[LPJDesign] OGL 3.5 logo created to replace D20 Logo for 3rd Party Publishers

[Goblinoid Games]

Cute, but you know what? "Oggle" just isn't sexy as a brand. "3.5 System Compatible" sounds sort of interesting.

Maybe something like:

System35
OpenSystem

I don't know. "d20" is a twenty times sexier than OGL.

Even more importantly, IMHO, is that with WoTC no longer supporting the OGL, the OGL will come to mean a lot of different things as we have Runequest, Traveller, and many other games released under it. I know publishers have gotten a lot of mileage in the past out of advertising OGL=d20, and WoTC never stepped in to defend that trademark, but I think the meaning of "OGL" will become muddy in the future, and a logo like this would do better to have the "3.5" part be the part that is larger. When I put "OGL" on a product, it only means that the product is released under the OGL and supports open gaming. I don't use it to indicate any sort of compatibility, because the OGL is a license, not a system.

 

[tensen]

A logo like this, while a neat idea, is likely not going to see widespread adoption by the larger publishers. The question is, "What value do I derive from this?" My customers know what my prodcuts are. The d20 logo hasnt really been of much use for some time now. A replacement logo that isnt official is even less valuable.

I can already say "Third Edition" or "Revised Third Edition" witout that logo.

The only difference now is that many think there is the need to put something over the d20 logos that are on several thousand .pdfs out in the market. Or at least the presumed need.

 

[Cergorach]

I think that this is the best looking attempt so far. It's clear, it jumps out, and is released at the right time (discontinuation of D20STL). It's about the same size as the D20 logo, so it should be easy to replace the D20 logo. A couple of publishers could even mass produce this as stickers so their older stock can be relabeled (if/when WotC demands it to be removed from old stock).

I really hope this gets adopted by more, if not all, publishers.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I really hope this gets adopted by more, if not all, publishers.

I think you hit the nail on the head. I'll reiterate:

1) It looks professional. It's not overdesigned.

2) Louis has released it 100% no strings attached. It has no agenda.

3) The timing is right.

I'll very strongly consider using it.


That being said, I really wish Louis didn't spam this announcement across every forum. Bad form.

 

[lmpjr007]

Here are my personal comments on the whole OGL Logo and 4e:

http://www.lpjdesign.com/RPGPG.php

 

[Voadam]

I can already say "Third Edition" or "Revised Third Edition" witout that logo.

Are you talking about the authorized compatibility language under the d20 STL or saying you can say that on any OGL product?

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Are you talking about the authorized compatibility language under the d20 STL or saying you can say that on any OGL product?

I assume he means that since "Third Edition" or "Revised Third Edition" are not trademarks, authorized compatibility language is irrelevant.

 

[Big Mac]

A logo like this, while a neat idea, is likely not going to see widespread adoption by the larger publishers. The question is, "What value do I derive from this?" My customers know what my prodcuts are. The d20 logo hasnt really been of much use for some time now. A replacement logo that isnt official is even less valuable.

The problem with the d20 System logo is that it is applied to SRD and MSRD products (as well as anything else that WotC sells). That means that it doesn't really indicate that a product is compatible with anything.

A logo that indicates that things are 3.5 SRD compatible would be valuable to customers who don't want to switch to 4e (or the Paizo RPG), however this logo doesn't indicate that it is connected to the fantasy rules.

And, no offense intended, but I own some of your products and didn't have a clue about what your product line was when I first saw them. I now know your name (and that means your personal name) well enough to trust your word, but at the time I first saw your stuff I struggled to know if I could get it to work with D&D. I'm sure there must be new people coming into the hobby every day, so even if your regular customers know who you are, it wouldn't hurt to let newbies have a clue.

I can already say "Third Edition" or "Revised Third Edition" witout that logo.

Plus, we gain nothing from using your logo. I dont see any of the larger companies using this. I do see smaller companies wanting us to use this so that they can use it too.

AFAIK, you haven't announced any intention to stick with or abandon 3.5 yet, but if you did stick with 3.5 something like this (and I admit you could probably do a better in-house version) would help potential customers understand what rules your products were using.

If you supported several product lines in the future, it might be useful to have old stock labled, so that RPG stores couldn't accidentally "pass off" old stock as being compatible with the new system.

A lot of shops now shrink-wrap things to stop people from browsing, so if you don't have some useful blurb on the back cover some people might hesitate to buy stuff. I know I got confused by things (not necessarily your products) when 3.5 first came out. With shops...ah lets name and shame them, so the good shops don't suffer - Orcs Nest in Central London...shrink labeling everything, customers can't gain any information without talking to their staff (who used to be really really fun and helpful in the days of TSR, but now sit in their pod ignoring everyone). I usually find it easier to research things online, and if I do that I might as well buy online too.

Lets turn your comment around. You have nothing to loose by adding a logo like this. If you don't like this one, then why not add your own one? (Unless you are going to swallow the GSL poision pill - then you will be mothballing your entire existing product line and this logo would be a waste of your time.) When I pick up a RPG book, I want to know if it works with 3.5 (SRD) rules, but I also want to know if it is part of a campaign setting. (You are pretty good at putting campaign setting logos onto things, but some publishers seem to like to pretend that something is generic when it isn't. I actually prefer things that are part of a campaign setting as I'm trying to build a collection of worlds to "visit".)

Initiatives like this have come and gone numerous times and none have ever really been supported or adopted. I'm not trying to harsh on your plan. I like the concept in theory. In fact in the early days of 3E I was involved in a discussion about this stuff and nothing came of it. But now you do have the ending of the d20 license, so maybe you will have more interest this time.

Good luck!

And I will say it is a nice looking logo.

I think that the previous logos (especially Prometheus and OpenDie) have failed to "do what they say on the tin". OpenDie doesn't really have any meaning and Prometheus, while a good idea, fails to indicate any sort of compatibility with anything.

This logo at least mentions "3.5".

And you are right - it does look good.

But, as a consumer, I'd be more likely to trust a logo that indicates compatability with the "3.5 SRD". I'd even consider buy old stuff that indicated compatability with the "3.0 SRD"! The main thing I need from a logo, is to know that it isn't for some non-standard system that rips out half of the SRD and puts in something else.

Its nice to know that you wish people good luck, even when you don't agree with them. I've got to tip my hat to you for that.

<goes off to look for hat>