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Going Nuclear:1D&D
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<blockquote data-quote="Charlaquin" data-source="post: 8884261" data-attributes="member: 6779196"><p>Moreover, it avoids the headache of having to litigate where the line is between game mechanics and their presentation. Sure, rolling a d20, adding modifiers, and comparing to a target number is pretty clearly a game mechanic and can’t be copyrighted. But are ability scores and skill proficiencies mechanics, or specific presentations of the mechanic of adding a number to the d20 roll? What about mechanics that are intrinsically tied to a narrative element, like rules for darkness, light, and vision? Is dwarves being able to see in the dark a game mechanic? It quickly becomes a huge can of worms, so the OGL exists in part to avoid having to hash that out in a courtroom by just saying, “we’ll let you use anything in this reference document, as long as you acknowledge this is open game content.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Charlaquin, post: 8884261, member: 6779196"] Moreover, it avoids the headache of having to litigate where the line is between game mechanics and their presentation. Sure, rolling a d20, adding modifiers, and comparing to a target number is pretty clearly a game mechanic and can’t be copyrighted. But are ability scores and skill proficiencies mechanics, or specific presentations of the mechanic of adding a number to the d20 roll? What about mechanics that are intrinsically tied to a narrative element, like rules for darkness, light, and vision? Is dwarves being able to see in the dark a game mechanic? It quickly becomes a huge can of worms, so the OGL exists in part to avoid having to hash that out in a courtroom by just saying, “we’ll let you use anything in this reference document, as long as you acknowledge this is open game content.” [/QUOTE]
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