NEWS: OGL and SRD dates/info announced

[Raven Crowking]

I guess I should be more specific. If I start to run fourth edition, and want to change a few rules and post them on my campaign website or blog, I'm wondering if that's kosher.

As I understand it now under 3e, I just have to post the license, and designate it as open content, and all that good stuff.

Well, under the Gleemax rules, you can post to your Gleemax blog, but WotC gains the rights to use your material in perpetuity.

Happy gaming!

RC


EDIT: As a side note, since they are operating Gleemax, and since the OGL will no longer allow you to post specific types of information, how will that affect sites like EN World (I am thinking about forums like House Rules and Creature Catalog, specifically)?

 

[frankthedm]

As a side note, since they are operating Gleemax, and since the OGL will no longer allow you to post specific types of information, how will that affect sites like EN World (I am thinking about forums like House Rules and Creature Catalog, specifically)?

Legally? They may have be closed to fan made 4e content until january 2009.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Legally? They may have be closed to fan made 4e content until january 2009.

And possibly far, far beyond, depending upon the terms of the SRD-called-OGL.

RC

 

[I'm A Banana]

(1) This move is going to be putting off those potential flavour changes for 6 months +.

(2) This move might limit how that flavour can be changed. For example, if WotC wants you to use official gnomes and half-orcs only, then they might stipulate that third parties cannot develop these things using the 4e OGL. This list might include other elements of older versions of the game as well, including (but not limited to) monsters that haven't yet been updated, classes that haven't yet been updated, spells that haven't yet been updated, etc. It might also prevent alternate versions of core classes.

#1 is kind of a bigger problem to me. Because #2 falls into the "you can't really copyright mechanics" model. WotC can make a druid, I can make an unofficially compatible druid, and they can't really stop me, if that's what I really want to do.

But #1 might put off my purchase of 4e by those 6 months +. I might just wait for the first wave of 3rd party books before I chuck any money WotC's way. Depends on if the core books are nearly universally loved or not, I guess.

 

[Raven Crowking]

#1 is kind of a bigger problem to me. Because #2 falls into the "you can't really copyright mechanics" model. WotC can make a druid, I can make an unofficially compatible druid, and they can't really stop me, if that's what I really want to do.

I think you forget the "using this material means that, as a condition of use, you agree to/not to...." model.

RC

 

[Traycor]

Well, under the Gleemax rules, you can post to your Gleemax blog, but WotC gains the rights to use your material in perpetuity.

WotC has stated very specifically that they aren't going to be 'stealing' folks material off Gleemax. They are simply protecting themselves from lawsuits.

Somewhere buried among the 1000's of Gleemax blogs might be an idea similar to one they publish, and they don't need that person claiming that WotC ripped them off (when WotC most likely had no clue it was even there).

 

[Bardsandsages]

For the folks who think $5,000 is no big deal...you have never ran a business.

I have worked in accounting and payroll for a variety of small businesses. I can tell you plainly that if there was a sudden $5,000 expense, it would be a struggle for the typical company to come up with the money. I currently work for a multinational corporation. You would think $5,000 would be a drop in the bucket. But If we need a new copier or printer or piece of equipment, we need approvals from three different managers and then have to fill out a requisition request that goes to purchasing. It can take two to three weeks for a major corpoation to decide to spend $5,000. It is not a drop in the bucket for ANY company. We are constantly looking for ways to save money, because there are a host of static expenses that must be covered. A sudden $5,000 expense is something you don't just shrug you shoulders and pay, regardless of how much money you have. That is, not if you want to be profitable.

 

[Traycor]

Legally? They may have be closed to fan made 4e content until january 2009.

Surely fan content (non profit, non published) would be just fine. I expect to see this sort of material on Gleemax the day 4E is released.

 

[catsclaw227]

But I've gotten into the habit of having my laptop at the gaming table, the hypertext srd up, and all the information I need regarding spells, items, special combat rules (grapple!) in my browser tabs. It was much easier to refer to that way than flipping through the books over and over again.

QFT.

I am a big fan of www.d20srd.org and its fired up at the start of every session I DM. The lack of online ruleset will suck, but if the DDI has a good, hyperlinked, easily searchable ruleset for subscribers, then it will be OK. It needs to be as good or better than what we already have, though.

 

[delericho]

Because mechanics aren't covered by copyright, and because so much is already Open under the existing OGL, couldn't something like 90% of the products a company might want to develop be developed under the existing OGL, which will remain in force?

So, really, how enforceable is this "you can't publish until 2009" restriction for Phase 2 publishers?