GSL news.

[pawsplay]

I mean, I haven't heard White Wolf called "anti-competitive", and they don't let anyone else publish game material based on their system/IP (with the exception of some very specific, short-term license agreements.)

But what do people say about Palladium?

 

[AZRogue]

I don't mind the restriction ... BUT I really don't like that it impacts very popular games like MM, Spycraft, Conan, True20, etc. I wish the clause that prohibits companies from still releasing under the OGL could be made to exclude those games that developed into their own mini-systems. That's a lot of talent, and a lot of entertainment, that would be lost and that's very sad.

Adventures, supplements, settings, optional rulebooks, I don't mind being forced to be discontinued. But I think that the mini-systems that can stand on their own shouldn't be included in the restriction. I WANT those games out there.

Anyway, we'll see how this all plays out.

 

[Jon Wake]

This is actually really good news for gaming itself. D&D 4E products will be distinct from the current morass of d20 products, and hopefully it will force some publishers who could just slap the 'd20' OGL on with little more than the fact you rolled a d20 at some point to innovate their own game systems and stop thinking one mechanic fits all settings. The greatest diversity in the market came from the old TSR days.

 

[breschau]

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.?

Some related questions: how distanced do Necro and Paizo have to be in order for one to sell 4E stuff and the other to sell 3E stuff? If most of the Paizo guys have writing credits on Necro books, does that violate the GSL? Will writers have to pick sides or else risk violating their publishers' contracts? If Paizo can keep publishing Pathfinder, but still work with Necro on 4E stuff, what's the difference between that and just starting up a 4E company, keeping it distanced from Paizo, but still selling its stuff in the Paizo store and getting the best of both worlds?

This sounds like a disaster to me. If not immediately, then a few months from now, when companies like Paizo and Green Ronin are going to have their backs to the wall: abandon support of your popular main lines, or force your fans to discard their existing books and buy all new books to achieve compliance with the new system.

This also looks to me like it could turn into a PR nightmare for WotC. I'm not a big GR fan, but I bet there are going to be a lot of people who are pretty pissed off that GR must choose between supporting True20 and supporting 4E. The fan base will split between the people who want GR to move to the new system and write supplements, and people who want True20 to keep getting support. That could endanger GR's existence, and the loss of a quality company like that can only hurt the hobby. Same goes for Paizo, although they'll probably have an easier time migrating Pathfinder since it's a world, not a system.

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.

This.

WotC may be able to require OGL or GSL products by a single company. But, there's nothing stopping each of the companies listed from having a subsidiary (or closely related company using the same writers/devs on a freelance basis) enabling them to produce both. There are so many vagaries in this that's it's an almost pointless restriction. All this does is prevent GR from producing Freeport in 4E and continuing 3.x support. But, does it really? Couldn't GR sell the 4E rights to a subsidiary company? GR produces the 3.x products, while the sub produces the 4E stuff. I don't see how WotC could restrict any company from licensing their own Intellectual Property.

 

[Gundark]

What a silly analogy. No one has taken any childrens' toys here. No one has even "taken" the D&D rules from WotC.

What people did do was utilize a license designed to allow sharing.

Stealing toys...

No sillier than the WotC=Spoiled children arguement made earlier

 

[Lizard]

I mean, I haven't heard White Wolf called "anti-competitive", and they don't let anyone else publish game material based on their system/IP (with the exception of some very specific, short-term license agreements.)

But what do people say about Palladium?

Nothing which can be repeated under board rules.

 

[Gundark]

For what its worth, I dont like it one bit either. I'm disappointed that they went this way. I am surprised, too.

Surprised...a little. Dissappointed...well considering what Mr. Rouse said about the 7 figure development figure...I can see why they'd want to maximise their return potential

 

[The Little Raven]

But what do people say about Palladium?

That their owner is kinda a punk sometimes, and their policies over their own material can be a bit draconian, but I don't think anyone with any merit has ever claimed to be able to litigate an anti-competition suit against them.

 

[Jack of Shadows]

FFG might get back into PNP games? That's neat.

Ummm,

You may want to do a search for a little thing called Dark Heresy. Just sayin'.

JoS

 

[La Bete]

I try not to touch the stuff.

heh. touche, and all that.