GSL questions for Scott Rouse and Mike Lescault

[Orcus]

Hey Clark,

The problem I have with the statement above is that it implies something that isn't true. Yes WotC saved D&D, but that was a WotC run by Peter and a vision of D&D run by Ryan. It's a VERY different company right now and I'm not sure that the people in positions that matter care that much about Open Gaming.

I hope I'm wrong, because I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing if it wasn't for the OGL, but I'm starting to think I'm not. :/

Hyrum.

Hyrum-

To some extent you are right. It is different people. But I have spoken with Scott and Linae about this stuff. I know they believe in open gaming. I know they see the value of it. I know they understand the value of the 3P publishers to migrating existing customers to 4E. I know they understand the value of keeping people playing D&D.

What I cant tell you is how far that gets us.

But I think they deserve our benefit of the doubt.

Clark

 

[Nosey Goblin]

If you scroll up this page of the thread, you will see my four options as I see them. You asked what I would counsel Wizards to pick. Either B or C. In my thread I guessed they would do C, which is how I would structure the GSL if I was them.

Ah, I must have missed them. Thanks.

Personally, I'm of the opinion that it would be nice to get a definitive answer - no matter if its what we want to hear or not - just so folks can start moving forward.


Shane

 

[HyrumOWC]

Hyrum-

To some extent you are right. It is different people. But I have spoken with Scott and Linae about this stuff. I know they believe in open gaming. I know they see the value of it. I know they understand the value of the 3P publishers to migrating existing customers to 4E. I know they understand the value of keeping people playing D&D.

What I cant tell you is how far that gets us.

But I think they deserve our benefit of the doubt.

Clark

I've got no doubt that Scott and Linae are on our side.

But, I don't know if the VP of their department is, much less the new guy from Hasbro.

Hyrum.

 

[mhensley]

But, I don't know if the VP of their department is, much less the new guy from Hasbro.

Here's his picture.

 

[dmccoy1693]

I know they understand the value of keeping people playing D&D.

Orcus, you and Mona and top 3rd party publishers have vouched for Rouse and many others in the past. So I have no doubt that they are all pro-OGL people. My (and sounds like others) doubts are about those that sign their pay checks.

 

[Orcus]

Orcus, you and Mona and top 3rd party publishers have vouched for Rouse and many others in the past. So I have no doubt that they are all pro-OGL people. My (and sounds like others) doubts are about those that sign their pay checks.

I hear what you are saying.

But consider this: if they were going to have killed open gaming, they could have done it already. All this hair pulling and tooth gnashing that seems to be going on over there suggests to me that the struggle is over HOW to do it, not over WHETHER OR NOT to do it at all.

That is one of the things that keeps me positive.

Clark

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I hear what you are saying.

But consider this: if they were going to have killed open gaming, they could have done it already. All this hair pulling and tooth gnashing that seems to be going on over there suggests to me that the struggle is over HOW to do it, not over WHETHER OR NOT to do it at all.

That is one of the things that keeps me positive.

Clark

Or are they contemplating so long how they kill it? Totally? For 3.x, too?
Maybe they are developing a time machine to retroactively undo the OGL, or rather add a special caluse "This license is only applicable until June 2008, after which no more products under this license may be published" to avoid the timeline changing to much...

 

[dmccoy1693]

But consider this: if they were going to have killed open gaming, they could have done it already. All this hair pulling and tooth gnashing that seems to be going on over there suggests to me that the struggle is over HOW to do it, not over WHETHER OR NOT to do it at all.

Fair point. What do you think of this counter-point? How do you cook frog legs? If you put the live frog in a pot of boiling water, it'll jump out before you can get the lid on. If you put it in a pot of cold water and slowly heat it, he'll stay in and die.

What if we're looking at the OGL from the wrong angle? What if it's not WotC vs. Customers/3rd party publishers? What if instead the real struggle is between Upper Management and Employees? If Upper Management told their employees before GenCon that 4E would not be open, how many of them would have been as gung-ho pro-4E if they knew they had to face their friends at Paizo at their weekly games and tell them that their boss just killed the game they're writing for? How many of them would have been as excited about their game if they knew they weren't going to surprise their fellow employees with a monster out of the Tome of Horrors? How fast would morale sink? How many former Paizo employees would quit and seek out a job with Paizo? How many OGL supporters would follow? How many of them would do like Monte Cook and start their own company?

Possible scenario: Upper management tells the employees that they are not going to issue anything to 3rd party publishers until the employees finish the rules. They get them in binders and then have a confrence call with publishers. They get NDAs. Then upper management "raises the water temperature some" by saying they're not going to do an OGL but a GSL and its going to take time to develop this new license. 2 months later, still no license. The final books are sent off to the publisher. They still need their employees for supplements so they announce they're still vetting the final policy. And once their employees get use to the idea of there being D&D products without 3rd party support, they announce there will be no open gaming.

What do you think?

(For the record, I use to be middle management. Management does have to consider the logistics of employee retention in their plans. Yes, I am very glad I am no longer at that job.)

 

[xechnao]

What do you think?

I think that it is difficult to believe that the employees get to know or suspect nothing if such a plan is in case. Equally I think it is difficult to hide and have such a plan against your employees.

 

[dmccoy1693]

I think that it is difficult to believe that the employees get to know or suspect nothing if such a plan is in case. Equally I think it is difficult to hide and have such a plan against your employees.

Factories get closed, subsideraries get sold off, departments get downsized all the time without employees suspecting until a public announcement is made.