First-Timer Questions About Publishing Material

[osarusan]

Hi, I've read through the FAQs and the SRD and the OGL, but I still have a few questions before I start working on anything that could be published. I've done some research on e-publishing, but still I've got no experience and would be vulnerable to making some mistakes.

Anyway, to get to the chase:

I'm planning on writing up some new rules in the future for my game, and I figured why not publish them too, if they turn out alright. Since it contains character creation and leveling rules, I believe that forces me to publish using OGL, instead of d20, correct?

I basically want to publish alternate rules for the core classes, including levelling. Since that includes derivative information from the SRD, that means that all of the derived material must also be OGC, correct? On the Wizard's FAQ, it says that one could theoretically publish the whole SRD and sell it legally, so I'm pretty sure it's OK for me to publish this derived work.

Anyway, there are tons of threads on "advice for new publishers" so I won't ask for any extra general advice, but if anyone who is familiar with publishing could answer these questions (and perhaps give advice on something I've overlooked), I would be very grateful.

Thanks

 

[Roudi]

I'm planning on writing up some new rules in the future for my game, and I figured why not publish them too, if they turn out good. Since it contains character creation and leveling rules, I believe that forces me to publish using OGL, instead of d20, correct?

That's correct. Under the terms of the d20 System License, no, d20-licensed product can have character creation rules or guidelines for applying experience points to levelling. If you plan to include such rules with your published material, then you will most certainly be forced to release it as an OGL product. That's not a bad thing, mind you - you have more freedom with OGL products, at the expense of not being able to use the d20 logo or claim compatability with D&D.

I basically want to publish alternate rules for the core classes, including levelling. Since that includes derivative information from the SRD, that means that all of the derived material must also be OGC, correct? On the Wizard's FAQ, it says that one could theoretically publish the whole SRD and sell it legally, so I'm pretty sure it's OK for me to publish this derived work.

It is absolutely okay for you to publish OGC that is derived from other OGC (like the SRD, for example). That's primarily the main function of the OGL license, and one of the most common ways it's utilized by publishers. Just make sure you properly cite the sources you derive from in the Section 15 of your product's OGL.

Welcome to the industry, d-minky, and good luck in your endeavors.

Sincerely,
Roudi

 

[IanEHewitt]

My follow up question to this is: if including your own character creation rules forces you to use the OGL, how 'original' do you have to get to duck through this loophole.

I am thinking of the recent Iron Heroes release - not d20 - but with a neat little point-buy system. Or Arcana Evolved - also just OGL - but using what appears to be the closed content of PH. OGL Ancients from Mongoose does the same thing - and explicity uses the roll 4d6 and discard lowest method.

It just seems like, at this point, character creation is such a given that even OGL products are happily getting away with including their 'own' versions of the character creation methods taken from the PH.

Cheers
Llowellen

 

[DaveStebbins]

Which is allowed in the OGL. It's the d20 STL which prohibits describing character creation and advancement, not the OGL. You don't have to be very different from Wizards core material to create OGL chargen and advancement; you can get to the same point in many ways, you just can't get there in exactly the way Wizards does.

 

[D_Sinclair]

There are alternatives to the D20 license. One good example is the Prometheus Compatibility License ( http://www.thefga.com/ ). The major problem with just calling a game "OGL" is the lack of unified branding. There's probably well over 50 different OGL logos in use inside the industry at this point. Prometheus is good because it doesn't offer the opportunity to be mislead into a non-d20 game system like Action, Fudge or the other OGL games, and once more publishers use it, it will eventually gain recognition on a similar level as the D20 logo.