Legal question.

[Ranger REG]

I don't understand why Wizards would be so against game that, 99 out of 100 times, are completely free. It's not like thei're losing profit or potential game sales... it's a TEXT - based video game!

It's not that they're against it. They're not sure how it can be implemented into that medium. Wizards is a pen-and-paper RPG publisher (as well as a TCG maker). So they make the license based on their expertise, print publishing which now also extends to electronic document publishing.

If you can make such an OGL-based computer game that allow the data code containing the SRD to be used by other aspiring programmer (by OGL definition, it is a derivative of the OGC, so derivative must also be OGC) while you can keep your program source code propietary (or not), than that's great.

As for the d20 logo, that is Wizards' trademark. Its restrictive license forbid using their trademark on computer game or any interactive software (they want to corner that market, as is their right). If you want, either secure permission from Wizards to use the logo or just don't use the logo.

 

[Planesdragon]

If you can make such an OGL-based computer game that allow the data code containing the SRD to be used by other aspiring programmer (by OGL definition, it is a derivative of the OGC, so derivative must also be OGC) while you can keep your program source code propietary (or not), than that's great.

That's one of the dead-horse snags, actually.

It's very plausible that a program designed to read data sets of a specific type--like one that reads "stat blocks"--could be construted by a court to be "derivitive" of the data set--in this case, the SRD, meaning the program (or part of the program) must be OGC.

It's much, much, MUCH simpler to make the whole thing OGC--but getting authority to contribute is, like I said above, one of the noted snags.

 

[Drawmack]

There are two very tricky parts of doing a computer program that makes use of the OGL.

1) Clearly marked OGC. Easiest way around this keep ALL data in files in the same directory and designate everything in that directory as open content with the program itself as PI.

2) The clause about no other restrictions. The OLG has a clause that states you cannot put any restrictions other then those in the OGL on anything released as OGC. If you take my advice above this is not a problem. However if you mingle code and OGC then the only way to clearly seperate things is to open some of the code as OGC. You can do this, but you've got to read all the licenses on all the software you use to write your software and make sure that none of them restrict you in any way. This is why most of the OGL programs are not written in compiled languages (java excluded) because the compilers often link their own stuff into the exe and then put restrictions on what you can do with that exe.

 

[DaveStebbins]

I don't understand why Wizards would be so against game that, 99 out of 100 times, are completely free. It's not like thei're losing profit or potential game sales... it's a TEXT - based video game!

Might be my memory playing tricks on me, but didn't WotC sell exclusive rights to making interactive game software based on D&D to someone? If so, allowing people to make interactive d20 games could easily be a breach of that contract. That could be why the d20 STL prohibits it.

-Dave
If my memory is wrong, I apologize.