D&D 5E So, 5e OGL

[neobolts]

A third-party license that is unlike OGL or GSL?

Fortunately, there is always OGL.

I feel like we've gone so far down the rabbit hole and the possibilities have become more and more nebulous. It could be anything at this point.

 

[Umbran]

(I know its not an OGL announcement...but some posters were implying there would be no info.)

We were saying there'd be no big announcement, and on that, we seem to be correct.

I guess this is the big news though -

http://tribality.com/2015/08/01/demon-lords/

Actually, I think the real big news was the movie, which they announced *one day after* Gen Con. That seems pretty telling. While it is possible that one day made a difference in whether they could announce it seems a stretch. This seems to be a purposeful choice to me, which implies: If you are looking for Big News from WotC, don't look for it at Gen Con.

 

[kenmarable]

Actually, I think the real big news was the movie, which they announced *one day after* Gen Con. That seems pretty telling. While it is possible that one day made a difference in whether they could announce it seems a stretch. This seems to be a purposeful choice to me, which implies: If you are looking for Big News from WotC, don't look for it at Gen Con.

And for a convention that although didn't start with D&D, saw it's growth into a major national convention through D&D and was basically *the* big D&D convention and major announcement venue, I'll admit a part of me is sad to see WotC moving so much of that away from Gen Con. For me, Gen Con and D&D were synonymous.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Actually, I think the real big news was the movie, which they announced *one day after* Gen Con. That seems pretty telling. While it is possible that one day made a difference in whether they could announce it seems a stretch. This seems to be a purposeful choice to me, which implies: If you are looking for Big News from WotC, don't look for it at Gen Con.

it is sad but true...

 

[Mark CMG]

If you are looking for Big News from WotC, don't look for it at Gen Con.

You don't think that the podcast interview and the movie announcement that came during and right after Gen Con were timed because of Gen Con? If you really need to be right, I guess we can say that they weren't timed with Gen Con in mind, but it does seem to be a bit of a coincidence that they came during and immediately following Gen Con.

 

[Umbran]

You don't think that the podcast interview and the movie announcement that came during and right after Gen Con were timed because of Gen Con?

The podcast wasn't really announcing anything major, in my opinion.

I think the movie announcement timing took Gen Con into account - which is why it fell on Monday, just after the convention, timed specifically to *not* be at the con. I think it was purposeful - I don't think they wanted to have thousands of gamers all in a relatively localized area, all asking questions they didn't yet want to, or couldn't yet, answer.

Now, they have a month before PAX Prime before they have to speak to it again.

 

[Morrus]

I think the movie announcement timing took Gen Con into account - which is why it fell on Monday, just after the convention, timed specifically to *not* be at the con. I think it was purposeful - I don't think they wanted to have thousands of gamers all in a relatively localized area, all asking questions they didn't yet want to, or couldn't yet, answer.

I'd agree- except that WotC didn't make an announcement. Hollywood Reporter, Variety, etc. all reported on the legal updates, but those happen to the courts' timetable, not WotC's.

 

[Mark CMG]

The podcast wasn't really announcing anything major, in my opinion.

Look, I wanted to know from WotC if there was movement on the OGL front and hoped they say something during Gen Con. So, goalpost-moving to "major" aside, they made sure to make mention of it in their stack of Gen Con-timed announcements via the podcast interview.

FWIW, I think it is pretty clear they have no intention of using the OGL (nor the GSL) for 5E. I think they will continue to handpick partners to work with for outsourcing (with varying degrees of oversight) much of their 5E content and keep the spigot at the steady, slow, but healthy (for their business model) stream that is currently being used.

If they develop some sort of license to expand the field beyond the current partners, it will just be a matter of tying them to certain types of products that require full content approval and allow for the D&D logo to be displayed.

It's clear they have no interest in having a full SRD and OGL in use during 5E. I also think we'll see more cracking down on those who try to do an end-around with the OGL intimating 5E compatibility. So far, I think it's only been a few websites with generators and wholesale use of actual 5E content that have run afoul of WotC but as it becomes more widely apparent they aren't going near the OGL, I also think more folks who want to publish 5E material will take more chances and cross some lines that may not yet have been crossed. We'll see.

 

[Yaarel]

Look, I wanted to know from WotC if there was movement on the OGL front and hoped they say something during Gen Con. So, goalpost-moving to "major" aside, they made sure to make mention of it in their stack of Gen Con-timed announcements via the podcast interview.

FWIW, I think it is pretty clear they have no intention of using the OGL (nor the GSL) for 5E. I think they will continue to handpick partners to work with for outsourcing (with varying degrees of oversight) much of their 5E content and keep the spigot at the steady, slow, but healthy (for their business model) stream that is currently being used.

If they develop some sort of license to expand the field beyond the current partners, it will just be a matter of tying them to certain types of products that require full content approval and allow for the D&D logo to be displayed.

It's clear they have no interest in having a full SRD and OGL in use during 5E. I also think we'll see more cracking down on those who try to do an end-around with the OGL intimating 5E compatibility. So far, I think it's only been a few websites with generators and wholesale use of actual 5E content that have run afoul of WotC but as it becomes more widely apparent they aren't going near the OGL, I also think more folks who want to publish 5E material will take more chances and cross some lines that may not yet have been crossed. We'll see.

I suspect your summary is moreorless right.

For 5e, WotC is backing away from the OGL. Like it did during 4e.

When 4e came out, I and several others predicted 4e would fail because of the lack of an OGL. Sadly, such predictions came true. Eventually Paizo returned to the 3e OGL, and were legally forced to shun 4e. The players splintered. 4e lacked input from the players. Paizo especially could have supplied indy options for 4e that met the needs of its 3e fans.

5e corrected this problem by massive public playtesting and development that was driven by player feedback.

But again, if 5e backs away from the OGL, other companies will return to the 3e OGL, create an alternative that competes with 5e, splits the players, and 5e will flourish less.

It seems the same mistake again.

On the other hand, there are hints that the licensing that WotC has in mind will have a few surprises. I am interested to see if it will be satisfactory.

 

[Yaarel]

If only people really felt as though that was the solution. We wouldn't keep having thread after thread of people talking about wanting 5E to be made Open in the first place.

A quality alternative to 5e, requires much hard work. It is in everyones interest for a 5e OGL.

But if there fails to be a 5e OGL, the alternative will happen. Just like Pathfinder as the alternative to the OGL-less 4e ‘happened’.

Even a 5e clone can happen.