[OGL Questions] Is Dungeons and Dragons a game?

[JPL]

Hey, JPL, good to see you.

Hey! Just checked your blog not ten minutes ago, Core.

Yeah, CD, I understand that you don't think the OGL applies to you, or you don't need it, or whatever.

So what are you waiting for? Finish that baby up and get it out there!

If you get sued, you can just print out this thread and file it as your Memorandum in Support of Motion to Dismiss.

 

[Wolfspider]

Seriously, you guys have made your point. Now it's time to let the kid do what he wants. He's going to do that anyway no matter what you say or how well you argue.

In any case, what happens is sure to be entertaining.

 

[timbannock]

Seriously, you guys have made your point. Now it's time to let the kid do what he wants. He's doing to do that anyway.

In any case, what happens is sure to be entertaining.

Anyway we can find this guy and track what happens?

Or, hey, Chaos Disciple: can you start a blog about your project, and update it when you finally put this baby out? I want to know when/where to get this system that "greatly improves" on D&D without referencing anything in D&D terms.

I want my Lurk to get to level 300 and fight planet-sized things, like Galactus (not the movie version in FF4 part deux, but the purply-headed one from the comixz).

 

[WhimsyTheFae]

I have a question regarding the following hypothetical work:

A) This work, if copyrighted, would be derivative and therefore would violate another copyright.

B) The holder of the other copyright allows said derivative work under a special license, which must accompany said derivative work.

C) The derivative work is defined in the license as meaning a copyrighted material (i.e. non-copyrighted materials would not be considered derivative as per the license).

D) All works are copyrighted by the mere act of expressing an idea in a fixed medium, unless the copyright is renounced so that the work becomes public domain.

Now for the question - Can I renounce a copyright for a piece of work to get around the need for including a license, if not having the license would cause said piece of work to violate the copyright of another piece of work?

In other words, perhaps the angle that Chaos Disciple is going at would allow him to invalidate the need to include the OGL, but in doing so would cause him to directly violate WotC's copyright. I'm not an expert, which is why I ask.

 

[Chaos Disciple]

Anyway we can find this guy and track what happens?

Or, hey, Chaos Disciple: can you start a blog about your project, and update it when you finally put this baby out? I want to know when/where to get this system that "greatly improves" on D&D without referencing anything in D&D terms.

I want my Lurk to get to level 300 and fight planet-sized things, like Galactus (not the movie version in FF4 part deux, but the purply-headed one from the comixz).

I am currently looking for a good place on the net to talk about my ideas but first I want to find a place with people who would be knowledgable and interested in game design.

 

[Odhanan]

Most people on this thread seem to be confused about what is owned material and what is not (the OGL was created to clarify this to publishers). My ideas are not some kind of game supplement produced by an indie publisher they are basically just ideas and therefore cant be copyrigthted and for this reason might not even qualify for the OGL

This premise is utterly and completely wrong, CD. That's what the other posters are trying to explain to you.

The definition of a Game that you posted in your original post would probably NOT APPLY to D&D in court. D&D WOULD NOT be defined as a "GAME" in a legal way. Its contents are part game, part literature and part programming, in terms of legal likenesses.

The most likely is that the OGL, by virtue of being a legal document referring specifically to what is Open Content and what is Intellectual Property for WotC, is the document that would be used as a base to judge whether your document is a threat to WotC's IP or not.

You should really forget about what you, and you ONLY, consider to be mechanics you can or cannot reproduce. This line of thought is WRONG. Everyone is telling you so. I strongly suggest, for your own good, to not try to challenge this line of thought and just accept it.

 

[Halivar]

I am currently looking for a good place on the net to talk about my ideas but first I want to find a place with people who would be knowledge and interested in game design.

Heh. Try the Forge.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I am currently looking for a good place on the net to talk about my ideas but first I want to find a place with people who would be knowledge and interested in game design.

I think The Forge is the place you're looking for.

 

[Terraism]

I expect it would look something like Chaos Disciple v. WotC.

That may be the funniest thing I've read in this entire thread.

 

[Chaos Disciple]

This premise is utterly and completely wrong, CD. That's what the other posters are trying to explain to you.

The definition of a Game that you posted in your original post would probably NOT APPLY to D&D in court. D&D WOULD NOT be defined as a "GAME" in a legal way. Its contents are part game, part literature and part programming, in terms of legal likenesses.

The most likely is that the OGL, by virtue of being a legal document referring specifically to what is Open Content and what is Intellectual Property for WotC, is the document that would be used as a base to judge whether your document is a threat to WotC's IP or not.

You should really forget about what you, and you ONLY, consider to be mechanics you can or cannot reproduce. This line of thought is WRONG. Everyone is telling you so. I strongly suggest, for your own good, to not try to challenge this line of thought and just accept it.

I doubt you could determine a game system from copyrightable material but I do know the differance Im sorry I cant pack all my understanding of Game Theory in one post to catch everyone up.


I assure you my game systems would be impossible to make if I didnt know the differance. But people who dont understand game mechanics would not be able to figure this out so easily.