Goodman Games Releasing 4e Adventures Prior to October 1st

[catsclaw227]

But shafted Clark/Necromancer, their biggest supporter?

Until I see something coming out from Necro, I can't believe that scenario.

Ditto. I can't envision a reasonable scenario that Adamant and Goodman would get some special rights, but Necromancer would not.

 

[JVisgaitis]

This is awesome. Assuming that these adventures are unlicensed, I'll be buying them, along with the unlicensed Adamant ones. Given the Monopoly situation, my understanding is that Hasbro would have very little ground to attack these companies as long as there is no trademark infringement. Losing any control at all over what these companies put out is a fitting punishment, IMO, and might teach the suits a lesson.

Hopefully the GSL will see no use at all, while a raft of unlicensed products are released, and a decision will be made to modify the GSL into the realm of sanity.

Its posts like this that I find disturbing and possibly detrimental to the entire community. I hope the GSL is supported. I hope that people don't try and result to copyright to produce products for 4e. All of that just adds up to bad blood and a very adversarial relationship with Wizards of the Coast. I'm so over the whole, "the man is holding me down mentality and we need to teach the man a lesson." Its just so tired already.

 

[Angellis_ater]

Or it could be because Clark mailed Wizards and warned them not to make the GSL too restrictive that he is being left outside. According to him, he told them of the possibility of a company going the "copyright route" and that it was interpreted as a THREAT by Wizards.

So, there is a miniscule chance that GG (and Adamant) got permission while Necromancer got shafted for "being threatening to the gorilla". Or, going by Gareths comments in this thread, atleast Adamant is sailing free.

 

[Jack99]

Its posts like this that I find disturbing and possibly detrimental to the entire community. I hope the GSL is supported. I hope that people don't try and result to copyright to produce products for 4e. All of that just adds up to bad blood and a very adversarial relationship with Wizards of the Coast. I'm so over the whole, "the man is holding me down mentality and we need to teach the man a lesson." Its just so tired already.

Lets for a moment assume that AE and GG are going the copyright route. And assume that people who buy 3PP products do so regardless of the product having an official logo.

Wouldn't this hurt companies like yours and Necromancer's more than it would hurt WotC? I mean, if they have less constraints than you, when making their adventures, and all you have going for you is the official D&D logo...

 

[Scribble]

Lets for a moment assume that AE and GG are going the copyright route. And assume that people who buy 3PP products do so regardless of the product having an official logo.

Wouldn't this hurt companies like yours and Necromancer's more than it would hurt WotC? I mean, if they have less constraints than you, when making their adventures, and all you have going for you is the official D&D logo...

Not only does it give you the logo, but also the ability to sue the "look" of the 4e stuff.

So it depends on who your sales are going to.

Someone who spends a lot of time on message boards and knows the companies, and what they do, might be able to pick up say, a Necromancer book, and know it's designed for 4e, but what about someone who just likes D&D and wants more D&D stuff?

A big ol Officially licensed for D&D 4th edition!!! on the cover, plus contents that look just like the core books they already have, has an advantage.

 

[cangrejoide]

So we only have 2 options:

1) They got a 'Special License' ( meaning the are paying extra for IP use)

or

2) They are going the unlicensed way.

From some comments made by GMS, I think they are going unlincensed.


A couple of questions for Clark(Orcus): Did you aproach WOTC for a special License?
If you did, was it too expensive that only GSL was the alternative for you?
If you didn't, why not?


A comment for GMS: You should try to get the Role-Aids name in those products somewhere.

 

[Treebore]

Sigh... If you would read the license, it takes 2 weeks after Wizards receives the SOA and accepts you until you could use those materials on your website.

When our new website goes live later this week, it will look exactly the same. We won't say we are using the GSL, we can't use any type of logo on the cover, and we can't use the compatibility logo because the 2 weeks will not have elapsed yet.

Well, your point explains "System: 4E", but it still doesn't address the selling before October 1st. Only a special agreement with WOTC or going copyright/trademark route does.

Personally I hope its not the GSL route. Lets also not forget Goodman has experience with doing things without a license.

 

[S'mon]

Personally I think I would go the copyright route, but that is only with about 3 hours of reading the laws and getting a couple of e-mails answered by copyright law professors.

As a copyright law professor I tend to agree with you. The GSL is awfully restrictive; whereas the OGL looked like a fair bargain.

 

[Treebore]

As a copyright law professor I tend to agree with you. The GSL is awfully restrictive; whereas the OGL looked like a fair bargain.

If you were in the US I would have to wonder if you were one of the professors I e-mailed!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I hope you will find Points of Light useful. It is four lands about 125 miles by 100 miles designed to drop into your campaign. All four are presented as numbered hex maps with locales key to a hex along with a listing of geographical

Rob Conley
co-Author Points of Light

PoL and Pearls both look great.