OGL: Kobold Press 'Raising Our Flag' For New Open RPG

Kobold Press has announced its plans regarding the upcoming new OGL v1.1, which involves a new, open game codenamed Project Black Flag.

​

Kobold Press has been and always will be committed to open gaming and the tabletop community. Our goal is to continue creating the best materials for players and game masters alike.

This means Kobold Press will release its current Kickstarter projects as planned, including Campaign Builder: Cities & Towns (already printed and on its way to backers this winter).

In particular, Deep Magic Volume 2 will remain fully compatible with the 5E rules. We are working with our VTT partners to maintain support for digital platforms.

As we look ahead, it becomes even more important for our actions to represent our values. While we wait to see what the future holds, we are moving forward with clear-eyed work on a new Core Fantasy tabletop ruleset: available, open, and subscription-free for those who love it—Code Name: Project Black Flag.

All Kobolds look forward to the continued evolution of tabletop gaming. We aim to play our part in making the game better for everyone. Rest assured, Kobold Press intends to maintain a strong presence in the tabletop RPG community. We are not going anywhere.

Raising Our Flag - Kobold Press

Kobold Press is committed to open gaming. We are moving forward with clear-eyed work on a new Core Fantasy tabletop ruleset: available, open, and subscription-free for those who love it—Code Name: Project Black Flag.

koboldpress.com

 

[Zardnaar]

Assassin's Creed 1.1 is done by the Templars!!

Freeport yo ho ho?

 

[Ondath]

Not necessarily. There is actually quite a lot that can be done to create D&D-compatible material, maybe even functional D&D clones, without using any kind of OGL.

The problem is that in doing so, you are leaving the safe harbor* of the OGL and wading into the exceedingly treacherous waters of IP law, which is even weirder and more confusing than most forms of law. You more or less have to have a lawyer with relevant expertise review every. single. word. And that ain't cheap.

So, in practice, this route is seldom taken except when the creator happens to be a lawyer with relevant expertise. KenzerCo, for example, went this route with Kingdoms of Kalamar during the 4E era (Dave Kenzer is an IP lawyer).

*Recently sacked by the Hasbro Navy.

Well yes, but in that case Project Black Flag would still be sailing outside the jurisdiction of OGL v1.1 and the admiralty of Hasbro. We're all up in arms precisely because we don't like the island's new governor. If we can privateer while still sticking to the system we like... That's fine. Also, I really lost sight of where that metaphor was going very quickly.

Will I need to replay Monkey Island to remember my pirate lingo?

 

[Charles Dunwoody]

BINGO. I am in the exact same situation. I can get half the players to do a CoC one-shot when we cannot get others for D&D, otherwise no agreement for the whole group.

My players always urge me to pick the game I'm going to GM. Because I'm doing 95% of the work I suppose.

 

[Zehnseiter]

So, in practice, this route is seldom taken except when the creator happens to be a lawyer with relevant expertise. KenzerCo, for example, went this route with Kingdoms of Kalamar during the 4E era (Dave Kenzer is an IP lawyer).

Didn't KenzerCo actually win a legal fight with WotC back in the 3E days ? Some Kingdom of Kalamar Books had even the offical D&D logo on them because of this. Or do I misremember this.

 

[darjr]

Their website is getting crushed so they made a video

 

[Umbran]

I think there is a significant difference in this situation, though, because 1D&D does not appear to be particularly far removed from 5E in the way 4E was from Pathfinder. As such, it seems especially difficult a) for Kobold to get away with it if WotC really clamps down on the new OGL, and b) to create a niche outside of 1D&D for the continued support of 5E or a 5E like.

Those seem to be more about likelihood of success than they are about the value of the thing should it succeed.

As to "need" I would argue yes, in fact, there was a need for Pathfinder, given the circumstances of its birth.

When I say "need is a loaded word," I'm coming at it from the position that I need water, air, food, clothes, a home, and a job to continue having those other things. In that sense, no, I don't need a 5e clone, or, in fact, any RPG at all. I can find other hobbies, if RPGs were to disappear entirely.

The other way this can be viewed is that we "need" a thing to achieve some goal, purpose, or end state. We have not agreed upon what the goal, purpose, or state might be, so we can't really discuss whether this is required to reach it.

So, the question of "need" is either hyperbolic, or underspecified.

 

[Maggan]

Didn't KenzerCo actually win a legal fight with WotC back in the 3E days ? Some Kingdom of Kalamar Books had even the offical D&D logo on them because of this. Or do I misremember this.

As far as I remember there was a legal battle due to the inclusion of Knights of the Dinner Table on the Dragon Magazine CD, which at least as a partial result landed an official D&D license at KenzerCo.

 

[Reynard]

Those seem to be more about likelihood of success than they are about the value of the thing should it succeed.



When I say "need is a loaded word," I'm coming at it from the position that I need water, air, food, clothes, a home, and a job to continue having those other things. In that sense, no, I don't need a 5e clone, or, in fact, any RPG at all. I can find other hobbies, if RPGs were to disappear entirely.

The other way this can be viewed is that we "need" a thing to achieve some goal, purpose, or end state. We have not agreed upon what the goal, purpose, or state might be, so we can't really discuss whether this is required to reach it.

So, the question of "need" is either hyperbolic, or underspecified.

Context is informative though, no? Of course no one "needs" a game like they need food and shelter, so that would be a silly thing to bother discussing.

In any case, what I meant by "need" in this case was that 1D&D is, effectively, still 5E (as far as we can tell from the playtests) so there is no "need" for a third party to keep 5E alive when WotC won't. They aren't killing 5E, they are trying to corral support under their own control.

Which, incidentally, appears to be failing.

I'm still not sure what strategy Kobold thinks they can use to create a 5E SRD (if that's what this is) and be able to release it without WotC's blessing. But I am neither a publisher nor a lawyer, so maybe there is a method I'm not aware of.

 

[Zehnseiter]

As far as I remember there was a legal battle due to the inclusion of Knights of the Dinner Table on the Dragon Magazine CD, which at least as a partial result landed an official D&D license at KenzerCo.

I think that might be what I remembered. Thanks.

 

[Shardstone]

Indeed! I'm just saying that because we don't know anything yet... those people who are right now jumping into this Project with both feet in order to thumb their nose at "The Man" just need to be careful-- they might be accidentally subsidizing another eventual D&D and WotC-adjacent project after all.

what a silly, miserable post