Question on new Material at 4th Launch

[Henry]

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.

Two points to clarify:

1) Based on the last debate on this issue, if you post it on Gleemax, you agree to a license that gives them complete permission to distribute it however they wish; however, they don't technically own it. There's a bit of misconception about their terms of use license.

2) Until the GSL is released, any 4e work you do, fan created for free, or otherwise, is technically a violation of copyright. I agree with Kenmarable on their likely practice of actual violations, though - it would really be a bad idea to go stifling eager fans tearing into a brand-new edition. Their efforts would likely be focused on PDF and print products from publishers, rather than fan-shared creations on individual forms and websites.

All of the above comes with the usual "I'm not a lawyer, this isn't legal advice," etc., but is just as close to my understanding as I have it.

 

[Glyfair]

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.

Necromancer Games is supposed to release a free adventure ala their 3E "Wizard's Amulet" adventure. Of course, that assumes that WotC will bear down and get the license out to 3rd parties.

 

[Cyronax]

Necromancer Games is supposed to release a free adventure ala their 3E "Wizard's Amulet" adventure. Of course, that assumes that WotC will bear down and get the license out to 3rd parties.

It seems like WotC would be more timely given that they're charging $5k for the opportunity to get the GSL.

On that note, aside from Necromancer Games ..... which companies are known to have purchased? (This has probably been covered elsewhere, but I ask anyway).

C.I.D.

 

[Andur]

No companies have purchased as the sale has not been officially offered.

Necro has stated they are going 4e, if able that is. And I wouldn't be surprised to see a free adventure from them GSL or no. Lawsuits over free material that are based upon conjecture of material that may or may not be copyrighted usually don't even get initiated.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

It seems like WotC would be more timely given that they're charging $5k for the opportunity to get the GSL.

On that note, aside from Necromancer Games ..... which companies are known to have purchased? (This has probably been covered elsewhere, but I ask anyway).

C.I.D.

Actually none at all are known to have purchased it. Some intend to (but I can only think of Necromancer). Purchase is only done after the interested publishers have read the GSL (which they get after they have signed an NDA about it, so even if they don't pick it up, they cannot talk about the GSL.)

So, 1st rule of the GSL - don't talk about the GSL.


PS: Now that two of us have picked on the non-purchasing stuff, maybe someone can answer the actual interesting question: Who else has publically said they want to acquire the GSL ASAP?

 

[Glyfair]

Necro has stated they are going 4e, if able that is.

Wolfgang Baur's Open Design has collected the fee from patrons and are expected to go once things are straightened up. After all, he has the money. The question is whether the fact that a GenCon release being close to out of the picture will be a deal breaker.

The only company I can see getting a GenCon release at this point is Necromancer. After all, they have been working on the Expanded PHB for a while now (even if Clark can't see the work).

 

[kenmarable]

Goodman Games has said they are interested.

Fantasy Flight Games was advertising a job opening and freelance opportunities for 4e, but with the GSL delay and their acquiring the rights to the Warhammer rpgs, I don't know if they are still planning on Phase 1 or not.

Adamant Entertainment has had an open call for writers including potential 4e projects, so they appear to at least be considering it.

Paizo and Green Ronin haven't ruled it out (although Paizo has ruled it out for their Pathfinder line), but considering the delays it's seeming less and less likely they will pony up for Phase 1, but both have publicly said they are still considering it and want to see the GSL.*

I haven't heard much about this from Mongoose (probably just missed any announcements), so I don't know where they stand. But they've also branched out considerably beyond d20 so they don't have the impetus to follow D&D as much as Goodman and Necromancer might.


* At this point, unless you can get a product out quick, it's probably a smart move to just sign the NDA, see the GSL, and then save $5000 by waiting 2 months to see the rules. At the very least you'll know the terms of the license before everyone else and have more time to plan for 2009.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

* At this point, unless you can get a product out quick, it's probably a smart move to just sign the NDA, see the GSL, and then save $5000 by waiting 2 months to see the rules. At the very least you'll know the terms of the license before everyone else and have more time to plan for 2009.

Unless, as a result of the delay in the GSL, they change the terms to extend the exclusive period for those who purchase the GSL rather than just wait for the rules in June.

And all this is dependent upon how the final GSL terms come out. Personally I suspect the delay is because the legal department has found some serious loopholes in the license that they are trying to figure out how to close and still allow the GSL to be useful to 3rd party publishers.

 

[DaveMage]

I haven't heard much about this from Mongoose (probably just missed any announcements), so I don't know where they stand. But they've also branched out considerably beyond d20 so they don't have the impetus to follow D&D as much as Goodman and Necromancer might.

IIRC, Mongoose is waiting for the GSL/rules before deciding what to do.

It's probably a bit too late for anyone to have much of a quality printed product out by Gen Con, though (unless, perhaps, you have a 4E playtester working on it).

Maybe next year.