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Message: <blockquote data-quote="PapersAndPaychecks" data-source="post: 3012478" data-attributes="member: 28854">No, it isn't.At first glance, it might be.  The precedents in this mostly come from computer RPGs, but the law's clear:  Game rules cannot be copyrighted.  (This is repeated on WOTC's published guidance, by the way.  WOTC actually say that outright.)The problem is that what can't be copyrighted is the underlying mechanisms.  Take, for example, a boardgame -- you can't copyright the rule that says you roll 2d6 and move that many spaces on the board, so even if you've produced a game that does that, I can do the same thing in my game.  But what I can't do is produce a game where you land on Mayfair (or whatever the American equivalent property is in Monopoly) and if it's got a hotel on it, you have to pay me £2,000.However, WOTC have also (separately) licensed the terms and concepts that go with their game via the OGL.  So because of the OGL, I can have a mechanic that's called "Armor Class" and divide characters into alignment categories; I'm doing that under a separate license.Note that I still can't re-use any trademarks.Actually, that view's still a massive oversimplification, but if you want complete details of how it all works, you really need to retain a lawyer to advise you.  I'm not a lawyer, although I've talked to a lot of them about OSRIC; where it gets complicated, I've relied on their suggestions rather than trying to understand everything myself.</blockquote>

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