Question on new Material at 4th Launch

[Alikar]

I'm not sure based on what I can find, but what kind of material can we release when 4th edition launches? By this I mean for free. I'm pretty sure that it would be allowed by the new license, but since its not out I' thought I'd ask the crazy people here.

 

[Delta]

I'm not sure based on what I can find, but what kind of material can we release when 4th edition launches? By this I mean for free. I'm pretty sure that it would be allowed by the new license, but since its not out I' thought I'd ask the crazy people here.

Nothing under the new license. WOTC has said clearly that only publishers who pay a $5000 fee can publish in 2008 under the GSL. Everyone else needs to wait until at least January 2009. See the OGL discussion forum for quotes on that.

 

[TerraDave]

You can probably release things as a fan--as people here on ENWorld have already done for 4E--but as a publisher, it looks like nothing till january.

 

[keterys]

I suspect it'll be longer, with the GSL holdup (to give those who pay more time)

 

[Alikar]

So then basically when I release something basically for free there would be no issues, but if I was to actually charge for it then would WoTC care?

 

[Brown Jenkin]

So then basically when I release something basically for free there would be no issues, but if I was to actually charge for it then would WoTC care?

Thats what it sounded like before when they spoke. It has been months since then and the GSL seems to be getting a major overhall resulting in the delay so no-one can answer that question currently.

 

[kenmarable]

So then basically when I release something basically for free there would be no issues, but if I was to actually charge for it then would WoTC care?

Only WotC can answer that. We can speculate, and I personally speculate that as a business not interested in bad PR, they would be fine with it, but that's just speculation. If you posted your own derivative stuff for free, the worst they'd probably do is send you a nasty-gram cease and desist letter. More likely they just won't care and happily let you post your stuff for free, but I don't know.

There's also been talk from WotC about having fans post free material at Gleemax, but whether that is the only allowed outlet, or just a preferred one, again, only WotC can answer that.

So the bottom line is, we don't know. That won't stop us from giving you answers (just like I did above), but no one outside of WotC has an official answer. If I were you, just like the people here at EN World, I'd just go ahead and do it and not worry until some official word comes out to the contrary.

 

[BASHMAN]

So then basically when I release something basically for free there would be no issues, but if I was to actually charge for it then would WoTC care?

I have a feeling if you release a free PDF with details on how to make Half-orc barbarians, and Gnomish Bards, and that it is really popular, that Hasbro will send you some old-school TSR of the 1990s style cease & desist orders.

If you were smart you would publish all such things under the 3.X OGL, and they just magically "happen to be" compatable with 4th edition. In fact, why don't you title the project, "4th Edition Barbarians, Bards, Gnomes, & Half-Orcs" and just leave what the "4th Edition" in the title is referencing up to the reader's imagination?

 

[GAAAHHH]

I have a feeling if you release a free PDF with details on how to make Half-orc barbarians, and Gnomish Bards, and that it is really popular, that Hasbro will send you some old-school TSR of the 1990s style cease & desist orders.

If you were smart you would publish all such things under the 3.X OGL, and they just magically "happen to be" compatable with 4th edition. In fact, why don't you title the project, "4th Edition Barbarians, Bards, Gnomes, & Half-Orcs" and just leave what the "4th Edition" in the title is referencing up to the reader's imagination?

You could release it for GURPS 4th edition...

 

[Xethreau]

If you don't intend to publish your material, and just want to create and share, you could also post it on Hasbro's Gleemax blog thing. Since everything you post there (according to my understanding) becomes their property, it is a win-win situation, methinks.