D&D 5E Upcoming OGL-Related Announcement!

[Cybit]

A) That should totally be a KS Stretch Goal: Video of Russ TableFlipping.

B) I don't think you'll ever get OGL 2.0; but I think it will be free for non-commercial use, and some kind of flat fee to use the rules to make 3PP stuff to sell. You do the latter by offering to host all 3PP stuff on DriveThruRPG or something like that and offering to give publishers a much wider audience.

 

[mxyzplk]

What worries me is all the "well, we need to ensure the high quality of what you fans make..." thing. I can see them deciding they don't need third party publishers (I think that's misguided and I'd ask them how well that worked out for them with restricting them in 4e, but whatever) but that makes it sound like even fan use/community use will be overly restricted.

I personally am lukewarm but semi-interested in 5e - I'm a 4e hater/Pathfinder player but I liked Basic and 2e a lot and this smacks of them somewhat. If I think it's going to have a rich web of support like Pathfinder does right now (Paizo has a strong regular release cadence and there's scads of third party stuff) then I might go to 5e out of wanting to simplify and have more roleplaying and less number crunching. If it's more just "here's the three adventures we deign to sell you this year" and third parties and even fans for free on their blogs can't write for it then screw that...

 

[Scorpio616]

I disagree with your view and I think it's extremely bombastic and reactionary.

Reactionary? Yeah, to what Hasbro pulled with the 4E GSL. The OGL was WoTC's truest proof they were not the myopic corporation TSR had become. The GSL and it's implementation was the antithesis of that.

Are you saying he is misrepresenting things?

You already quoted what I am saying.

Is he intentionally misleading people into thinking there will be some sort of OGL when he knows there will not be?

I'm expecting a similar situation to the 4E GSL with less transparency.

 

[Plageman]

The OGL was WoTC's truest proof they were not the myopic corporation TSR had become.

I'm' a bit curious but you know that there are other role-playing games publishing companies out there and most of them do not have any kind of OGL. Fan content for them has been going on for years without all this fuss.

Also I don't know if there would be so much 3pp early on. I mean the ones with the ability to publish printed material a almost non existent: Paizo is doing PF, as is Kobold Press, Monte Cook is done with Malhavoc Press and has much to do with Numenera and The Strange, Alderac Entertainement is out of D20 business since what a decade now as is Fantasy Flight Games, Sword and Sorcery Studio is closed, Fiery Dragon is all but gone and Green Ronin is doing it's own subset of 3.x with Mutants and Masterminds.

So it leaves only the smaller companies like EN World who have to rely on kickstarter/subscriptions models to publish meaningful product like campaign setting and/or adventures path. Thus I don't expect them to be able to raise fund and publish that fast.

Plus I feel, but you can disagree, that you would need to at least read the DMG to get a good idea of all the optional and npc creation rules.

 

[Scorpio616]

I'm' a bit curious but you know that there are other role-playing games publishing companies out there and most of them do not have any kind of OGL. Fan content for them has been going on for years without all this fuss.

It goes on, but there are companies who certainly DO make a fuss about fan content and there were companies that even sued over products that happened to be compatible with their system.

Also I don't know if there would be so much 3pp early on. I mean the ones with the ability to publish printed material a almost non existent:

People can publish products without having a big name. POD is an option for those who want it and Ebook readers and tablets are far more saturated into the market than ever before.

 

[dracomilan]

Re-reading the original article I sense a big [edited by legal department]. I feel there was a paragraph about 3PP, it just didn't make it

 

[I'm A Banana]

"Okay, guys, we're six episodes into our epic 5e adventure path and things are just starting to get interesting for the PC's as they face - "

It's time to release the open playtest for 6e.

(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

 

[Plageman]

People can publish products without having a big name. POD is an option for those who want it and Ebook readers and tablets are far more saturated into the market than ever before.

You're right there about 5 PDF publishers right now on DTRPG that have WotC/Paizo-like material but when did you see any of their products on shelves ? Also their current backlog is full of 3.5/PFRPG so I don't think that they'll switch to 5E unless they are sure that the game will be a success.

In my view it only leaves non profit fan content and e-publishers with a very small numbers of sale-parts (those whose 3.5/PFRPG rules attachment is quite light and can switch easily).

To me we are again in the transition zone where publishers will have to decide to continue supporting their current system or switch to the new one. The only point right now that is in favour 5E is that the game system is less crunchy and still more close to 3e than 4e was so converting existing 3.5/PFRPG material should be easier and faster..

Now of course it all depends on how WotC will decide to treat 3pp.

I'm wondering if we'll return to "seal of approval branding" like the dichotomy we had between D20 and OGL back in 3e.

 

[Morrus]

The real question is, if EN Publishing announces an AP for the new edition, will WotC soon after announce 6E?

Now, now. It can't happen three times.... can it?

 

[Thaumaturge]

That used to be allowed, but no longer. Why? Because they just included that on the cover of their new books, so it's clearly part of their trade dress now. I would not advise anyone use that on their covers anymore.

I know some wondered why that was on the covers. Now, I guess we know.

Thaumaturge.