GSL: Am I wrong to be concerned?

[I'm A Banana]

But if another studio recut the same footage into a 30-minute television spot, and marketed it as their own product, they would likely be facing a lawsuit and blacklisting from the entire industry... regardless of whether or not it was a "good idea".

That's because movies are not open content.

If something public domain was recut into a 30-minute television spot marketed as their own product, no one would really care, because they're open -- anyone can use them.

The information in the PPH was open -- anyone can use it. No one should really care. I'm pretty sure WotC didn't really care.

I don't think they're really "fearing" either. They are simply taking what would be described by most as minor preventative measures to protect their work from outright piracy. 3PPs will be able to work and flourish under these restrictions as capably as they did under 3.5, and possibly moreso, since the nature of the SRD allows for the potential inclusion of future products as well without having to worry about taking additional measures.

Well, regardless, I agree that one of the major reasons they're taking these measures is out of fear of piracy. 3e had no such paranoia. But the PPH isn't piracy by any means.

 

[I'm A Banana]

You can come up with whatever reason you want, but the end result is the same.

WoTC doesn't want people making stuff utilizing their game, that doesn't promote the sale of or nessesitate their game.

But that doesn't mean they had problems with what happened under the OGL/STL model.

Indeed, I'm expecting the Modern system to be more open, when it comes out, specifically because they'll be less concerned with protecting the brand identity for that product line. They won't care if people try to redefine what, say, a Fast Hero is. In D&D, they care, because they are newly concerned with brand identity in a way that they really weren't in 3e, largely because they see that as being one of the main ways to get people to buy a lot of their books (and they're probably not wrong on that).

p.s. I invented pants.

Man, am I lucky to live in a post-Scribble world with pants! Those kilts just didn't do the job all the time, man!

 

[Tao]

That's because movies are not open content.

If something public domain was recut into a 30-minute television spot marketed as their own product, no one would really care, because they're open -- anyone can use them.

The information in the PPH was open -- anyone can use it. No one should really care. I'm pretty sure WotC didn't really care.

I'm pretty sure you're wrong. WotC has all but come right out and said that things like d20srd.org and the PPH are the reason they have taken a step backwards in terms of openness. When 3rd Edition went open it was to allow other publishers to use the product for certain types of projects. Since Open Sourcing was new, they jumped on the bandwagon and were fairly open about it... giving 3PP all the tools they could possibly need. Things like word-for-word copies of the SRD popping up in bookstores were an unfortunate side effect that they hadn't predicted, but were completely legal according to the terms of the license. Nothing they could do about it but learn. And they did...

It's cost the rest of us some of the tools and flexibility that we had, but I think (and I am going to be asking around about it) that the "Applied Mechanical Results" phrasing goes a long way towards putting those tools back in the 3PP's hands when they need to be.

Indeed, I'm expecting the Modern system to be more open, when it comes out, specifically because they'll be less concerned with protecting the brand identity for that product line. They won't care if people try to redefine what, say, a Fast Hero is.

I agree with that. Certain provisions are definitely more IP related. However, I am almost (99.9%) certain that they will still not be allowing the reprinting of specific game mechanics in the d20 SRD. The "Applied Mechanical Result" will probably get thrown around a bit in there as well.

 

[Scribble]

It's cost the rest of us some of the tools and flexibility that we had, but I think (and I am going to be asking around about it) that the "Applied Mechanical Results" phrasing goes a long way towards putting those tools back in the 3PP's hands when they need to be.

I'm kind of curious about this one myself...

Is advancing a monster's level considered AM?

What about if they are in the AoE of a leader that gives them a boon... could you reprint the stats with the boon added in? And then say if they aren't in the boon subtract x?

This one I kind of file onto the A-holeloop but... what about if you create a template that multiplies the hitpoints by 1?

 

[SSquirrel]

I invented Al Gore (he's just a robot) who invented the internet. I win

 

[Tao]

Is advancing a monster's level considered AM?

My guess is that it would be considered Applied Mechanical Result and allowed.

What about if they are in the AoE of a leader that gives them a boon... could you reprint the stats with the boon added in? And then say if they aren't in the boon subtract x?

My guess is no, since you would be explicitly showing how to reverse engineer it to get the original stats.

This one I kind of file onto the A-holeloop but... what about if you create a template that multiplies the hitpoints by 1?

My guess, again, is no for the same reason as above.

 

[I'm A Banana]

WotC has all but come right out and said that things like d20srd.org and the PPH are the reason they have taken a step backwards in terms of openness.

If you can cite something that's clear about this, I'll be happy to change my tune. I haven't seen anything to that extent (and I've paid pretty close attention). More, I think people are reading too much into some of 4e's changes and unfairly casting some 3rd parties like rapacious scavengers. I haven't seen evidence out there that supports this, but if you've got evidence, I'll be happy to hear it.

I am almost (99.9%) certain that they will still not be allowing the reprinting of specific game mechanics in the d20 SRD. The "Applied Mechanical Result" will probably get thrown around a bit in there as well.

I think they might, but it'd be a piracy thing.

And I'd say the odds are equally as good that they won't. They might not provide an SRD for download or anything (but, then again, they MIGHT!), but I'm suspecting d20 Modern 2e will be an OGL game, in the very least because WotC plans it as a one-off book and won't plan on supporting it after that.

But right now, it's just pointless speculation based on tantalizingly few details.

I invented Al Gore (he's just a robot) who invented the internet. I win

Al Gore also invented Global Warming. So I blame you for every environmental disaster in the last 5 years.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Al Gore also invented Global Warming. So I blame you for every environmental disaster in the last 5 years.

No. I'm clearly responsible for all the world's ills and the collective sins of humanity. Just ask my girlfriend.

 

[TimeOut]

No. I'm clearly responsible for all the world's ills and the collective sins of humanity. Just ask my girlfriend.

You must have a truly wonderful relationship.

 

[I'm A Banana]

No. I'm clearly responsible for all the world's ills and the collective sins of humanity. Just ask my girlfriend.

I did, just the other night. She told me she wanted you to have higher self-esteem.

And she likes it when you kiss her neck, BTW.

-- Kamikaze Midget, the Awkward Converationalist