SRD question

[Morrus]

but can you use the SRD for the OGL? I converted my game to D20 a long time ago, so if I used the SRD then I would have to use my own character creation process, and XP process correct? but everything else is covered under the OGL?

It really sounds to me like you need to out a hold on your plans. Download and read the licenses; they're really fairly clear. There are FAQs, too, on WotC's website.

If your aim is to "be pubished" rather than "run a business", then my advice is to approach other publishers with your project. Running a business is not as much fun as you think it is! For a start, it involves mastering the licensing issues involved, which you haven't done.

Finally - nobody's buying right now. Hold off until after 4E has been released. I run EN Publishing, and I've scaled production right down to a minumum because I'm losing money, not making it.

 

[dmccoy1693]

I'm not trying to put you down, but stop before you do something bad. Take your product to an established company and try to get them to put it out for you. They have the experience needed to do what you are trying to do, and which you admittedly have little knoweldge of.

The d20 STL and OGL have been out for some time now, and thousands of products have made it out under those licenses. 4e is announced, and most people are stopping or slowing production of d20 material until they get word on 4e.

You're very late in coming to an already saturated market, with a product that is looking to be less than sellable (not quality, just based on the timing of your proposal). Adding to that your inexperience with the licenses, and you're going down a very tough road. I understand that the information provided in this thread isn't enough to just go on, but everyone has made distinctly good points, and you are still questioning what is available via either license.

You're not ready for this in any way, shape, or form. Relax, and work on your setting, and forget the mechanics for a while, and shop the setting around to people that would be willing to do the legal work for you.

d20 Modern sales are slow to begin with compared to the rest of the market, and with 4e coming and hints that Modern will be revisited possibly in 2009, you're in a bind. Not to mention there are already plenty of zombie materials out there for d20 Modern. If your setting or rules are truly unique and worthy of sale, then a publisher will jump on your product. If not, keep working on it until you get it out, or give up on the idea. It's great to want to be in the biz, but starting your own company with no help other than message board posts is downright dangerous. Unproven companies also tend to have passive sales records, so you shouldn't expect anything but a loss with this product. Even some of the more experienced houses are kinda folding things up and putting them under the umbrella of more established big names.

Good luck, but honestly - think long and hard if this is really for you. It might just be neat to keep it to yourself, or post up some stuff on the boards for others to see, and not worth the time and hassle to get through the whole production gambit.

I have to agree with one exception. If you are going to do this for your own home game AND NOT SELL THIS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, then you can do whatever you want. If you want to put the whole game together in a presentable format and give it away to every RPGer you know and they all start playing your game, you're fine. But if you try to sell this on your own, you're going to make a mistake somewhere and having a company like WotC against you (legally) isn't fun.

 

[Sigurd]

Take the slowness of the market as an opportunity !

Market realities are merciless but they are not criticisms of your work quality.

If you love your work position it to shine. There's not a lot of love for 3.5 pdfs right now and if you are kind to your project you will use the time to prep not publish.

See if you can find committed play testers. Start a google group to critique the thing and make it better. Forget that the market and its rules even exist for a while and just make the thing better. Look again in 4 months and see if there is a better environment especially if its a first work.

You don't want to apply for a job that isn't there. Thats demoralizing and negative. Unless you know your project is ready and bursting to be free, you should probably wait and polish.

You're using the forums really well to get 'inside' info from other publishers. You've got a goal for your imagination. Its all good. If you can wait you'll build a stronger product that will sell in a better market.


my .02 (worth twice as much as I charge!)