D&D 4E Monte Cook on licensing (and 4E in general?)

[HeinorNY]

The GSL fiasco...

Fiasco? How can it be a failure if it's not even out yet?

 

[Hussar]

Fiasco? How can it be a failure if it's not even out yet?

Well, I think you pretty much hit it there. The fiasco is the fact that it ISN'T out yet.

 

[HeinorNY]

The fiasco is the fact that it ISN'T out yet.

It failed because it is not out yet? So 4E is also a fiasco I think.

 

[AZRogue]

Fiasco? How can it be a failure if it's not even out yet?

You had to bring it up again, didn't you.

I call it a fiasco because they gave us a date when it would be ready, then missed it. They then told us "soon" for some time, even going so far as to say that they had copy sitting back at the office during posts at the DnDXP. Then more silence. Then we hear that they're now vetting their policy on open gaming, which doesn't sound like a final GSL is nearly finished at all. Then more silence. Now we're only weeks away from release and the license they said would be ready months ago is nothing more than a "no comment" to a question they don't want asked.

But whatever. The damage is pretty much done so I'm not so upset over it anymore. But to a consumer who placed a lot of value in the OGL, this doesn't sit well with me. To those who didn't place much stock in it I'm sure it doesn't seem that big a deal. To each their own.

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

well when you tell publishers you'll have the GSL soon for a mere 5000 bucks then lets months go by and not a word then yes you failed.They set a goal and missed it promised it soon
months back and failed to provide it. yes indeed they failed.It is a fiasco .

 

[HeinorNY]

I call it a fiasco because they gave us a date when it would be ready, then missed it. They then told us "soon" for some time, even going so far as to say that they had copy sitting back at the office during posts at the DnDXP. Then more silence. Then we hear that they're now vetting their policy on open gaming, which doesn't sound like a final GSL is nearly finished at all. Then more silence. Now we're only weeks away from release and the license they said would be ready months ago is nothing more than a "no comment" to a question they don't want asked.

It really doesn't sound like a fiasco. It sounds like the GSL is not ready yet.
If they release a GSL and no 3PP cares about it, that would be a fiasco IMO.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Fiasco? How can it be a failure if it's not even out yet?

I call it a fiasco because they gave us a date when it would be ready, then missed it. They then told us "soon" for some time, even going so far as to say that they had copy sitting back at the office during posts at the DnDXP. Then more silence. Then we hear that they're now vetting their policy on open gaming, which doesn't sound like a final GSL is nearly finished at all. Then more silence. Now we're only weeks away from release and the license they said would be ready months ago is nothing more than a "no comment" to a question they don't want asked.

Add to that the host of would-be designers who- having worked in the 3.X regime- expected to have a shot at producing quality 4Ed products and having them available relatively quickly after 4Ed's release.

With the GSL not being in their hands a couple of months ago, those designers are looking at possibly not having 4Ed products available in 2008 at all. This looks "unprofessional" at best, and "calculated"/"spiteful" at worst, and could actually be the stab at 4Ed's Achilles Heel (if it has one) by driving those talented and creative people to continue pumping out quality 3.X/M&M/True 20/Pathfinder/etc.RPG material for other companies.

If that means those games have continued commercial viability because of the tardiness (and expense) of the GSL, 4Ed could have a rockier than expected short-term, not to mention long-term.

 

[Carnivorous_Bean]

I'm with Ainatan on this one. I doubt that Hasbro is too upset that they haven't sold 2 or 3 $5,000 licenses to competitors. Most of the game industry has always used "closed" rules systems, including the first two editions of D&D. I doubt that a failure to ever release the GSL would have any negative impact on WotC or D&D's sales.

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

Its a failure because it shows bad faith or incompetents. You do not tell people soon and call all the 3pp if its not or will not be ready soon thats incompetent or malice take your pick.

 

[HeinorNY]

With the GSL not being in their hands a couple of months ago, those designers are looking at possibly not having 4Ed products available in 2008 at all.

Anyone besides Paizo and Green Ronin guys?

If that means those games have continued commercial viability because of the tardiness (and expense) of the GSL, 4Ed could have a rockier than expected short-term, not to mention long-term.

Do you really think M&M, True20 or Pathfindering can really compete with D&D, or even have any influence at all on 4E's success? Exalted has more chances than those.
If half the D&D players out there knows what Paizo is, that's already a big achievement.

I just think all this GSL talking and how it is important to 4E's success is incredibly over-exaggerated. Plain and simple.