GSL news.

[FalconGK81]

they don't like the blue balls, tough

I can tell you this with 100% certainty. I don't like the blue balls.

Giggle, Giggle, sorry I couldn't resist. Too funny.

 

[CleverNickName]

Here's something: how restrictive is the "one or the other" clause? I'm specifically thinking of Paizo. They're planning to work with Necro on 4E, but keep publishing their own 3E stuff. However, their main business is actually being a storefront for games and gaming accessories including their own. If they stick with 3E, will they be able to sell Necro's 4E stuff in their online store, or vice versa: if they move to 4E will they have to discontinue selling all the 3E stock they have sitting around...back issues, older books, etc.?

(snip)

I strongly disapprove of this measure. I think that some amount of nudging to convert to 4E is probably okay, but not arm-twisting like this. It should be a carrot, not a stick. This "you're with us or you're against us" mentality has a precedent of blowing up in the face of the one making the ultimatum. As a consumer, I take offence at this deliberate hamstringing of companies that are beloved by the community.

My thoughts exactly.

See, I happen to like 3.5E. I still play it. I plan to continue playing it. It would be nice if I could be able to continue buying products for the system I like. Does that make me a bad person?

And, I'm not completely sold on 4E. I haven't even seen the books yet. I don't know if I will want to switch over to it. Does this make me a bad person too?

Legal matters confound me, every time. I would like some more clarification on this "4E or 3E" development. Because it's got me nervous.

 

[Vempyre]

... This practice aknowledged their obligation to allow others to create compatible and competitive products. ...

obligation ?

Is there some legality you are aware of that we are not?

 

[pawsplay]

obligation ?

Is there some legality you are aware of that we are not?

I don't know. How many of you are aware of antitrust legislation?

 

[Charwoman Gene]

So it's more of a symbiotic rather than parasitical relationship.

Unless the remora was Mike Mearls the Illithid Larva and it took over the D&D Sharks Brain.

And Remnora are commensal not parasitic. It's not truly accurate though cause WotC does gain a little something. It's weakly symbiotic.

 

[pawsplay]

Overwrought much?

I try not to touch the stuff.

 

[Kishin]

FFG might get back into PNP games? That's neat. Interesting to see which D20 companies could still be around for 4e. Too bad AEG isn't interested. I read their stuff and I felt it was one of the better 3rd party groups. Very surprised to see a couple names on this list as their stuff was awful.

AEG's pretty much put its focus back on publishing L5R in its old d10 ruleset, since they took some flak from fans for the d20 version. Their 3.5E output fell off in terms of quantity pretty quickly, but they did indeed publish some very good stuff, including some very nice short adventures.

FFG is probably there so they can continue to push Midnight, which means making it 4E. I still don't think they're going to have a major interest in the RPG market, since their boardgames line is way more successful. I think Dawnforge would be a fantastic 4E setting, though.

On the plus side, I'd like to thank Scott, Linae and everyone else involved with releasing the GSL information for winning me a wager with some friends as to which would see release first: the 4E GSL, FFG's English translation of the Anima RPG, or Duke Nukem Forever. (Only one person bet on the third, don't worry.)

 

[Wolfspider]

Unless the remora was Mike Mearls the Illithid Larva and it took over the D&D Sharks Brain.

Hmmmm....

*ponders*

 

[med stud]

I don't know. How many of you are aware of antitrust legislation?

WotC has competition in other companies. If WotC are the owners of D&D and they are the developers of the d20 system, it sounds strange if they could be hit by antitrust- laws when they reign in their own property?

From a moral POV I don't care about this and I don't think about it much, but from a technical POV I think WotC are acting perfectly within their rights. They made the system, they copyrighted it and they licensed it out. If you accept the concept of intellectual property, I think this is a clear cut case.

---

The main thing I'm interested in from 3rd party producers is adventures and settings and the GSL seems like it's made for that. I wouldn't cry even if WotC went TSR either, of course.

 

[Vempyre]

I don't know. How many of you are aware of antitrust legislation?

I personally wouldn't be talking of "obligations" in a legal way unless I had the knowledge to be able to make such statements. Which I don't happen to have. The question is, do you have the legal expertise (lawyer specialized in antitrust legislation for example) to make such statements yourself? I don't think we should take this discussion in that territory unless we have the proper expertise to do it.