Updates and non-compliance

[Urizen]

Meaningless? I disagree. Until WotC officially retires the logo, it's useful to many who are still not ready to jump to 4.0e.

If you are starting to develop a product and deciding whether or not to put a d20 System logo, then perhaps it could be meaningless, especially if your product's planned release date is AFTER June 2008.

Just because WotC is letting go of the logo, doesn't mean we have to follow them blindly.

Who said anything about following WOTC blindly? I'm talking about being proactive and taking care of something while it's a minor issue before it becomes a major issue.

In your past posts on other threads, you've alluded to the fact that the D20 logo isn't an indicator of quality, so what does it matter? Are you more likely to buy a product with the D20 logo than one without?

 

[Urizen]

Additionally, if they "let go of the logo" we HAVE to drop the logo. But i guess that's following them blindly, right?

 

[Vigilance]

I will say, I've been using the OGL in preference to the d20 STL for quite awhile, in anticipation of this very event.

4e might cause them to retire the license, but many times in the past the license has been revised.

For me, since the d20 logo doesn't seem much of a selling point anymore, I'd rather just use the OGL than face the possibility of having to revise something later.

 

[Vigilance]

Just because WotC is letting go of the logo, doesn't mean we have to follow them blindly.

No, but unlike the OGL, the d20 STL is not eternal, and it can be revised retroactively.

So for example, if you released a product before the quality standards, with the d20 Logo, Wizards could technically make you remove that product from the shelves and/or stop selling it until you A) revised the product or B) removed the d20 logo.

Similarly, Wizards could just revoke the d20 STL and say no one could use it, or the d20 logo anymore.

So yeah, if they let go of the logo we MIGHT all have to follow them, because they have the legal right to DEMAND we do, if they choose to exercise it.

 

[jaerdaph]

Just because WotC is letting go of the logo, doesn't mean we have to follow them blindly.

And what's with the "we"? You aren't a publisher. Or a lawyer.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Well, let's wait to see what happens to the current d20 STL, eh? Nobody has said it's going away, just that thee won't be a new 4E one.

Hmm... Well, I think because 4e will be Open, and they have definitely said they don't want a d20 STL for 4e, they'll have to rescind the d20 STL if for no other reason than to keep folks from labelling 4e stuff with the d20 logo.

Admittedly, it's early, and I am not trying very hard, but I can't envision a way to use the existing d20 STL or even revise it in such a way that you couldn't put it on a legitimate OGL product that might include 4e OGC.

All things considered I would bet heavy on the end of the d20 STL.

 

[Voadam]

Hmm... Well, I think because 4e will be Open, and they have definitely said they don't want a d20 STL for 4e, they'll have to rescind the d20 STL if for no other reason than to keep folks from labelling 4e stuff with the d20 logo.

Admittedly, it's early, and I am not trying very hard, but I can't envision a way to use the existing d20 STL or even revise it in such a way that you couldn't put it on a legitimate OGL product that might include 4e OGC.

All things considered I would bet heavy on the end of the d20 STL.

WotC could revise it to only be applicable to products published before a certain date (such as June 2008). That would allow stuff like existing d20 branded print products still on shelves to be sold instead of mandatorily recalled for pulping. It would allow pdfs to be sold as is as well and not require companies/publishers to modify or drop selling old ones.

I would expect dtrpg, EN Publishing, LPJ, RPGObjects, Ronin Arts, and other pdf companies with lots of d20 pdfs to lobby for such a move. I would expect white wolf, FFG, AEG, Atlas and others who might be forced to do physical book recalls to lobby for such a revision as well.

I think it would be in everyone's interest for them to do so rather than straight out revoking the d20 STL, but who knows how it will end up.

 

[jdrakeh]

Thanks. Anyone else (especially the more notable publishers, if any can spare a moment) want to chime in and either confirm that or explain where the misconception might have come from?

There was a big stink made by FFE early on when they were cited for non-compliance with the OGL/d20 STL. They were given the same option to rectify the situation that other non-compliant publishers were (I believe by distributing stickers to retailers that were intended to cover up the d20 logo on some of their products) but instead opted to destroy the remaining stock of their non-compliant products.

Afterwards, FFE reps tried to sell the story that WotC forced them to destroy stock, though this was not the case when both sides of the story were made public. This was (and probably still is) the seed underlying many misconceptions about OGL/d20 STL non-compliance issues. I liked FFE's products but they really handled their non-compliance in the worst possible manner.

[Edit: I see that the myth is still alive and well after reading this entire thread.]