Questions for Scott and Linae

[Mike_Lescault]

I'd like to get some help from the ENWorld community in compiling some questions for me to pass onto Scott and Linae to answer. I'm also collecting questions from other community spots as well, so this isn't an exclusive.

Please try to make them brief and to the point. Also, I'd appreciate it if they were worded as neutrally as possible, which will save me time in having to reword them. I'm not sure how many questions I'll submit, but I'd like to get them ranked in order of importance. Say a top 10-20 questions.

If someone would be willing to help compile these for me, that'd be great. I suppose we could always ask Morrus to do it, but sometimes I feel like we make the poor guy do too much work himself! =)

Thanks,
-Mike

 

[jaldaen]

Here are my top 5 questions:

1) What will be the differences between the D&D GSL and the d20 GSL? Will the d20 GSL allow for more customization of rules (b/c it is not associated with D&D and does not indicate compatibility) or will it just be a version of the rules intended for use with specificly Modern or Futuristic settings (i.e. no Fantasy allowed)? Lastly, when will the d20 GSL be released?

2) Are the defined 4e References just the mechanics and not the PI ("fluff") of the races, classes, monsters, etc.? When I first read the SRD I was thinking just mechanics, b/c WotC didn't release their "fluff" with the previous SRD. However, a lot of people are reading "4e Reference" as both mechanics and fluff (i.e. tieflings have to have the same raical traits & assumed background in the PHB).

3) Is the restriction/removal of a race/class/monster, etc. considered defining, redefining, or altering the definition of the 4E Reference?
For example, could I say in a campaign setting's race chapter:
Instead of using the races in the D&D 4e Player's Handbook use the following races: Mortal, Feyblood, etc.

4) Can we apply "add-ons" to character creation system process such as "Background" or "Aspects"?
For example, could I say in a campaign setting book:
In addition, to a Race choose a Background.
In addition, to a Class choose an Aspect.

5) Alternatively, would it be fine to add these extra "character creation" steps onto already existing ones:
As part of choosing a Race, choose one of the following Backgrounds as well.
As part of choosing a Class, choose one of the following Aspects as well.

Thanks those are my top questions

 

[Jack99]

I think Morrus should work some more for the free core set he got!

 

[Lizard]

1)What protection is there for products which use terms which are not now part of the SRD, but which someday might be? Leaving aside issues of core material such as Druid and Bard, which we can safely guess will someday be part of D&D, it is not possible to always guess what WOTC has planned -- for example, there were "Swashbuckler" and "Artificer" classes LONG before Complete Warrior and Eberron. Will there be a "grandfather clause"?

2)The STL allowed for a 30 day "cure" period for a breach. This protected publishers because it meant WOTC had to specify WHAT was in breach and give them a chance to reply. As written, the GSL seems to give wholly arbitrary power to WOTC, to basically shut down, at will, any product or publisher without any cause needed. Is this a correct reading of the product?

3)If a creature is not listed in the SRD, but exists in legend and mythology, is it legal to create a version of it? For example, the Succubus. WOTC cannot claim a trademark on either the word "Succubus" or the mythological concept of it. Is it legal for a 3PP to create their own version of the succubus, which is not mechanically or conceptually based on the MM version, except to the extent that both draw from the same legend (a seductive, beautiful demonic entity) and thus would have to be at least partially similar?

4)Can a 3PP use a unique and distinct cosmology? If not, to what extent can the 'default' cosmology be expanded upon?

 

[Klaus]

Copied from the "goes live" thread:

1) "When the GSL says "no referencing artwork", what do you mean by referencing? I can paint a dragonborn, but I can't paint a new picture of, say, the specific dragonborn in the Fighter entry?"

2, from SandS James) "Regarding Section 6.1 OGL Conversion.

Here's my example situation: I've licensed Sword & Sorcery and products released for 3.X edition under the Sword & Sorcery banner by White Wolf. I'm going to release 4E versions of Creature Collection, Relics & Rituals and the Scarred Lands Campaign Setting through my company, Fiery Dragon Productions.

So... does White Wolf have to kill all of their 3.X Sword & Sorcery releases... or do they not fall under section 6.1 because they are not the licensee for the GSL in this case?"

3) The GSL prohibits "redefining" of the terms in the SRD. But can you, say, change the "fluff"/"description" of something? Can you give, for instance, a new origin to the Dragonborn in your product?

 

[Cam Banks]

I only have one question, although it's related to some of the others already listed.

1. Can we add or change racial abilities or traits for races that are specific to a campaign setting? For instance, Dragonlance elves are divided into subraces that do not exactly match the elf/eladrin split. Can you create world-specific subraces of elf that share some features of both elves and eladrin?

Cheers,
Cam

 

[Brown Jenkin]

What kind of products is WotC hoping for with the GSL.

 

[justanobody]

Firstly, if you reword ANY question, then you are changing the question so might as well not even ask it. The exact question asked is what is wanted an answer to.

Section 9 is the quality clause so to speak, so when can WotC request for review any product, and what steps would then be taken during that review process?

It is understand that this is some sort of quality assessment process, but the process itself is not defined within the GSL.

Where will this review process be spelled out in the event one occurs? Is there some sort of deadline for this review process in where WotC cannot just stop production of a book that has already been printed? But instead will be some way of working in advance of costs to print have been incurred?

Can a publisher request a review of the product form WotC to make sure it conforms to sections 7 & 8 prior to sending something off to the printer with the GSL?

What rights to the material are held by the author in case of such material is delivered for review?

 

[Lizard]

Prior to the actual release of the GSL, it was said it would be a "Fantasy only" license. However, nothing of this nature appears in the GSL/SRD, and it seems there is nothing in the text of the license which can prevent someone from creating "Modern" classes, adding guns/tech, and so on. Was the "Fantasy Only" concept dropped, or will WOTC revoke the license of anyone making non-fantasy product (but otherwise staying within the strictures of the GSL), despite the lack of any explicit ban or limit in the terms of the license itself?

 

[Mike_Lescault]

Thanks, I've compiled the questions and passed them on.