Goodman Games Releasing 4e Adventures Prior to October 1st

[2WS-Steve]

That's a legal quagmire and something I don't think any 3rd party publisher should/would attempt. Maybe I'm wrong. Who knows? Time will tell...

After seeing Adamant going the no-license route and Goodman not using any D&D names I'm betting GG is going no-license as well.

They'll make a bundle at GENCON and the notoriety of the lawsuit will probably net them even more cash -- they'll be slashdotted out the yin-yang.

 

[Treebore]

I'm surprised people think the no licensed, copyright law and trademark route is so perilous. A number of small companies did it for years/decades before the 3E OGL. Its not all that perilous, you just have to be aware of the laws and not cross those boundaries.

Not hard, and I am betting GG is going forward without the GSL license and is actually going the copyright/trademark laws route.

Its possible they have an agreement with WOTC, but its doubtful. The biggest reason I think that is still a possibility is the fact that Joe has yet to say how he is able to publish and sell prior to October first.

Then again he may be wanting to avoid saying he is not using the GSL because of how finicky people can be about using "compatible" products.

 

[Scribble]

I'm surprised people think the no licensed, copyright law and trademark route is so perilous. A number of small companies did it for years/decades before the 3E OGL. Its not all that perilous, you just have to be aware of the laws and not cross those boundaries.

Not hard, and I am betting GG is going forward without the GSL license and is actually going the copyright/trademark laws route.

Its possible they have an agreement with WOTC, but its doubtful. The biggest reason I think that is still a possibility is the fact that Joe has yet to say how he is able to publish and sell prior to October first.

Then again he may be wanting to avoid saying he is not using the GSL because of how finicky people can be about using "compatible" products.

Nothing on the page indicates he is using the GSL... There's no logo on the cover shot, only the 4e thing, and nowhere do I see the little legal blurb you're supposed to run in adds.

So I'm inclined to agree with you.

 

[JVisgaitis]

Nothing on the page indicates he is using the GSL... There's no logo on the cover shot, only the 4e thing, and nowhere do I see the little legal blurb you're supposed to run in adds.

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.

 

[keterys]

Maybe it's a "Buy one 3.5 module at full price, get one 4E adventure free!" deal. [/jk]

Regardless, at Gen Con, I will be at the booth, plunking down my cash for the first 4E adventures. Convenient that Goodman Games is directly across the aisle from Wizards of the Coast. One stop shopping for all your 4E needs.

Fantastic idea, frankly. It's really a shame that most publishers probably aren't ready to put stuff out.

 

[Terramotus]

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.

 

[Ydars]

Let's not get too carried away; for all we know these companies could be under special license. After all, both were included in the 3PP conference call that WoTC made in Jan.

Or it could be they have decided to tell WoTC where to ram their GSL!

Actually; thinking about it, maybe WoTc themselves contacted selected 3PPs to tell them that they could produce for GenCon so that 4E looks better supported?

 

[Belen]

If they were using the GSL, then that would have been part of the release. They are probably making compatible adventures using nothing but the monster stat style from 4e.

 

[Filcher]

I agree with this! I read the freebie they gave out on Free RPG Day and it is great! Punjar sounds like a fun town

Fun in the, "Get your dirk out of my liver!" sort of way.

 

[Dragon Snack]

Actually; thinking about it, maybe WoTc themselves contacted selected 3PPs to tell them that they could produce for GenCon so that 4E looks better supported?

But shafted Clark/Necromancer, their biggest supporter?

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