So how do we respond?

[reelo]

I'm going to buy the books because from what I've seen so far, OneDnD is looking good, and watch the DnD movie because it looks like it's going to be a lot of fun. These potential changes to the OGL aren't really going to impact me.

So basically: "I'm fine with sh***y behaviour, as long as it doesn't affect me."

 

[S'mon]

A Drow is 3e SRD content, among other Elf cultures. At least the Drow is also a 5e SRD monster.

An artistic portrait of a Drow Wizard casting a Lightningbolt or "Tiny Hut", would also be fair use of the SRD.

Any media that portray a Dragonborn or Tiefling are also fair use of the SRD.

If Hasbro wants to retain certain Property Identity, then obviously dont add it to the SRD.

But the content that is already in the historical SRDs − those genies are out of the bottle.

Although notably the 5e SRD scrubbed the descriptive text from the 3e SRD. There may be some 5e SRD monsters that don't have OGC descriptive text. In which case you have no particular right to depict them based off WoTC text or art. The 5e PHB races do have descriptions in the 5e SRD though, so Dragonborn & Tiefling seem fine.

 

[Aldarc]

Even if WotC walks back the OGL 1.1, I'm curious how this will affect the D&D and broader TTRPG community in the shorter and longer terms.

 

[Yaarel]

Although notably the 5e SRD scrubbed the descriptive text from the 3e SRD. There may be some 5e SRD monsters that don't have OGC descriptive text. In which case you have no particular right to depict them based off WoTC text or art. The 5e PHB races do have descriptions in the 5e SRD though, so Dragonborn & Tiefling seem fine.

Fair enough about the need for an SRD textual description.

But art can refer to both the 3e SRD and 5e SRD.

 

[see]

Good luck passing legislation with a House that can't even decide on a Speaker. Maybe Europe can save us.

Contract law in the US is mostly state law, even when applied by the Federal courts; a legislative strategy should probably focus on state legislatures, not Congress.

 

[mhd]

Even if WotC walks back the OGL 1.1, I'm curious how this will affect the D&D and broader TTRPG community in the shorter and longer terms.

People sometimes draw connections to the software world and especially its open-source/free software sub-cultures, but I don't really see anything like that happen. RPG creation is just too visual and not inherently collaborative. So this would be closer to a AAA video game being made by volunteers than something like Linux. It's a bit like giving kids celery sticks instead of french fries.

You'll get a few more people that care more about "anti-corporate" gaming. So maybe one or two now-OGL legacy game engines being licensed even more openly, a handful of new itch "Truly Free" games, and not much more.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I think the time to push is now, not "wait and see".

WotC hasn't formally published, so they're not committed yet. Backlash now allows them two outs: either (1) internally change direction, and comply with what their customers want (presuming: retain OGL1.0 in an irrevocable state), or (2) say "that's not what we were going to do" and go public with a compliant version immediate. Both actions defuse tension.

If we wait to push and they publish 1.1 deauthorizing 1.0, and then backlash starts, the lawyers can get involved true -- but that gets convoluted and takes forever. In the face of public backlash once published, a corporation is much more likely to double down and hunker behind their lawyers, which could end up worse in the long run.

Its almost always better to deter conflict than fight. We're still in a space where deterrence can work.

 

[Guest 7034872]

Its almost always better to deter conflict than fight. We're still in a space where deterrence can work.

I do think that's right. My hope is that they'll look all this over very closely while having their internal fights about what to do, and that cooler heads ultimately will prevail. Scorched-earth tactics do work sometimes, but they're never a healthy default.

 

[mhd]

Speaking of "scorching", this reminded me slightly of the GIF licensing issues that happened between 1999 and 2004. You know, the graphics format that has birthed countless memes, basically the only way to have something animated (or transparent) on the early web.

And all of a sudden, licensing fees were demanded. So there was a rather big backlash, many applications dropped GIF support, web pages were encouraged to use the "PNG" alternative.

There even was a "Burn All Gifs" page for activism.

This stopped when the patents expired.

When we're talking about books, I wouldn't encourage anything with "Burn" in the title, but a bit of activism and switching, at least until the courts make their decisions might be in our future.

 

[bostonmyk]

I think the time to push is now, not "wait and see".

WotC hasn't formally published, so they're not committed yet. Backlash now allows them two outs: either (1) internally change direction, and comply with what their customers want (presuming: retain OGL1.0 in an irrevocable state), or (2) say "that's not what we were going to do" and go public with a compliant version immediate. Both actions defuse tension.

If we wait to push and they publish 1.1 deauthorizing 1.0, and then backlash starts, the lawyers can get involved true -- but that gets convoluted and takes forever. In the face of public backlash once published, a corporation is much more likely to double down and hunker behind their lawyers, which could end up worse in the long run.

Its almost always better to deter conflict than fight. We're still in a space where deterrence can work.

The best response for the near term is to buy stuff 3rd party stuff from the likely targets prior to the release date. They'll need the revenue to survive and then fight if necessary. It is the very least, tangible thing I can do knowing so little. I'm a little relieved that most of my holiday gifts and buys were mostly 3rd party.

Mike

 

[payn]

So basically: "I'm fine with sh***y behaviour, as long as it doesn't affect me."

There will be a whole lot of this soon.

"So you are 35 and now hate D&D. Big whoop. I hated D&D until I was 35. I figured it out and so will you."

 

[mhd]

If this OGL turns me 35 again, I'm buying all the supplements.

 

[MoonSong]

My how to respond.

Support 3rd parties. These Paizo pocket books and Levelup pdfs look pretty eppealing right now. And get these Paizo games on GOG.

Hurry. Finally finalize my Third Dawn pet project and make it public while it is still possible. I might take the time to edit and embellish, but I gotta hurry now while it is still possible.

Dust my PT project. It is is own thing and way low risk going forward.

Stay informed for develpments. Look at what is going to happen with current 3ps to see where to go next.

Put a moratorium on buying Hasbro products. No more ponies, transformers, magic cards and specially D&D products until the situation is sorted out.

Reach out. I havent filled the survey yet. What a better way to give feedback than to take advantage of it.

Join the discussion, help with engagement here and on the other platforms I frequent.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I'm having a conversation with my best friend deciding if stopping to use our 5e content and using 5e as our system is the ''good'' thing to do (knowing full well that it wont change a thing for anyone but us).

I fear dropping D&D will just cause my group to stop playing 'cause they dont want to try new things.

What a dilemma!

I'd suggest waiting to see if WotC backs off on this, I believe they will, if they don't then boycott until they do. I personally think WotC was already kind of divided on this and at this point with this huge backlash 1.1 OGL is already dead before release and some powerful people could be thrown under the bus anyday now.

I suspect WotC is in a state of civil war right now, this has already done this much damage to their business and it's not even been full released? So they've gone completely silent while they fight it out.

Someone going to have to be sacrificed, someone important to qeunch the rage, a fall guy or gal.

So far now I've signed the petition and made complaints to official D&D Twitter and on the D&D Beyond Forums (there is so much nerd rage that official D&D social media like D&D Beyond & Discord stopped censoring folks complaining about OGL 1.1, like I think it was so much after awhile they knew censoring it was pointless and only made WotC look worse).

 

[Morrus]

Support 3rd parties. These Paizo pocket books and Levelup pdfs look pretty eppealing right now. And get these Paizo games on GOG.

I can get behind that!

 

[reelo]

Maybe (hopefully!) WotC/Hasbro/5E becomes unpopular enough in these parts that I can finally motivate people to try Mythras and/or The One Ring.

 

[mamba]

I can get behind that!

wasn’t on the Dungeon Delver KS (spent too much on other stuff at the time already), will pick it up once it comes to DT (I am mostly into PDFs, take up much less room)

 

[MoonSong]

wasn’t on the Dungeon Delver KS (spent too much on other stuff at the time already), will pick it up once it comes to DT (I am mostly into PDFs, take up much less room)

I prefer physical books, but if it isn't on Amazon or on Ebay -and it is one of the chosen retailers by a given parcel service- getting my hands on it is near impossible.

 

[MGibster]

This is the “downside” of the old argument that RPGs, despite being expensive to get into, are actually cheap in the long run because they offer a massive amount of entertainment for few dollars. Once you get in, you can play forever without buying anything ever again. Which is why it’s inherently difficult to sell just rules for a game of imagination.

I categorically reject the argument that RPGs are or ever have been an expensive hobby to get into. I started playing around 1987/88, but earnestly started purchasing my own RPG books in 1989. Back then, I think the AD&D 2nd edition PHB was $18, or $43 in today's money when adjusted for inflation, which was not too expensive for most middle class Americans. Back in '89, I was making bank with my $15 weekly allowance and it only took me two weeks to save up for most AD&D products.

So basically: "I'm fine with sh***y behaviour, as long as it doesn't affect me."

I'm not really sure changing the OGL is naughty word behavior. On the surface of it, it appears as though WotC has the right to change the license agreement, though maybe a court will say different, and I'm not convinced they have an obligation to keep the license as is in perpetuity.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

So basically: "I'm fine with sh***y behaviour, as long as it doesn't affect me."

I am sure that is not uncommon.