GSL questions for Scott Rouse and Mike Lescault

[Orcus]

While I'm disappointed that the GSL won't open up the rules as the OGL did, it does have the added benefit of focusing folks on the D&D brand and compatibility with it. In exchange it seems that WotC is opening up more of their IP, something I always found strange before. While you were encouraged to support 3.x, supporting their support material wasn't easy (maybe if you asked nicely), why reinvent the wheel if WotC already did a marvelous job on it. WotC did a wonderfull Samurai, how many variant Samurai were presented in numerous rules supplements by third part publishers? If you could include the Samurai class from WotC by stating "The Samurai class is taken from Oriental Adventures published by WotC.", this would interest folks in that book, while saving publishers the time of 'inventing' a new class.

C-

I'm not sure that the "GSL won't open up the rules as the OGL did." In fact, I am pretty sure that it will, just not in the same way--the rules wont be in the same SRD format all typed out. In fact, as you mention, it appears that their intent is to allow more access to the rules and supplements by continued expansion of the content that can be referred to (something Wizards didn't do well in 3E/3.5; stuff just stopped with the original SRD and Epic and Psionic, if you wanted to refer to stuff from other books you couldn't, which sucked). We'll just have to see. Right now, no one knows what the GSL will do. But from discussions at the conference call, it seems clear that they don't want third parties using their free license to create stand alone games, a la M&M, etc. (they didn't mention any specific games or companies during the conference call, but I think everyone got the point).

 

[Orcus]

So, I'm getting the impression that there won't be any variant PHB's... That would make me very sad. My wife and wallet will be happy however. Those games never stopped me from purchasing WotC stuff. They did excite me about d20 however.

I think there will be. But I guess I'm not sure what you mean by variant PHBs. My guess is WotC will make a 4E Modern. If allowed, I intend to do an Advanced Player's Guide with the omitted classes, races, etc. So we'll see...

 

[Bacris]

But I guess I'm not sure what you mean by variant PHBs.

I'm assuming he means ala Arcana Unearthed / Iron Heroes.

Still d20, still fantasy, just not using the WotC PHB.

 

[Henry]

I don't think you CAN have a competing RPG against D&D, but that's a windmill to tilt at in another thread.

 

[Crashy75]

I'm assuming he means ala Arcana Unearthed / Iron Heroes.

Still d20, still fantasy, just not using the WotC PHB.

That's it.

 

[Orcus]

That's it.

Hard to say. Iron Heroes/Arcana Unearthed still support core D&D. But they do replace the PHB to some extent. I dont know. That's a hard one. I know they arent excited about complete systems that stand alone without D&D. I'm not sure IH/AE goes that far. It will be interesting to see what is restricted by the GSL. I hope things like IH/AE are allowed.

I would say it would be shortsighted to stop stuff like that.

 

[xechnao]

Oh, please. :\

You make it sound like the reason Magic: The Gathering sell is because at one time WotC was selling Pokemon TCG.

MtG is a different story. It is a collectible competitive affair that focuses on a solo investment like Quake or Counterstrike or even WoW -or even the hobbist affair Games Workshop sells. You need just a good product -not an attractive covering or package to sell it.

I'm gonna tell you again. We don't need Star Wars to sell D&D. We have a much bigger RPG fanbase than Star Wars RPG fanbase (counting the d6 gamers too).

It is not about the "RPG fanbase" but rather the "fanbase". If you can understand the difference.

 

[Crashy75]

Hard to say. Iron Heroes/Arcana Unearthed still support core D&D. But they do replace the PHB to some extent. I dont know. That's a hard one. I know they arent excited about complete systems that stand alone without D&D. I'm not sure IH/AE goes that far. It will be interesting to see what is restricted by the GSL. I hope things like IH/AE are allowed.

I would say it would be shortsighted to stop stuff like that.

Agreed. The thing about AU especially was that it could be used with the PHB with no problem. There was no alt. rogue or ranger for example(though the warmein could be seen as an alt. fighter).

 

[Ranger REG]

It is not about the "RPG fanbase" but rather the "fanbase". If you can understand the difference.

Unfortunately, I'm not seeing any mass movement from the [general] Star Wars fanbase picking up the RPG from WotC. I'm hoping.

 

[xechnao]

Unfortunately, I'm not seeing any mass movement from the [general] Star Wars fanbase picking up the RPG from WotC. I'm hoping.

This is not my point. Star Wars being more mainstream (as an idea) gives a better consumer "excuse" to establish D&D. People are more likely to accept any of D&D's price (from money and time investment to gaining negative social "labels") if it somehow connects to Star Wars which is already massively accepted and established.