GSL FAQ up

[Moon-Lancer]

So people were in an uproar over something that was never there, huh? Eeenteresting.

if we were given permission to read the license, their would have *not* been an uproar... I find that interesting.

*lost in a edit i guess

 

[am181d]

They've all but said straight out that standalone games will be allowed by the d20 GSL.

Source? I tend to follow this stuff fairly carefully, but I haven't heard anything about the d20 GSL and standalone games...

 

[Greg K]

I know WOTC is calling it a "conversion clause". However, it appears if Green Ronin, who provides Freeport support for True20, Savage Worlds, couldn't make a single Freeport product for 4e that is different from the True20 and Savage World products without having to give up supporting the True20 and Savage World versions. I imagine that, when the d20 GSL is released, the same would hold true for RPGObjects's "Blood and [x]" line which not only suppports d2O Modern, but also True20 with the True20 version of Blood and Fists.

So, if making a single 4e product in a line requires the rest of the existing line to be converted or abandoned, how is this not a "poison pill" albeit a smaller one aimed at product lines rather than the entire companies? And, I am asking this out of true curiousity rather than sarcasm or anything else.

 

[Piratecat]

So, if making a single 4e in a product line requires the rest of the existing line has to be converted or abandoned, how is this not a "poison pill" albeit a smaller one aimed at product lines rather than the entire companies? And, I am asking this out of true curiosity rather than sarcasm or anything else.

Greg, in my opinion it's vastly less onerous than requiring an entire publishing house to choose or switch. I don't see it as unreasonable.

It's going to do one of two things: create large-scale conversion of great existing product lines to 4e, or inspire innovation as brand new 4e product lines are launched. The company has full control of choosing which to do, and has the freedom to do both if desired. Compared to the strong-arming we feared was going to happen, it doesn't throttle innovation at all.

My hope is that this will let companies use current product lines as a cash cow, generating income while they develop really interesting and new 4e material.

 

[The Little Raven]

So, if making a single 4e product in a line requires the rest of the existing line to be converted or abandoned, how is this not a "poison pill" albeit a smaller one aimed at product lines rather than the entire companies? And, I am asking this out of true curiousity rather than sarcasm or anything else.

Simple.

poison pill [origin:1983]: a financial tactic or provision used by a company to make an unwanted takeover prohibitively expensive or less desirable

It has since become a term referring to any strategy, generally in business or politics, to increase the likelihood of negative results over positive ones for a party that attempts any kind of takeover.

poison pill
–noun
2. Financial Slang. any of various business devices created to prevent a company from being taken over by another, as issuing a new class of stock or stock warrants that would become costly to the buyer in the event of a takeover.

[Origin: 1945–50]

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

 

[ki11erDM]

Anything WotC gives is morally and legally pure charity. They've got no special obligation to loan their IP out for someone else to sell on, and this new contract makes clear up-front that it exists at WotC's pleasure. If you think it's a good deal, you take it, and if you don't, you keep with OGL.

This needed to be in all caps and bolded. One of the few truths spoken in this whole mass of trollmongering.

 

[Treebore]

This seems very reasonable. Everyone got upset for nothing.

Since I know for a fact WOTC people were reading our posts about this I am going to positively assume we helped them change their language to be much more friendlier.

Congrats to WOTC for going more in the direction of team player rather than Empire Builder. I may be able to bring myself to check out 4E after all. Keep it up.

 

[Green Knight]

Since I know for a fact WOTC people were reading our posts about this I am going to positively assume we helped them change their language to be much more friendlier.

And Linae stated that nothing was actually changed. So your assumption is factually incorrect, unless now you want to start calling people liars.

 

[Treebore]

This needed to be in all caps and bolded. One of the few truths spoken in this whole mass of trollmongering.

Your only right when we, the consumers and fans, make it OK for them to behave poorly. Apparently they decided to "play nice" and listen to those of us who called them on their poor behavior.

So I wish to applaud WOTC for taking a higher road rather than being the empire building bully on the block they were looking to be.

So cheers, whistles, and applause to WOTC from me. There are enough corporations out there bullying the small guys. Glad to see WOTC feels confident enough to play nice with their competitors.

 

[Treebore]

And Linae stated that nothing was actually changed. So your assumption is factually incorrect, unless now you want to start calling people liars.

I don't care. I read the threads, I know what WOTC employees said in those threads. So I don't really care if they did, or did not change the language. The important thing is they aren't going to be the "bully" that it sounded like they were going to be.

If you want to worry about what the "truth" was/is, feel free. I'll just be happy that they put out a much friendlier GSL license than was feared.

That is the truth that matters.