D&D 3E/3.5 WotC Rejecting 3.5 Writers?

[Vyvyan Basterd]

First question: Then what does the GSL have to do with it?

Second question: Then why did they do so frequently during the 3E era?

1) The GSL will limit who has access to the 4E ruleset. Companies that comply with the GSL will be granted access. Since the GSL is still not available, no company can comply, so non of them get access. Hence why Paizo employees are cut off from contributing. Jason Buhlman strongly implies that once the GSL issue is cleared up that he and other Paizo staff members may be "in the loop" again (assuming they decide to abide by the GSL).

2) Because 3E is OGL, not GSL.

 

[Puggins]

First question: Then what does the GSL have to do with it?

Well, if I were to speculate, I'd say that Wizards perceives itself as now in competition with its own invention due to the existence of the OGL, and the company is possibly looking for ways to (1) Remove the competition (possibly explaining a refusal to accept work from anyone tied to an OGL-supporting company like Paizo, and (2) Prevent this mess from happening again (possibly explaining the delay in the GSL). Both make perfect sense to me, and don't bother me in the slightest.

 

[Roland55]

No offense to takasi, but I think before we pass judgment we should hear what Nick has to say.

I'm guessing there's a misinterpretation somewhere here.

...and I'm guessing there isn't.

This is just a corporation playing traditional 'hard ball.' Nothing surprising here at all. It's all about control and profit. Corporations don't have friends ... just today's allies and today's competitors.

Nothing personal.

 

[BryonD]

1) The GSL will limit who has access to the 4E ruleset. Companies that comply with the GSL will be granted access. Since the GSL is still not available, no company can comply, so non of them get access. Hence why Paizo employees are cut off from contributing. Jason Buhlman strongly implies that once the GSL issue is cleared up that he and other Paizo staff members may be "in the loop" again (assuming they decide to abide by the GSL).

2) Because 3E is OGL, not GSL.

I think you are right.

But this is still a change from the 3E days*. If the claim I quoted was a simple truth, then these changes would not be relevant.

* - I do agree that clarification/confirmation of this issue is needed.

 

[Alzrius]

You didn't finish reading my post. It's not surprising that the rest of the post would be ignored, since it actually is calling for people to think about something that also fits the insanely small amount of details and is something that actually encourages people to think outside of the "WOTC IS EVIL!" box.

I did finish reading the rest of your post, I just responded to the only part of it that was worthwhile. It's not surprising that you would ignore that, since it actually called for you to think about something that also fits the insanely small amount of details and is something that actually encourages you to think outside the "WOTC IS SUPER!" box.

If WOTC wouldn't accept a staff writer writing similar content for freelance, they might extend the same courtesy to other publishers and not hire their employees for freelance work for similar material.

You seem to be implying that WotC was being courteous to Paizo by saying that they (WotC) won't be using any of Nick's material. This strikes me as being fairly ridiculous. WotC's position is understandable, but it in no way is something they're actually doing for the good of other publishers. Paizo has already said that they have no problem with their writers putting out freelance material, so long as it's not on Paizo's time or using their money. Don't pretend that WotC is doing anyone else a favor; they're protecting themselves for the sake of protecting themselves.

 

[kennew142]

Hi there all,

Mike's post over on the Paizo boards is correct. No one at Paizo has gotten any freelance from Wotc since 3.5 production came to a halt. The only exception to this was a single Dungeon Tiles piece I got from them a few months ago.

I, personally, do not think this is wrong on the part of Wotc. I can completely understand them not giving out their new system to a bunch of freelancers who are paid employees of other game companies. That just makes sense. The unfortunate side of this, is all of us freelancers who happen to work for other game companies have been completely shut off from that process now for many many months, with the delay tied directly to the GSL problems. I, for one, am hoping that these issues get sorted out soon so that I can get back into the loop.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
Freelance Designer

Bold face is mine for emphasis.

I think fans on this forum are reading more into the situation than are the authors who are affected.

If WotC decides not to use any of these authors in the future (after 4e has come out), I think it'll be bad for the game. Some of the PAIZO authors are great, and I look forward to buying future 4e products from them. However, there's no indication as of yet that this represents anything other than WotC keeping all of its work in house until after the 4e launch.

I find it hard to believe that WotC would lose significant business, even if the direst predictions of this forum were accurate. Most D&D gamers buy new product because it's D&D, not because of the author. It's true that I've purchased 3e product from certain authors without reading it first, just because they are good authors. Nonetheless, I didn't purchase product from them for any other system - because I don't play other systems right now.

If Nick Logue, Monte Cook and a few authors write 4e product, I'll probably buy it before reading it as well. But if they're writing for another system (which I won't be playing) then I won't. Their name on the cover may encourage me to buy the book, but the lack of it won't disuade me.

 

[BryonD]

Well, if I were to speculate, I'd say that Wizards perceives itself as now in competition with its own invention due to the existence of the OGL, and the company is possibly looking for ways to (1) Remove the competition (possibly explaining a refusal to accept work from anyone tied to an OGL-supporting company like Paizo, and (2) Prevent this mess from happening again (possibly explaining the delay in the GSL). Both make perfect sense to me, and don't bother me in the slightest.

And it doesn't bother me either.

But you can't take off the white hat and still be treated like you are wearing it. That doesn't mean that WotC has put on a black hat. And I also don't claim that WotC themselves have in any way claimed they deserve to be treated as a White Hat.

If this can be accurately taken at face value, there has been a change in attitude. That is fine, but it isn't "same as it always was".

 

[SteveC]

This is an ... unfortunate development, if it's true.

It seems like WotC is going to get back into the adventure writing business with 4E. I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but the history they have in that area is mixed at best. Take a look at the recent Paizo adventure paths, and compare them to what WotC has produced. I'd say that Red Hand of Doom is the only product they've made that's come even close.

Wait, I did play a couple adventures in Expedition to the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk, as well, but wasn't that done largely by the Paizo guys?

Mike Mearls and company write some great rules, but I have been less than impressed with their adventures. Interestingly enough, from what I've seen of Pathfinder so far, I'd say that the Paizo guys similarly make great adventures, but make less than stellar designers.

It almost seems like they work great together or something. Which is why this whole GSL thing has been disappointing.


--Steve

 

[SSquirrel]

Paizo wasn't a full-on competitor until late 2007. Once the license for DUNGEON and DRAGON were yanked back by WotC, it only makes sense that they would change their relationship with one another .... including contracting to Paizo employees.

Your analogies don't really hold up because WotC can't contract out to competitors to help fill in demand. Its more zero-sum now.

Good point. This situation could be a number of possibilities, jumping to the conclusion that it's all about the GSL is not the most obvious. Paizo is no longer closely associated w/WotC since the Dragon/Dungeon pullback and w/the announcement of the Pathfinder RPG and lots of discussion (and evidence in the Pathfinder RPG alpha) of backwards engineering 4E mechanics for a 3.5 world, why would WoTC not keep Paizo employees from receiving the 4E stuff yet?

If you have a competitor who has basically drawn a line in the sand and is making a play for as many of your current customers as they can to play a modified version of your last edition of the game, I can totally see them deciding not to allow anyone working for Paizo to write for WotC and I don't really see a problem w/that.

 

[James Jacobs]

I'd say that Red Hand of Doom is the only product they've made that's come even close.--Steve

Of course... about 75% of Red Hand of Doom was done by a "Paizo Guy"...