New SRD => No useful searchable document?

[frankthedm]

This will make online rules arguments *much* more annoying. I’ve seen people argue back and forth for a dozen posts when a single quoting of the text could have killed the debate from the start. An argument on what the text means is one thing, but arguments on what the text *is* helps no one.

 

[EricNoah]

If they designate sections as "open" then they are "open" for publication, even word for word.

I am just curious to hear what will be open and what won't be. Will the MM monster stats be open, or will it just be the rules for monster stats? Will the PHB spell stats and descriptions be open, or just the rules for how magic works in the game? Will the PHB classes and races be open, or just the rules for what makes up a "class" or a "race"?

 

[SteveC]

Well, since the original OGL was intended to drive sales of the PHB while opening up the d20 system to other publishers, I'm not sure why this comes as a surprise.

I just wanted to point out that having an SRD was intended to drive sales for all WotC books, core books included, and it did an excellent job. As I look at Amazon's sales ranks, the 3.5 PHB is ranked 5,358 in books, number one in gaming/d&d and number six on roleplaying games.

That's not too bad for a book that you can get the critical content for free in several locations, and will also be obsolete in six months.

The OGL drives sales of WotC's books, all of them.

--Steve

 

[Remathilis]

If they designate sections as "open" then they are "open" for publication, even word for word.

I am just curious to hear what will be open and what won't be. Will the MM monster stats be open, or will it just be the rules for monster stats? Will the PHB spell stats and descriptions be open, or just the rules for how magic works in the game? Will the PHB classes and races be open, or just the rules for what makes up a "class" or a "race"?

I'm sure the monsters will be open (or at least most of them) but I won't be able to click on d20srd.org and copy the minotaur's stat block into a word-doc for my home-made module.

I think they are going to encourage more "PH/DMG/MM" references for core stuff (such as "Minotaur: 44 hp, greataxe (1d12+22), MM page 192" instead of a full stat block) and keeping the groundwork for new monsters open to be published in the respective sources ("New monster: Green Minotaur, appendix 1 of this module")

Ditto with spells, traps, classes, feats, races, and talents. There will be no "free core books across 20 rtfs" anymore, but much of the stuff needed to build and sell a module, describe a campaign setting, reference in a sourcebook, and stat out an NPC will be there. You will just need to buy the books to see what those stats actually are, rather than go to d20srd.org and google-search them.

 

[Remathilis]

This will make online rules arguments *much* more annoying. I’ve seen people argue back and forth for a dozen posts when a single quoting of the text could have killed the debate from the start. An argument on what the text means is one thing, but arguments on what the text *is* helps no one.

Nah, academic use (discussion) of a written work is permissible as long as it is properly cited and quoted. Typically, a paragraph or two of written text, taken verbatim, with proper citation should be fine for most rules-arguments. someone will have to have A LOT of rule-arguments to get a usable copy of the rule-books in this fashion.

What will suck is typing it out by hand, rather than copy-paste.

 

[EricNoah]

I'm sure the monsters will be open (or at least most of them) but I won't be able to click on d20srd.org and copy the minotaur's stat block into a word-doc for my home-made module.

Ok, let's assume monsters are open (big assumption, but bear with me). There would be nothing to stop someone from publishing them on a 4E version of a d20srd.org type site, right? As long as they followed whatever rules the new OGL sets up?

 

[JohnRTroy]

I just wanted to point out that having an SRD was intended to drive sales for all WotC books, core books included, and it did an excellent job. As I look at Amazon's sales ranks, the 3.5 PHB is ranked 5,358 in books, number one in gaming/d&d and number six on roleplaying games.

Honestly though, the OGL and SRD is a rather minor drop in the bucket. I think less than say, 1% of all gamers even give a darn about the OGL or SRD. Most people want to play Dungeons and Dragons, I really don't think the philosophy of it being "Open" or "Free Beer" or whatever has had any significant impact on the D&D game's popularity.

It's popular because it's Dungeons and Dragons.

What will suck is typing it out by hand, rather than copy-paste.

Oh c'mon, you'd only have to quote a few sentences or at most a paragraph. Even in a big argument it shouldn't take you that long--the time to look it up will be about the same. Anybody who uses a messageboard should be a pretty decent typist.

I can't believe we've reached the point where it's "in my day we had to quote books by typing by hand, we couldn't just cut and paste them".

 

[Umbran]

What will suck is typing it out by hand, rather than copy-paste.

I have no doubt that, if it is legally permissible under the new license, someone will scan and apply optical character recognition to the rulebooks, extract the open sections, and make them available for copy and paste.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Ok, let's assume monsters are open (big assumption, but bear with me).

I think it's a slam dunkk that they'll be open - after all, WoTC probably wants to encourage adventure publishers, and it would be pretty much impossible to do that without open content monsters.

There would be nothing to stop someone from publishing them on a 4E version of a d20srd.org type site, right? As long as they followed whatever rules the new OGL sets up?

I would tend to think that this is correct. I would answer the questions posed in the thread title, "No useful searchable document?" by saying there will be "No FREE useful searchable document"

 

[SteveC]

I have no doubt that, if it is legally permissible under the new license, someone will scan and apply optical character recognition to the rulebooks, extract the open sections, and make them available for copy and paste.

Yes, this is what I expect to happen as well.

If necessary, the current OGL license could most likely be used for just this purpose, because something that is declared open, or derived from something open is, according to the license, open content. I would be very amused to hear an argument on how a fourth edition fighter is not derived from the third edition fighter.

All I'm looking for is an easy to use electronic copy of the rules, and I'm sure something will come up. I'm just hoping it will be from WotC themselves. As I already have the 4E rules on preorder, WotC will still get what's due to them!

--Steve