D&D 5E I'll make my own Fifth Edition.

[Dungeonosophy]

From my blog:

I'm going to hold off from 5E until I see whether, come springtime, it will be released as a Public Domain open game or not.

Why?

If you read my Third Golden Age of Roleplay essay, you'll see why. I wrote that a few days ago. Then I saw the prices for the upcoming D&D products: $50 per adventure...above and beyond the $150 for the core rules! Hasbro and I live in a different economy. (And no, I don't see many films either.)

I've resolved to refrain from buying a single Hasbro product until D&D is freed into the public domain of Free Culture.

(Edit: after conversing with my EN World fellows, I've amended my resolve to refrain from buying a single Hasbro product until the degree of Openness of the rules set is revealed in early 2015. My decision then will hinge on whether it is Open enough for me to invest my interest and coin. Public Domain is the most unequivocaby Open.)

This is what I'm going to do: I'm going to make a D&D campaign that uses only three resources:

• 1) The few rpg books I already own.
• 2) Free downloads. That includes the 5E D&D Basic Rules.
• 3) My own homebrewed imagination.

I'll patch together my own set of rules. Here's a complete list of my rpg library:

• Blue Rose RPG and Blue Rose Companion by Green Ronin
• Dragon Age RPG by Green Ronin
• Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG by Goodman Games
• The One Ring RPG by Cubicle 7
• Pathfinder Beginner Box by Paizo
• True20 Revised Edition by Green Ronin

That's plenty!

I have one player already, and we're set to embark next Sunday.

 

[SilverfireSage]

Where do you live where you can't get the books off of amazon for $30 each? That's pretty much as cheap as any of the books have ever been.

 

[jodyjohnson]

Sometimes one has more time than money, and other times, one would have more money than time.

Personally, the time vs. money trade-off is a no-brainer. Good luck on your endeavor.

 

[Vicar In A Tutu]

Good luck! Let us know how it turns out

 

[Umbran]

Sometimes one has more time than money, and other times, one would have more money than time.

Yah. And your time has value.

Now, if you enjoy the "work" required to put it all together, so that it, too, is as important a part of your hobby as sessions of play, then you are golden*, and set for a great time.

If not... well, then you've bought into a false savings. It becomes like knitting your own socks, on principle of the thing.




*If you're really good at it, you can turn the thing on its head - rather than spend time creating game materials for you and one lone player, create them for sale to the public, and perhaps earn back some of the time. Use that money to buy things for your game, since the thing you create for sale may not be what you actually want to play at home. If you aren't good at it... Low-quality product at cost of time is better than (hopefully) higher quality product at cost of $$?

 

[BryonD]

With that limited library you are going to run out of options.

I mean, you've only got 40 years, tops. Probably 38. Maybe a little less.

 

[Rune]

• Blue Rose RPG and Blue Rose Companion by Green Ronin
• Dragon Age RPG by Green Ronin
• Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG by Goodman Games
• The One Ring RPG by Cubicle 7
• Pathfinder Beginner Box by Paizo
• True20 Revised Edition by Green Ronin

.

I note that one of the games on your list (The One Ring) is certainly not open source and has a suggested retail price well over $50.

I am curious, given the strong opinions expressed in the essay, how or why this game made it into your library.

 

[delericho]

Well, good for you! (Edit: in case it wasn't clear, that was sincere, not sarcastic. )

Just one thing, though...

If you read my Third Golden Age of Roleplay essay, you'll see why. I wrote that a few days ago. Then I saw the prices for the upcoming D&D products: $50 per adventure...

Nitpick: the Tyranny of Dragons adventures are $30 each, and can be had from Amazon US for considerably less than that.

 

[Remathilis]

1.) The term you are looking for is not "Public Domain." Its "Open Licensed". Public Domain means nobody owns the trademark to the material and you can do what you want with it. (For example: the character of Sherlock Holmes or Count Dracula). "Open Licensed" means the rules are free to use, but you can't claim ownership of them. Every 3pp book from 2000 to today has needed to put the OGL in the book, and WotC CAN and WILL sue today if you don't.

2.) You're thinking too small man. Blue Rose? Here's all of True20. Beginners Box? How about ALL of Pathfinder. How about some d20 Modern? Big Eyes Small Mouth? Mutants & Masterminds? Don't forget their granddaddy: 3.5 D&D

3.) Beyond that, I wish you luck. I'm broke too, but since I don't plan on following the APs (and I'm getting my books via Amazon) the cost is acceptable to me. So enjoy and good gaming.

 

[Iosue]

1.) The term you are looking for is not "Public Domain." Its "Open Licensed". Public Domain means nobody owns the trademark to the material and you can do what you want with it. (For example: the character of Sherlock Holmes or Count Dracula). "Open Licensed" means the rules are free to use, but you can't claim ownership of them. Every 3pp book from 2000 to today has needed to put the OGL in the book, and WotC CAN and WILL sue today if you don't.

If you read the blog post linked to in the OP, you'll see that he does indeed mean "public domain".

 

[Mercurius]

From my blog:

I'm going to hold off from 5E until I see whether, come springtime, it will be released as a Public Domain open game or not.

Without having read your essay, though, it remains unclear what you actually mean. Do you actually mean public domain? Ain't gonna happen. Or do you mean open license? Or are you actually asking for everything to be free?

Anyhow, you've got the 5E rules if you want to play them - its called Basic D&D. You could play D&D for the rest of your life with just that one (updating) PDF document. What more are you asking for?

Also, you do realize that there is cost involved to produce games like 5E? Mearls & his Evil Corporate Cronies do need to feed their families.

 

[drjones]

The existence of completely free basic makes this a strange complaint. Just run it forever, problem solved.

 

[Morrus]

I got a little lost with this one. I agree, I want an open licensed game (but you're talking complete public domain, something else entirely). You won't buy a product unless its free? And your reasoning is that you can't afford it? Presumably this means that there is no point at which you will purchase D&D, unless I'm completely misunderstanding you? You're not a consideration as a customer, potential or otherwise?

The thing is, if companies give you all their stuff for free, they have no money to make new stuff. If you want the new stuff from WotC, they need revenue stream. If you don't want WotC's new stuff, then the whole point is moot.

I mean, phrases like "here’s why the existing monetization of the PDF downloads will be a hindrance to sales of 5E worldbooks: I don’t have the money to buy a bunch of PDFs" amount to "I think you should give me stuff for free because I can't afford to buy it". I'm sorry to hear of your financial woes, but maybe you should try that tactic down at the local supermarket or somesuch? It's not a convincing argument for anything.

Why D&D in particular? Why not Batman? Or Doctor Who? Or your car? Or JK Rowling's next book? Or do you feel all those should be free, too? If so, what's the motivation to spend $2B making The Dark Knight?

 

[Remathilis]

If you read the blog post linked to in the OP, you'll see that he does indeed mean "public domain".

I see that now.

Without having read your essay, though, it remains unclear what you actually mean. Do you actually mean public domain? Ain't gonna happen. Or do you mean open license? Or are you actually asking for everything to be free?

Anyhow, you've got the 5E rules if you want to play them - its called Basic D&D. You could play D&D for the rest of your life with just that one (updating) PDF document. What more are you asking for?

Also, you do realize that there is cost involved to produce games like 5E? Mearls & his Evil Corporate Cronies do need to feed their families.

Yeah, the essay is more political manifesto than gaming manifesto. While I can agree (as close as I can to getting to the "No politics" rule) that the public domain should be expanded, I got three words for him: Ain't Gonna Happen.

WotC has decided that the D&D trademark is more valuable than the D&D rules. They repeatedly said they are going to sell us D&D the RPG, D&D the MMO, D&D the T-Shirt, D&D the Heroblocks, D&D the FLAME THROWER (the kids love this). Even if they release the Basic Game free (and its more a fully functioning demo than anything) and then later licence/OGL 5e, I don't see them relinquishing the rights to "the Public domain" anymore than I see Superman, Darth Vader, Iron Man, Optimus Prime, or Bugs Bunny going into the Public Domain. This is a capitalistic society and if they have something they think will sell, they will sell it.

What really defeats the author's intent in the One Ring RPG on his list. Cubicle 7 is a great company, but they deal in licensed works. Tolkien's estate has the copyright on LotR/Hobbit/Expanded and I don't really expect them to give THAT cash cow up. I guaranteed the OP if he wrote a story about Legolas and Gimli the way he could about Dracula and Holmes, he'd meet Christopher Tolkien's lawyers in short order. So neither the source material nor the ruleset is even Open, much less Public. (Paizo and Green Ronin are both half-a-step further; the rules are open but don't use a Paizo goblin on the cover of your work).

Which cycles back to my original sentiment: Good luck. D&D is WELL within the 75 years after the life of the author(s), and I don't reckon they see any point in giving away the IP anymore than Warner Brothers, Disney, or Tolkien does. Enjoy the Basic PDF and the linked SRDs.

 

[Mercurius]

OK, I just read your blog article - a really enjoyable read, actually, the sentiment of which, and castigation of corporatism, I generally agree with.

That said, there are a couple areas of contention for me. I mean, I agree with the spirit of what you are saying, but the thing is you can still do what you seemingly want to do, which is--as the Greyhawk quote goes--"Now this world is to do with as you wish!"

But where I sense a bit of contradiction (although not duplicity), is that while you want everything to be free, you still want the freedom to make money off of it. In other words, you already have the kind of creative freedom that you want - you can tinker with, improve, kit-bash etc to your heart's content - up to the point of charging money for it.

So I ask you, why is that necessary? If what you really want is a kind of creative freedom--which you already have--why do you want the freedom to make money off of someone else's intellectual property?

I would suggest that you continue to write your own versions of Mystara and other D&D worlds, and then offer them for free, but if you want to get into the economic side of things, create your own world. Take your urge for creative freedom all the way and create from your own imagination. While, at the same time, working for the broader economic freedoms that you speak about.

As an aside, with regards to your "five hindrances" to the "Second Golden Age" of D&D, I think you missed one: the deluge of mediocrity that the OGL inspired. Don't get me wrong, I loved the OGL, but more in principle than in practice; by opening the door for anyone to publish, a whole truckload of mediocrity ensued, and it became increasingly difficult to wade through the chaff to get to the golden kernels.

Finally, as for your suggested actions, I like the idea of #1 but don't think it will happen, at least not in the "free for all" fashion you described - and at least not in the near future. I think we'll see something, probably somewhere between the OGL and GSL.

#2 seems even less likely, at least as long as Hasbro owns D&D. But again, maybe in some years. But we do need folks such as yourself to work for it!

Anyhow, I just want to make clear that I broadly support your endeavor and the spirit of your argument. I would just consider some flexibility, that it doesn't have to be either/or (completely free or corporate oligarchy), and that there is a path of gradual unfolding that can occur, and perhaps is occurring.

 

[Jer]

They repeatedly said they are going to sell us D&D the RPG, D&D the MMO, D&D the T-Shirt, D&D the Heroblocks, D&D the FLAME THROWER (the kids love this).

OT: I thought you were joking about this. But I Googled it - how did I miss out that D&D Kre-o blocks actually exist? Since January according to that page. I even have a 6 year old and go into the Lego aisles at every store that carries toys as if it was a religious shrine and we were on a pilgrimage. I blame the fact that they're not actually Legos.

 

[Remathilis]

OT: I thought you were joking about this. But I Googled it - how did I miss out that D&D Kre-o blocks actually exist? Since January according to that page. I even have a 6 year old and go into the Lego aisles at every store that carries toys as if it was a religious shrine and we were on a pilgrimage. I blame the fact that they're not actually Legos.

Yup. I wish they were more "Iconic" and less "missile-fired combat game". Sure, we have Drizzt, but where are the dwarves, elves, halflings, dragons, goblins, and beholders.

 

[Umbran]

The thing is, if companies give you all their stuff for free, they have no money to make new stuff. If you want the new stuff from WotC, they need revenue stream. If you don't want WotC's new stuff, then the whole point is moot.

His posit is that cultural materials should be available as "pay what you want". Part of the point is to get corporations out of the way - he thinks they influence the culture by imposing a requirement of profitability upon it. Art and culture should be supported by direct audience gifts, without the middleman trying to make a buck off it.

Why D&D in particular? Why not Batman? Or Doctor Who? Or your car? Or JK Rowling's next book? Or do you feel all those should be free, too? If so, what's the motivation to spend $2B making The Dark Knight?

Well, The Dark Knight took only $185 million to make - you're off by a factor of 10. But, yes, pretty much any project that it out of the reach of say, a large Kickstarter, is very unlikely to ever see the light of day under this scheme.

And, perhaps more directly important to this particular topic - why must D&D be free, when you're willing to use other materials that are most assuredly still covered by copyright and licensing? Hasbro must make it all public domain, but these other publishers don't?

 

[rjfTrebor]

you should move to a cave and live as an ancient Chinese philosopher to get spiritually closer to your cosmically-pure D&D (just remember the ampersand is a trademark).

 

[Jester David]

(off topic, but is anyone else adding "with blackjack and hookers" at the end of the title?)