Other publishers' material in E-Tools?

[Unseelie]

I've been looking around at some of the e-tools sites and for the most part, the add-ons I've seen have been WotC material. Okay, fine... they seem to be okay with this and even encouraging it.

However. I've also seen that someone has done fairly major work on bringing Relics & Rituals and other material from White Wolf/Swords and Sorrcery over to E-Tools as well. I can't imagine that that's even remotely kosher...

E-Tools is not OGL (and doesn't have to be) and therefore, can't be distributed with OGC content.

I guess the grey area is that the file is being distributed separately... but I see no mention of direct permission from White Wolf, or any claims of being OGL itself. I suspect that much of what's in those files is actually not OGC either, if I were to check.

I don't want to download or encourage this sort of thing unless it's legit.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

If you search both this forum and the publishers forums you can find several threads about what is acceptable and what is not. Many of these discussions revolving around PCgen files but the principles are the same (This was before PCgen became d20/OGL complient as certified by WotC).

In a nutshell

1. Only OGC material may be redistributed using the OGL without getting seperate permissions for the copyright holder, and only then if a properly updated OGL licence is included with the distribution.

2. All WotC material that is not in the SRD is private and can not be redistributed without special permission of WotC.

3. Many proper names in third party materials are excluded from the OGC of the books and are private and can not be redistributed without special permission of the copyright holder. You will have to look at each case individually.

As for e-tools files. WotC seems to be looking the other way in regards to its non-OGL material being distributed for e-tools, which they are entitled to do and which they can change thier mind about at any time. For third party material it would be possible to distribute OGL material as per point 3 above but only if all rules regarding OGL were followed (Point 1). So far I am pretty sure that this has never been done for anyone's e-tools material. Otherwise 3rd party material could be distributed under seperate permissions (As PCgen has done several times and is working with WotC for permission to use non-SRD material). In this case I have not seen or heard of such seperate permissions for e-tools, although if anyone else does I would like to hear about it.

Anyone distributing e-tools files without meeting either OGL rules or having seperate permissions is breaking the law. So far WotC has not enforced its legal rights in hopes that the distribution of these files will encourage more sales of e-tools. With 3rd party material I would be very carefull as they may not be as friendly. So far White Wolf/S&SS and Necromancer games have not given PCgen permission to distribute thier materials, take this however you want in regards to e-tools distibution of thier material.

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, or officialy connected with any parties mentioned above. I am just someone who has taken an intrest in this as I enjoy using electronic aids.

 

[Sm!rk]

E-Tools is not OGL (and doesn't have to be) and therefore, can't be distributed with OGC content.

I doubt that is an issue because none of that content will ever be distributed with etools, ie packaged with it and sold in a store. You are talking about users distributing it which will require a different line of thought and discussion.

 

[Twin Rose]

Re: Re: Other publishers' material in E-Tools?

I doubt that is an issue because none of that content will ever be distributed with etools, ie packaged with it and sold in a store. You are talking about users distributing it which will require a different line of thought and discussion.

I think you would be surprised. Many publishers have been very careful in entering into Agreements with us at Twin Rose for using content in Campaign Suite data files. In fact, there ARE Agreements that we have to agree to before they'll allow it.

If you can somehow include a copy of the license in your eTools files, it might be possible to use ONLY OGC, but be wary of what is considered OGC and what is IP. Calling your file, "Relics & Rituals" will get you in trouble.

Also be careful of material where they've already entered into exclusive Agreements for the distribution of their material. If Twin Rose has one with Joe Publishing for their "Book of Stuff" and someone posts that information on the net somewhere, calling it "Book of Stuff", the orriginal publisher and Twin Rose could ask them to remove it, or even take the matter to court.

 

[Sm!rk]

Re: Re: Re: Other publishers' material in E-Tools?

Also be careful of material where they've already entered into exclusive Agreements for the distribution of their material. If Twin Rose has one with Joe Publishing for their "Book of Stuff" and someone posts that information on the net somewhere, calling it "Book of Stuff", the orriginal publisher and Twin Rose could ask them to remove it, or even take the matter to court.

Interesting subject, has that happened with any material? Yet?

If so who?

 

[Brown Jenkin]

For what it's worth, I posted a thread over in the publishers forum asking if anyone had given permission for thier material to be distributed in e-tools format. So far no response.

 

[Fractalwave]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Other publishers' material in E-Tools?

Interesting subject, has that happened with any material? Yet?

If so who?

Nothing officially yet, but this shouldn't really be a surprise. We announced we were in talks with some publishers regarding licenses when we announced we were dropping the d20 logo and license last month.

Don't worry... when it's official it will become known in a press release. It's inappropriate though to discuss anything regarding a possible agreement before the agreement is made. So we can't answer your question.

*bops Chris on the head for being a tease*

Does that help? I'll try to keep him from teasing you again but I don't think I'll win that battle. I keep rolling single digits on a d20 die.