Question about use of open gaming content

[Greg K]

I have questions for those of you that publish d20 material.
If company A releases something as Open Gaming Content, does Company B need to seek Company A's permission to use that OGC content or just list Company A in section 15? Can Company A charge Company B for the use of OGC content?

Thank you

 

[Turanil]

Just list Company A in section 15, nothing to pay for the use of OGC content.

 

[Committed Hero]

If company A releases something as Open Gaming Content, does Company B need to seek Company A's permission to use that OGC content or just list Company A in section 15? Can Company A charge Company B for the use of OGC content?

No. When Company A releases open content, the OGL states that it automatically agrees to let others republish it. And as Turanil adds, Company B is supposed to ackowledge where any republished material comes from.

 

[Aussiegamer]

I thought that OLG was only the SRD material from wizards? With everything else being the property of the author still. Otherwise I could publish a complete system and just acknowledge them for cash or to ruin their cash income.

 

[Vigilance]

I thought that OLG was only the SRD material from wizards? With everything else being the property of the author still. Otherwise I could publish a complete system and just acknowledge them for cash or to ruin their cash income.

No, anything derived from the OGL must be open as well. In general this means rules are open content, though you need to carefully read the open content declaration since feat names or spell names or class names might be closed content.

Chuck

 

[Jack Morgan]

I thought that OLG was only the SRD material from wizards? With everything else being the property of the author still. Otherwise I could publish a complete system and just acknowledge them for cash or to ruin their cash income.

Edit: Some games, like True20, list what is ogc on the title/copyright page near the beginning of the book.

 

[Aussiegamer]

I realise there is some stuff not OLG from Wizards,as OLG stuff is the SRD.

So you need to list whats OLG and then the rest is not? which is what I thought.

As otherwise I could reproduce another companies gear, except for those off limits like xp requirement for leveling or rolling 3d6 per ability etc, and they will get nothing!

Thats seems to breach copyrighted material that is not part of the OLG, which I assume to be just the SRD material.

I am no lawyer and have read the OLG legals but its all too deep for me, and I assume others as well.

 

[Skywalker]

I realise there is some stuff not OLG from Wizards,as OLG stuff is the SRD.

So you need to list whats OLG and then the rest is not? which is what I thought.

As otherwise I could reproduce another companies gear, except for those off limits like xp requirement for leveling or rolling 3d6 per ability etc, and they will get nothing!

Thats seems to breach copyrighted material that is not part of the OLG, which I assume to be just the SRD material.

I am no lawyer and have read the OLG legals but its all too deep for me, and I assume others as well.

Vigiliance has it right. OGL works by allowing people to use the SRD to make new mechanics. As a condition of that licence, any mechanics so created are likewise open for use provided the OGL is followed. This does cover any mechanics so created, not just those that are in the SRD. It is not a breach of copyright as the creator has agreed to waive it (as set out in the OGL) in order to be able to use the SRD material.

So you can use the mechanical elements of an OGL game, provided you use attach the licence to it and attribute the work (in accordance with the OGL). Be careful however as many seemingly mechanical elements may not be OGL such as feat names.

 

[Aussiegamer]

Can you give some examples? I still don't seem to get it.

So if I make a system based on OLG, changing and adding some new elements then this is not copyrighted at all? :\

What's a mechanical element?

Is changing the system for say psionics from the SRD to a new system?

I gather adding some new cybernetics would be open.

So what stops a gamer from coping anothers new work, say Helio Rising Setting, is that not covered? (Not that I would ever do that!)

 

[Vigilance]

Can you give some examples? I still don't seem to get it.

So if I make a system based on OLG, changing and adding some new elements then this is not copyrighted at all? :\

What's a mechanical element?

Is changing the system for say psionics from the SRD to a new system?

I gather adding some new cybernetics would be open.

So what stops a gamer from coping anothers new work, say Helio Rising Setting, is that not covered? (Not that I would ever do that!)

A mechanical element is anything derived from the SRD: classes, races, feats, skills, prestige classes and so forth.

None of us 3rd party writers invented those things, Monte and the guys who wrote 3.0 did (along with support from WOTC editorial and art staff). They let us USE those things they made under certain conditions, including that anyone else can use what we derived from the SRD.

As to Helios Rising- you could use the MECHANICS from it. A lot of that book is descriptive material which is all the property of the writer.