Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Black Knight" data-source="post: 2808234" data-attributes="member: 1114">OK, I've been following this thread (and others like it on various boards and newsgroups). And what I don't understand is this....If you are not a) a writer/designer, b) a publisher, or c) any other industry professional (full or part time) that deals in designing a published work (published = any non-inhouse documentation meant for public use) what does it matter what is and isn't OGC for your home campaign? Why does an OGC declaration really matter in these cases? Heck, if you aren't using the source directly why does this even affect you at all (buying habits or mouthing off)?Matter of point: the OGC community is a rather small pool of even smaller fish who are relatively buddy-buddy with each other (myself included). If you like a mechanic in a product, just email, call, or carrier pidgeon the publisher and ask for rights to use it, IP or OGC. Even WotC allows some of their IP into 3rd-party products, all you have to do is ask politely.Resolution (fictitious email): "Hey Wulf! Mystic Heroes was fantastic! However, I'm unclear on what's OGC and I think X mechanic would be a fantastic addition to my homebrew Y. Can you decipher your declaration for me? And if mechanic X is not OGC, can I have your permission to use it? Thanks!"Looks pretty simple to me. The least he can do is say no (and then rants begin, but the statement, arguments, and recourses have already been made), but the best is say "yes, please feel free" or "pages W to Z are OGC and you can use it all anyway you want, but if you could please reword a bit so it doesn't look like a carbon copy, thanks!"Let's chug our coffee and swallow our pride here. The OGL is not a new thing, and every 2 months or so someone else blows up over product A, B, or C for not having the Section 15 right or the OGC Declaration spelled out in elementary english. It's nearly 2006, we've had what almost 6 years with the license? Boycotting products for lack of OGC usable by publishers when you are only playing at home (aka - telling your home campaign buddies not to buy X, Y, or Z because you don't like a declaration) is about the most heinous thing I've ever heard of. The shot on Monte's OGC is also a bit low. Go back and reread the license and usage agreement again, only 5% of any OGL product needs to be declared (this includes stuff directly from the SRD).Wulf, I congratulate you on OGCing the mechanics! Bravo! As a writer and designer I have no problems contacting you for a more direct meaning of your OGC or to ask permission for usage (and I may in the New Year).(/End of my rant!)</blockquote>

Verification