NEWS: OGL and SRD dates/info announced

[Traycor]

Well, that was explicitly stated, not implied. I'm asking about the effects of this on basic D&D 3rd-party publishing, and on SRD users like myself. Most importantly, if the SRD does not contain a playable set of rules, how can it be used to write a playable supplement before the core books are released?

Because they are giving copies of the core books to the publishers. Apparently the SRD is a guideline on how to use the rules from the books, as opposed to a being an independant collection of rules seperate from the books.

 

[Piratecat]

Piratecat - I apologize, my intent was to offer advice in relation to the annoucement, not to tell others what to do. I will try to understand the difference and refrain from telling other what to do in the future.

It's cool, and probably wouldn't have been a problem in its own thread -- but it had the chance to sidetrack this one, which I wanted to avoid. Thanks for understanding.

 

[Piratecat]

Why couldn't you make Spycraft? Spycraft 1e was a d20 game and required the PHB to play. It worked out just fine.

Did it? I must be misremembering. I know I've never needed to refer to the PHB while playing Spycraft, which is why it sticks in my mind.

 

[Dragonblade]

Did it? I must be misremembering. I know I've never needed to refer to the PHB while playing Spycraft, which is why it sticks in my mind.

Spycraft 1e was pretty much a complete game, requiring only the XP chart from the PHB to make it complete (per the d20 STL).

 

[davethegame]

Was there any discussion in the conference call about the definition of "publishing" in their eyes? My big worry is that I won't be able to post house rules online until 2009 without risking... something... from WotC.

 

[Cadfan]

Was there any discussion in the conference call about the definition of "publishing" in their eyes? My big worry is that I won't be able to post house rules online until 2009 without risking... something... from WotC.

If your house rules were fair use before now, they'll be fair use after now. You can't be bound by an agreement to which you are not a party. You will be facing the standard copyright laws you've always faced.

 

[Spinachcat]

I am very glad that small and micro publishers will be given the opportunity to publish in 2009. The first 6 months after the 4e release will be players testing out the new rules and new PoL setting with a total focus on the cores. After that, players will be looking about for what else to do.

I am SO glad that the 4e OGL / SRD will be free to use. I was fearing that the Phase I option was going to be the ONLY option given by WotC.

 

[davethegame]

If your house rules were fair use before now, they'll be fair use after now. You can't be bound by an agreement to which you are not a party. You will be facing the standard copyright laws you've always faced.

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.

 

[Orcus]

And compare that to what are the biggest successes of d20: Necromancer, Green Ronin, Malhavoc, and Mongoose -- all of which started out as 2 person operations.

Amen, brother!

 

[Raven Crowking]

I think one reason they're doing it is to drive those folks looking for an easy, online rules lookup (which I do extensively) to the D&D Insider.

I think it is very likely that you are correct.

However, if you go through the threads where folks don't like the flavour WotC is including in 4e, the saving grace (as it were) was always that 3rd parties would almost instantly step in with material to aid you in changing the flavour to something you do like.

(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.

Without the terms of the license being available before the release, when you buy those 4e books, you have no way of knowing just how much you are hooked into future WotC products.

Just saying.

RC