Synonyms for "Core Book" and "Player's Handbook"?

[Bendris Noulg]

Now I have to re-download that Legal section over my old one, which does not contain "Player's Handbook" as a Product Identity.

I made the same mistake once when I asked about Cordell being added to the list of SRD authors after psionics were released. He already had.

 

[Umbran]

There's a false assumption in this statement, however. For instance, does M&M worry about being seen as compatible? No, of course not.

If by M&M you mean "Mutants and Masterminds", well, it's by Green Ronin, who have earned a decent name with the Freeport products. If published by people with no reputation for quality, would they have gotten distribution or sales enough to cover printing costs?

Another false assumption: I'm not in it for the money.

As noted above, it takes a bit of capital to get things printed, and generally folks want to at least cover those costs with sales. If you want to operate at a loss, that's your own business, but then don't expect other folks who are looking into publishing to care which license you prefer.

 

[reiella]

The Sacred Cow Guide to 'Insert Campaign Fluff Here'

 

[seankreynolds]

What should d20 companies name such products? I realise both terms are overused; but there are "Core Books" for product lines as well as "Player's Handbooks", and they have to be called something.

Hayer's Plandbook?

 

[Psionicist]

Great! I was very bothered that Sword & Sorcery Studios called Relics & Rituals "Core book 4" (or something like that).

But that's just me.

 

[Ranger REG]

There's a false assumption in this statement, however. For instance, does M&M worry about being seen as compatible? No, of course not. If anything, I enjoy the freedom of stating outright that a product is not compatible but is still run on the same game engine.

Perhaps, but there are those who think differently.

Besides, Green Ronin built their company on early yet good-quality d20 products to earn their company recognition among the gamer community. It is enough to gamble on making OGL-based games. Their gamble is a success.

Other OGL-based games is banking on a different kind of recognition. For example, EverQuest RPG which is based on a very popular and most recognized computer MMORPG brand.

Then it's a good thing for me that I treat this as nothing more than a licensed hobby. A lot less headaches in that regard, as well.

That's good for you, but it is not restricted to that alone.

Another false assumption: I'm not in it for the money.

That is your prerogative, but when you agree to use the license, you better stick to the terms or you'll have Wizards send you a nice legal letter stating your violation and to cure it within 30 days, or else face a serious matter.

It is a myth really. Even if you're not doing it for the money, distributing something that is not yours is a serious violation of the standard copyright law. IOW, that author can take you to civil court and collect damage because the law is on his side.

Of course, see my sig.

 

[Ranger REG]

BTW, I just noticed something "inappropriate" about the 3.5e SRD and the attached legal information.

If "Player's Handbook" is considered Product Identity, then regardless if you're using the d20STL/OGL combo or just strictly OGL, you can't use that PI without Wizards' permission.

Hmm...

Perhaps it is a good thing that EverQuest Player's Handbook is based on the original 3e SRD.

 

[MerricB]

While the OGL gives you a lot of freedom, it is the restriction of compatibility and co-adaptability, as well as the lack of a d20 logo, that presents a large obstacle to marketing your product.

Furthermore, using the d20 System License allows you to put the magic words "Dungeons & Dragons" on the cover. Certainly, they are part of the statement "Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons, Third Edition Core Books, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc." or similar, but they mean a lot to a purchaser unfamiliar with the d20 System logo but familiar with the D&D game.

Cheers!

 

[bubbalin]

Hey Reg - from the legal RTF file from the revised 3.5 SRD, in the Product Identity section:

The following items are designated Product Identity, as defined in Section 1(e) of the Open Game License Version 1.0a, and are subject to the conditions set forth in Section 7 of the OGL, and are not Open Content: Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master, Monster Manual, d20 System, Wizards of the Coast, d20 (when used as a trademark), Forgotten Realms, Faerûn, proper names (including those used in the names of spells or items), places, Red Wizard of Thay, the City of Union, Heroic Domains of Ysgard, Ever-Changing Chaos of Limbo, Windswept Depths of Pandemonium, Infinite Layers of the Abyss, Tarterian Depths of Carceri, Gray Waste of Hades, Bleak Eternity of Gehenna, Nine Hells of Baator, Infernal Battlefield of Acheron, Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus, Peaceable Kingdoms of Arcadia, Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia, Twin Paradises of Bytopia, Blessed Fields of Elysium, Wilderness of the Beastlands, Olympian Glades of Arborea, Concordant Domain of the Outlands, Sigil, Lady of Pain, Book of Exalted Deeds, Book of Vile Darkness, beholder, gauth, carrion crawler, tanar’ri, baatezu, displacer beast, githyanki, githzerai, mind flayer, illithid, umber hulk, yuan-ti.

Okay, based on this, then you can't refer to a Dngeon Master right? is that why other books use game master?

Perhaps it is a good thing that EverQuest Player's Handbook is based on the original 3e SRD.

But don't you have to use the latest STL? So isn't this now a violation?

 

[MerricB]

Okay, based on this, then you can't refer to a Dngeon Master right? is that why other books use game master?

"Dungeon Master" is a trademark of WotC. It follows all the trademark laws, regardless of the license (the license just makes it even clearer: you can't!)

But don't you have to use the latest STL? So isn't this now a violation?

No. Everquest does not use the d20 System License. It is an OGL game, based off the d20 System SRD for 3E, which does not have any limitations on the use of "Player's Handbook".

(It might have problems if it were based off the 3.5E SRD, but that's another matter).

Cheers!