GSL news.

[Nahat Anoj]

I, too, am please to hear this news. I was beginning to think that there wouldn't be any kind of "open" license in 4e. I hope this time around that they got it right so that it does what they intend (that is, sell more WotC books).

 

[Yair]

Excellent news.

I'm particularly happy that the license will apparently be a free license, and not require registration with WotC if you don't use the D&D logo. I was (I admit) pretty certain that it would impose such a barrier to entry, at least registration if not actual fees.

My fears are not completely alleviated as I'm still leery of STL-like terms, but I'm now fairly confident the license will allow entry for individual fans or fan groups in the future, which was a huge concern for me (I'm thinking of the entry of people that aren't a business, at least initially - like the folks of Inner Circles Games, Dreamscarred Press, and so on - I enjoyed their products, and only a free license could allow me to enjoy similar innovations in the future).

I doubt the GSL will satisfy my personal desires, but I certainly think it's looking good from what little information WotC released regarding it.

 

[mach1.9pants]

I had been looking forward to making two 3PP purchases from Necromancer at GenCon this year in regards to 4E (Tome of Horrors 4E and Advanced Player's Guide). From reading the announcements, I believe that I'll have to wait until October now. Is that correct?

With Regards,
Flynn

Looks like it to me

The effective start date for sales of D&D 4E GSL publications will be October 1, 2008

Bugger I wanted the APHB ASAP!

 

[cthulhu_duck]

Well I'm sure the fact that A.) There is a GSL out ...

Maybe I'm misreading everything, but it sounded to me like Wizards announcement was that there will be a GSL, not that it's out yet -

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?p=4170348 for example says:

We have yet to see the Game System License that will govern the exact products we can create...

 

[Ydars]

Flynn; if you look carefully at the announcement it is Oct THIS year, not next. I am not sure when GenCon is in the US (never managed to get over there for it) but if Necro get writing with the GSL/SRD supplied now or shortly, they should be able to get something out for Oct.

Montkiva; this annoucement is a very significant shift because, as I understand it, WoTCs previous policy was not to let any 3rd party publish before GenCon and only those paying $5000 would be allowed to do even this; everyone else would have had to wait until Jan 2009 to publish!

Now anyone can publish from October this year; OK so if you don't get the SRD and rules until June this is not much time to get soemthing together, but I think the gesture from WoTC is VERY significant. They are really trying to send a message to the 3rd party publishers and to us, the dedicated gamers, that they WANT 3rd party support for 4E.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

Scott, thank you for responding here. It is appreciated.

If you would, please answer one more:

How do the smaller publishers--not on the list--go about getting the SRD before June to get their products ready by the October opening sales date?

The license and SRD will be available to everyone starting June 6th. The idea behind this and our decision to choose a handful of publishers to get it early was based on a number of criteria including publishers who sell print products. The lead times on print necessitate that they get a jump.

Small publishers who sell direct, print on demand, or PDF products can be quicker to market than larger publishers who sell books through more traditional multi-tiered distribution systems.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

The license and SRD will be available to everyone starting June 6th. The idea behind this and our decision to choose a handful of publishers to get it early was based on a number of criteria including publishers who sell print products. The lead times on print necessitate that they get a jump.

Small publishers who sell direct, print on demand, or PDF products can be quicker to market than larger publishers who sell books through more traditional multi-tiered distribution systems.

Oh, come on. We all know the selected publishers ended up on the list because they paid for your beer at GenCon and then ended up with those photos you don't want to see posted on the internet.

 

[breschau]

The license and SRD will be available to everyone starting June 6th. The idea behind this and our decision to choose a handful of publishers to get it early was based on a number of criteria including publishers who sell print products. The lead times on print necessitate that they get a jump.

Small publishers who sell direct, print on demand, or PDF products can be quicker to market than larger publishers who sell books through more traditional multi-tiered distribution systems.

Thank you.

 

[Jon Wake]

So wait, I was lead to believe that WoTC was just holding all the millions of dollars they extorted from beleaguered publishers (most of whom are being kept in locked hot boxes in the Mexican desert like that really good episode of Batman) to fund their continued experiments with cat-duck hybrids. Are you telling me all those people on the internets were wrong? Is that it?

I find that hard to buy, Sir.

I'm glad.

Unfortunately, this is very bad news for Paizo. Breaking even with Pathfinder just got harder: they stood a good chance when there was the implication that only a tiny handful of publishers would be able to afford the GSL and Pathfinder would be the only game in town for the disgruntled D&D kid. Now there will be a plethora of alternatives takes on D&D (like there are now) and the potential marketshare just dropped through the floor.

I'd put even money on Paizo doing 4E books inside of two years.

 

[Sara_G]

Oh, come on. We all know the selected publishers ended up on the list because they paid for your beer at GenCon and then ended up with those photos you don't want to see posted on the internet.

We don't talk about that.