New GSL Announcement

[kenmarable]

It does mean that you can not produce the same product in different versions.

I might end up saying this a lot over the next few days/weeks/months: We are absolutely confident in 4E - to the point that we are only producing 4e products ourselves from here on out.

Sorry, just asking about this as well. If the answer is "Wait until June 6" or "Wait until we post more info on the website", that's understandable.

So can I publish an adventure called "Lair of the Really Nasty Bad Guy" for 3.5 using only the 3.5 SRD and release it under the OGL, but also take the same adventure plot, etc. but write it only using 4e SRD-approved content and release it under the GSL?

So it's not a 1-to-1 perfect match of course, but it can be approximate by using half-dragon NPCs in the 3.5 and dragonborn in the 4e, having succubi be demons or devils depending on 3.5 or 4, as well as even using entirely different monsters if there's no obvious match. I am NOT talking about taking a 4e unique monster and creating a 3.5 monster "inspired by" the 4e version or anything dodgy like that. Just using 3.5 material and license to make a 3.5 adventure, and 4e material and license to RE-make the same adventure for 4e. (Also assuming reasonable differences in branding, advertising, blah blah, so as to avoid consumer confusion.)

I'm just wondering if that's cool with the new license.

Thanks!

 

[EATherrian]

And how few of them will step up and admit to it.

I think I was public with my worry that it could be a possibility. I'm glad it isn't the road they took, it actually makes me more amiable to 4E.

 

[Bacris]

The fact that Necro still plans to release their 3.5 books in 4E leads me to believe it may just be that you can't release the same thing with both licenses. Obviously, any release would have to conform to the terms of each license, which are different, so it couldn't be the exact same product, but I find it hard to believe that a port of a book couldn't be made. Now, 4E mechanics being vastly different means a lot of 3.x material is going to be invalidated, but system-neutral material I would hope could be reused, to an extent.

 

[carmachu]

Its good that there is a GSL.

But what it says, and what the terms are remain to be seen.

 

[HyrumOWC]

And how few of them will step up and admit to it.

I'll admit I was wrong.

I'm GLAD there will be a GSL. I'm not 100% sold on 4e yet but I do have the books on pre-order with Amazon.

Hyrum.
OWC

 

[lurkinglidda]

Hm, could Linae possibly have meant that you can't produce the same book with both Licenses (the OGL and GSL) in it at the same time? Because that'd make a lot more sense.

Yes, that is what I was trying to convey.

We totally recognize that this mutual exclusivity will keep some publishers from joining us in 4E. That's a business decision they need to make, and we respect that.

 

[Delta]

Yes, that is what I was trying to convey.

Let me see if I understand this. You're saying that you CAN produce the same product in different versions. As long as there are two distinct versions, each released under one specific, distinct license. Correct?

 

[Vigilance]

Seriously, how many people were suggesting malice in the first place?

More than a few.

There were plenty of people outright stating that Wizards was lying about the GSL, but delaying the announcement until after the books were released to minimize backlash.

There were also people stating that Cease and Desist letters would start going out to fan sites.

Lizard even stated that he expected Wizards' attitude toward fan sites to be HARSHER than TSR's was.

So yeah, there was some crazy talk in these threads.

 

[lurkinglidda]

Let me see if I understand this. You're saying that you CAN produce the same product in different versions. As long as there are two distinct versions, each released under one specific, distinct license. Correct?

No. That is not what I was trying to say. I'll try to reword it so it is a little clearer:

Publishers can put out a product under the OGL - OR - they can put out a product under a 4E GSL.

3.x or 4E

Not both.

One or t'other.

By "mutual exclusivity" I mean, different versions of the same product cannot occur at the same time.

Hope I don't come off as being snarky - I'm not trying to be mean or sound like I'm talking down or anything - I just want to make sure I'm communicating the message clearly!

 

[Alzrius]

No. That is not what I was trying to say. I'll try to reword it so it is a little clearer:

Publishers can put out a product under the OGL - OR - they can put out a product under a 4E GSL.

3.x or 4E

Not both.

One or t'other.

By "mutual exclusivity" I mean, different versions of the same product cannot occur at the same time.

Hope I don't come off as being snarky - I'm not trying to be mean or sound like I'm talking down or anything - I just want to make sure I'm communicating the message clearly!

So in other words, if I print "The Book of New Rules" under the OGL, I can't also print "The Book of New Rules" under the GSL, correct?

This'd seem to imply that the GSL has specific language regarding its exclusivity from OGL works. It also means that there's going to have to be some definition of what it means to have a book that's the same but with different versions, as opposed to two very-slightly different books that use different licenses.

Honestly, I think it would have been easier - and more publisher-friendly - to just keep it to not having the GSL and OGL both be present at the same time in the same book.

Will there be some sort of clause to allow publishers to print 4E versions of OGL books printed before the GSL's release?