D&D 5E So, 5e OGL

[Nylanfs]

I don't see how, unless your character generator needed to reproduce rules text word for word. It's calculations can be changed in the background just fine, and any errata that actually necessitates front end textual replication from the SRD (and replication shouldn't be critical for a decent generator) can be reworded.

As long as you know the maths and have access to the terminology, you're golden.

We copy the text of the spells with included math based on the character's level. And some of the errata did alter the game mechanics, I'd have to dig into my notes to remember which ones though. When it appeared that there might be a OGL for 4e I remember talking with what's his name that was in charge about it having the new SRD be an index to things in the book that would be OGC which means any errata to them would be OGC.

I also made the suggestion that the new OGL have a requirement that ALL items of OGC be labeled that way other publishers didn't have to have enormous sec. 15s and the original creators could be better credited.

 

[Morrus]

We copy the text of the spells with included math based on the character's level..

So reword the text. The maths isn't copyrighted.

 

[Nylanfs]

So reword the text. The maths isn't copyrighted.

The whole point of a character creator is to have accurate info on your character sheet. It needs to match the info you would look up in the book.

 

[Jester David]

Do you mean this one? http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/fan-site-kit It's been up on the WotC web site for about a month (the date at the top is 01/01/2014 but that's unreal). The kit itself is just some 5e-related images but the terms of use are the interesting thing.

That would be the fan site kit released for 4e back in 2009. It was pretty laughable then. They just slipped in some new pictures and changes the copyright date.

Look at what they expect you to do with the Fan Site Kit:

We encourage you to use these materials, post your character sheets for Dungeons & Dragons, create fan fiction, display your personal artwork, and just have fun on your Fan Site.

Nothing about content generation. This is really for fansites, like you'd have a fansite for MtG or My Little Pony or Transformers. Somewhere where you review the content, gush about the franchise, and the like. Not for creating your own mechanics and content. And you're barred from discussion unofficial content, unless it applies to another licence. Like the GSL.

Plus, it also says this:

They also want us to point out that by using any content available on the Wizards.com website, you acknowledge your acceptance of this Policy and the Wizards.com website Terms of Use ("Terms of Use").

One of the terms of use being:

5. User Content. As part of your use of the Services, you may be able to create, include, refer to, transfer, upload, stream, display, host, promote, disseminate, post, make available, distribute, link to or transmit messages, artwork, text, displays, images, photographs, graphics, screenshots, data, databases, information, files, pictures, video, audio, music, software and other materials and content, whether in written, digital, oral, machine-readable, electronic or visual form, to our Websites or Services (collectively, your "User Content"). By posting or submitting any User Content to or through the Websites or Services, you hereby irrevocably grant to Wizards a worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, non-exclusive, and fully sub-licensable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform and display such User Content (in whole or in part) in any media and to incorporate the User Content into other works in any format or medium now known or later developed. The foregoing grants shall include the right to exploit any proprietary rights in such User Content, including but not limited to, rights under copyright, trademark or patent laws under any relevant jurisdiction.

So that's worrisome...

 

[Morrus]

The whole point of a character creator is to have accurate info on your character sheet. It needs to match the info you would look up in the book.

As a potential customer, I think you're missing a trick, then. I'd rather have an up-to-date one with slightly different phrasing to the SRD (which is different to the PHB anyway, so you're not going to find exactly the same in the book) than an out-of-date one with identical phrasing to the SRD.

But it's your thing; I'm not trying to tell you how to do it. But that's how you'd get my custom.

 

[Morrus]

So that's worrisome...

Yeah. It's a terrible license. Don't agree to it, whatever you do.

 

[Kramodlog]

"All your RPG content are mine!" -WotC

 

[Jester David]

Yeah. It's a terrible license. Don't agree to it, whatever you do.

I wouldn't say "terrible" just incomplete.

It should handle content generation by fans. But it doesn't and directs people to the licence meant for publishers.
It should provide complete terms of use. But it doesn't and directs people to the terms meant for posting on community site.

The terms make sense from a forum perspective. If I post an awesome feat on their message boards or blogs and then it appears in a book, it puts WotC at legal risk. Having them technically "own" any content I post saves their butt.
But when the "service" is a kit for fan sites hosted elsewhere, the terms make zero sense.

It's a good example of what I've said about the WotC legal team not having time for D&D, let alone its fans. They can't be bothered to write up a complete licence, so they just use some existing content, say "good enough", and go back to other concerns.

 

[aramis erak]

From a legal stand point, does an OGL need to be published in the books the OGL covers? I mean if we want the PHB to be Open Source, wouldn't they need to publish a PHB with the legal document in it? Could they just post in it on their website and be done with it?

According to several OGL publishers, not exactly. Core rules can be published non-OGL, and then a separate OGL SRD released... but for 3rd party, yes.

Note that Mongoose Traveller doesn't actually include the OGL in the text... the OGL SRD includes most of the core text, but not all. A few others have done similar.

 

[Nellisir]

Interesting. This means it will require some work.

Definitely more work for WotC.

That's the argument, at least from my point of view, of applying an OGL-like license to the Basic Rules rather than the PHB. If you create an SRD (a la 3e), you've now got 3 very similar documents to update and maintain - the Basic Rules, the PHB rules, and the SRD. They couldn't maintain the 3e SRD; I don't think they'll maintain a 5e SRD AND the Basic Rules AND the full rules.