Updating the Section 15

[Samothdm]

Hopefully a quick question:

I'm working on a d20 product and I'm pulling some information from a variety of other publishers' d20 products:

I've included a few feats from Product A, so I update the Section 15 of my product to include the Section 15 from Product A.

I've also used a few feats from Product B, so I update the Section 15 of my product to include the Section 15 from Product B. However, in doing so, I notice that Product B's Section 15 already includes Product A.

Now, I know that the feats that I used from Product A weren't included in Product B (Product B used a PrC from Product A which I'm not using in my work).

So, how do I handle this? Do I have to list Product A twice, once as a "primary source" and once because it's part of Product B's complete Section 15? Or do I just use Product B's Section 15 since it already includes Product A in its sources?

Hope that's not too confusing.

 

[Drawmack]

Each product only needs to be listed once in your section 15.

Though this does bring up an interesting question. Let's say I use spell X from pocket Magica, do I list pocket magica or the original product in my section 15?

 

[HellHound]

You list the ENTIRE Section 15 from Pocket Magica, Drawmack.

Therefore, by default, also listing the original product it is from.

 

[The Sigil]

Quick Example:

You pull something from Product A.

Product A's Section 15 lists just the SRD and Product A.

You then pull something else from Product B.

Product B's section 15 lists the SRD, Product A, Product B, and Product C.

What do you have to list? Ever product on those lists... think of it this way:

For Your Product, the Section 15 must include (1) the SRD (assuming you used it of course), (2) Your Product, (3) anything listed in any other product you use... so you set it up as follows.

Stuff direct from your product:
SRD
Your Product
Stuff from Product A, which you included:
SRD
Product A
Stuff from Product B which you included:
SRD
Product A
Product B
Product C

You thus have:

SRD
Your Product
SRD
Product A
SRD
Product A
Product B
Product C

Commonly accepted industry practice is to eliminate duplicates... so you now have:

SRD
Your Product
(SRD - deleted, as it was already referenced)
Product A
(SRD - deleted, as it was already referenced)
(Product A - deleted)
Product B
Product C

For a net result of:

SRD
Your Product
Product A
Product B
Product C

By the same token, if you draw something from Product G, which lists Products H-Z in the Section 15, you must list Products G-Z in Section 15... which is why you must either (a) resign yourself to a long section 15 or (b) try to find the "original owner/book" and get the shortest S15 possible. However, finding the original is NOT always an easy task due to the restrictions built into the OGL on citing others' PI.

--The Sigil

 

[jmucchiello]

Not to nitpick, but I'm of the opinion that your product should be listed last in the copyright section. Thus, from Sigil's example:

OGL (He left this one out. The legal notice for the SRD includes it, and thus you must as well.)
SRD
Product A
Product B
Product C
Your Product

My reasoning: That is the order of the sentences in section 6:

6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder's name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.

And for readability sake please put paragraphs between products. Some people run the notices together in one paragraph and it is impossible to read.

 

[Mark]

Each product only needs to be listed once in your section 15.

Commonly accepted industry practice is to eliminate duplicates...

I'm of the opinion that your product should be listed last in the copyright section.

...

And for readability sake please put paragraphs between products. Some people run the notices together in one paragraph and it is impossible to read.

IANAL but yup.