but the SRD only) in your "Dead's PHB" because the OGL allows that. There's a longer, more complicated answer that deals with your inclusion of the d20 logo, your need to designate "open" and "closed" parts of your derived game, etc. but I'm not going to get into that.

 

[reveal]

You can't protect blank forms with copyright. However, the logos, artwork, and other design elements could conceivably be protected. If they wanted to make a stink about it they probably could, but I can't see them doing that. They'd be much more likely to just say "please stop doing that" rather than make a big deal over it.

I would like to post a link to it on here for everyone to use. Do you think it's worth any hassle that might come with it?

 

[EricNoah]

I can't see it being a problem at all. If someone tells you to take it down, you can just do that.

 

[reveal]

I can't see it being a problem at all. If someone tells you to take it down, you can just do that.

Thanks!

I posted it here if anyone wants it:

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=92674

 

[dead]

Because of the OGL, this becomes not so much a copyright issue as a licensing issue. Short answer is yes, you could include all of the text of the D20 System System Reference Document (not the "core rulebooks" but the SRD only) in your "Dead's PHB" because the OGL allows that. There's a longer, more complicated answer that deals with your inclusion of the d20 logo, your need to designate "open" and "closed" parts of your derived game, etc. but I'm not going to get into that.

Thanks, Eric.

Can you also help me to understand the following quote?

You are still Bugaboo, and I am STILL waiting for my severed head of Eric Noah.

Did someone try to sever your head?

Thanks.

 

[maddman75]

If I released an *alternate* PHB, DMG, and MM that was *my own* take on D&D (let's call it "dead's PHB", etc.) but reprinted ALL the "crunch" of the corebooks so that you would not have to buy/reference them AT ALL, would that breach copyright?

Like Eric said, this is in the clear because of the OGL.

However, if you tried to call it 'Arcana Unearthed', Monte Cook might have issues with you!