GSL questions for Scott Rouse and Mike Lescault

[Lizard]

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!

-Mike

Sure. Is the actual GSL currently available, or is it, like the SRD, not available until June 6?

How do you legally define "fantasy"? Does Dragonmech count, for example? Does a modern-day setting with dragons and orcs count? Defining a genre in a way that will not be a confusing mess of legal pitfalls is pretty tough going; the Supreme Court couldn't even define "pornography" beyond "I know it when I see it".

You say

publishers who register with WotC will be granted the right to use a version of the D&D logo that denotes the product as compatible with the D&D 4th Edition Roleplaying Game

Does this mean publishers who do NOT register may still use the license and SRD, but not the logo?

How, if at all, does this license interact with the OGL? Is it permissable to reference material in the D20 3x SRD which is not part of 4e and produce third-party conversions of it?

 

[Lizard]

Duplicate post.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

Sure. Is the actual GSL currently available, or is it, like the SRD, not available until June 6?

The final GSL and SRD are forthcoming. I expect to have final drafts late next week with an aim to have them sent out the following.

How do you legally define "fantasy"? Does Dragonmech count, for example? Does a modern-day setting with dragons and orcs count? Defining a genre in a way that will not be a confusing mess of legal pitfalls is pretty tough going; the Supreme Court couldn't even define "pornography" beyond "I know it when I see it".

You are right this is hard to define. We'll work with the publishers on this if they want but i think most know where things fall. Thet did under the Modern and Fantasy SRDs in the OGL and I don't see this changing with the two GSLs.

Modern day setting with Dragons and Orcs sounds a lot Urban Arcana and would fall under D20. Dragon Mech has enough fantasy tropes that it could live probably live under D&D just like Eberron has Magic infused tech.

You say


Does this mean publishers who do NOT register may still use the license and SRD, but not the logo?

How, if at all, does this license interact with the OGL? Is it permissable to reference material in the D20 3x SRD which is not part of 4e and produce third-party conversions of it?

You must use the logo(s) under the terms of the GSL

The OGL and the GSL are mutually exclusive licenses.

Publishers can update titles done under the OGL to the GSL as long as they are compliant with the new license.

 

[catsclaw227]

Hi Scott --

This is great news! I noticed that the Oct 1st date is after GenCon. Will some of the publishers that received advanced be allowed to release content at GenCon?

 

[Lizard]

You are right this is hard to define. We'll work with the publishers on this if they want but i think most know where things fall. Thet did under the Modern and Fantasy SRDs in the OGL and I don't see this changing with the two GSLs.

However, since under the OGL all Open Content was equal, there was no formal, legal, distinction between the two SRDs -- it was just Open Game Content, identical to that produced by other publishers, or even non-D20 based OGC, like FUDGE and ACTION!, all of which could be intermixed as desired.

You must use the logo(s) under the terms of the GSL

So this means that publishers must register with WOTC prior to any use of the GSL. How does this interact with non-commercial use, or website use? Suppose I want to put up a web site with GSL material in October, 2008. I use Google Ads to make a smidgen of change from it. Do I need to register with WOTC to do this? Would it matter if I didn't have the ads?

Publishers can update titles done under the OGL to the GSL as long as they are compliant with the new license.

How does this work, precisely? Many works under the OGL quoted verbatim text from the SRD -- that was its purpose, things like feat descriptions, spell descriptions, monsters, and so on. Is there an explicit "safe harbor" provision for the use of this text in GSL works? If I use a monster (let us say, Brass Dragons) in an OGL adventure, and I want to publish a Brass Dragon in a 4e version of that adventure, am I allowed to base it on the Brass Dragon of the 3x SRD?

 

[Alzrius]

You are right this is hard to define. We'll work with the publishers on this if they want but i think most know where things fall. Thet did under the Modern and Fantasy SRDs in the OGL and I don't see this changing with the two GSLs.

Well, yes, but those were two different SRDs both released under the same umbrella agreement that was the OGL (for that matter, I'm not sure if the Modern and Fantasy SRDs both fell under the purview of the d20 STL or not, since both could have the d20 logo). Given that the two GSLs seem to be distinct (though likely similar) licenses, it might not be that simple. Would it be possible to publish a single product under both GSLs at the same time?

You must use the logo(s) under the terms of the GSL

Hm, I'm not sure I quite understand. The announcement said "publishers who register with WotC will be granted the right to use a version of the D&D logo that denotes the product as compatible with the D&D 4th Edition Roleplaying Game, in accordance with WotC’s terms and conditions." And you're saying that you must use the logo under the GSL. Does that mean that companies that want to use the D&D 4E GSL will be required to register with WotC?

What does such registration entail? Will it also cover the d20 GSL?

The OGL and the GSL are mutually exclusive licenses.

Publishers can update titles done under the OGL to the GSL as long as they are compliant with the new license.

I'm glad to hear that, but what will it do in regards to the pitfall of writing a 4E version of your 3.5E book if that includes someone else's OGC that's in your book?

Also, is there any language about GSL-based Open Game Content under the GSL(s)? Will people be able to use GSL-OGC from other 4E products in their own products?

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Scott, I'm sorry, I'm still a bit confused. Forgive me in advance if this question is obtuse.

You must use the logo(s) under the terms of the GSL

Does this mean:

a) You MUST use the logo(s), and you must do so under the terms of the GSL

or

b) IF you use the logos, it must be under the terms of the GSL.

 

[Vigilance]

This looks awesome.

I wish I was one of the lucky ones getting the material in advance but still awesome news.

 

[BryonD]

I'd say there is a 1% chance he has learned something and is being quiet and a 99% chance he just doesn't see any point in covering the same ground and contributing to keeping things stirred up in a lack of any further knowledge.

Dang, I should've taken the long odds.....

Good news WotC.

 

[lurkinglidda]

b) IF you use the logos, it must be under the terms of the GSL.

this

 

[Vigilance]

this

Wait, does that mean companies can use 4e materials under the existing OGL?

 

[lurkinglidda]

Wait, does that mean companies can use 4e materials under the existing OGL?

No. We've designed the licenses to be mutually exclusive.

 

[Vigilance]

No. We've designed the licenses to be mutually exclusive.

Ok, Im thoroughly confused.

So when you say if you use the logo, you must use the GSL, you're saying we can refrain from using the logo, and publish independent books, including modern books, but can only use materials from the 4e SRD in doing so?

 

[JohnRTroy]

How does this work, precisely? Many works under the OGL quoted verbatim text from the SRD -- that was its purpose, things like feat descriptions, spell descriptions, monsters, and so on. Is there an explicit "safe harbor" provision for the use of this text in GSL works? If I use a monster (let us say, Brass Dragons) in an OGL adventure, and I want to publish a Brass Dragon in a 4e version of that adventure, am I allowed to base it on the Brass Dragon of the 3x SRD?

Why would anybody bother doing so, though?

Remember, The 4e game is extremely different from the 3e one. Dragons don't have spell levels anymore, they have powers, the powers are really different, and the rules for characters have changed. Hit points, powers and effects, etc., it's all changing. All that's really left right now are ability scores and the d20 mechanic.

I mean, WoTC have said that they aren't going to bother with a "conversion book". It would be a lot less painful to take their 4e version of the creature and use that then try to convert a 3e version of something to the 4e version.

 

[Ourph]

The final GSL and SRD are forthcoming. I expect to have final drafts late next week with an aim to have them sent out the following.

Hey Scott, I had two questions.

First, will anyone other than the invited publishers be able to see the contents of the SRD before June 6th?

Second, is the GSL a completely open license (as in, anyone can publish using the GSL without previous approval from WotC) or will there be some sort of application/registration/vetting process involved in using the license?

Thanks for the info. I'm glad you guys can finally talk about this a little.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

Hey Scott, I had two questions.

First, will anyone other than the invited publishers be able to see the contents of the SRD before June 6th?

Likely not.

Second, is the GSL a completely open license (as in, anyone can publish using the GSL without previous approval from WotC) or will there be some sort of application/registration/vetting process involved in using the license?

Thanks for the info. I'm glad you guys can finally talk about this a little.

There is a registration card similar to the d20 STL but that is about it in terms of acceptance.

 

[Voadam]

The final GSL and SRD are forthcoming. I expect to have final drafts late next week with an aim to have them sent out the following.

Will the GSL be publicly available then or not until June?

Can you tell us now what types of products will not be permitted at all under the GSL? (stand alone variant games, srd type products, extreme bad taste products, Specific IP references, etc.)

Can you tell us what the specific goals WotC was trying to achieve by the changes between the GSL and OGL? (i.e limit products to support D&D so no stand alone variant games, prevent copy and paste commercial srds, prevent bad taste products, increase d20 value, etc.)

Thanks

 

[Scott_Rouse]

Will the GSL be publicly available then or not until June?

Can you tell us now what types of products will not be permitted at all under the GSL? (stand alone variant games, srd type products, extreme bad taste products, Specific IP references, etc.)

The allowed products will look a lot like those allowed under the d20 STL.

Can you tell us what the specific goals WotC was trying to achieve by the changes between the GSL and OGL? (i.e limit products to support D&D so no stand alone variant games, prevent copy and paste commercial srds, prevent bad taste products, increase d20 value, etc.)

Thanks

I would say the one primary goals was to allow 3PPs to produce products that supported 4e D&D products from WOTC by tapping into the network effect. In the process over the last few months non D&D 4e d20 came into the mix as well.

A little of all of these were in play as we discuss the GSL with the bid stand out being a license that drove support our core RPG business.

 

[crow81]

It sounds to me like WotC gave 3PP a royal kick in the pants by not allowing them to publish for GenCon. I for one will be interested in seeing the final document.

Not that I will play 4e but sorta like hey look at that car wreck.

 

[Orcus]

Scott.

Thanks.

And please tell Linae I said "thanks" too.

You guys really, really did great. I've had my faith and trust in you for so long. I am so glad to see this finally come to fruition.

Clark