WOTC undecided over OGL/GSL. Why you should care

[DaveMage]

Question to third party publishers:

What would your reaction have been at Gen Con 2007 if you were told you wouldn't get to see the license or the rules to the new game until at least April 2008?

 

[SSquirrel]

Question to third party publishers:

What would your reaction have been at Gen Con 2007 if you were told you wouldn't get to see the license or the rules to the new game until at least April 2008?

Not a publisher, but I have a feeling if it had been given out like that, you would have seen that 3.75 alliance of companies happen. Several 3rd party publishers were talking about it rather freely here on ENWorld. Now we just have the Pathfinder RPG, some companies sticking to their OGL material and not really sweating D&D and some who have closed up shop.

 

[Andre]

Can someone email me when we're officially allowed to panic?

Panic is always acceptable. The only question is how much company you'll have.

 

[Starman]

Panic is always acceptable. The only question is how much company you'll have.

No one, 'cause they'll all be...dead! The sky is falling! Soylent Green is made of people! I can't take it anymore! :sobs:

 

[trancejeremy]

Just a note, there are copies of the BOEF in at least 4 book stores that I frequent, I have shown it to my non-roleplaying wife and she has called it disgusting and demented...so it is still affecting the image of RPG's...

The really ironic thing about the BOEF, is that it was by an ex-WOTCer (and a pretty big name one) and written by a WOTC staff member (who I think is still there?).

 

[Grazzt]

The really ironic thing about the BOEF, is that it was by an ex-WOTCer (and a pretty big name one) and written by a WOTC staff member (who I think is still there?).

And edited by Andy Collins' wife (or future wife), IIRC.

 

[Enkhidu]

The really ironic thing about the BOEF, is that it was by an ex-WOTCer (and a pretty big name one) and written by a WOTC staff member (who I think is still there?).

Anthony Valterra, right? IIRC, there was hubbub about the book being rushed to print to avoid the "new" morality guidelines of the d20 logo.

 

[mxyzplk]

The really ironic thing about the BOEF, is that it was by an ex-WOTCer (and a pretty big name one) and written by a WOTC staff member (who I think is still there?).

Yeah, Gwendolyn Kestrel, she's credited with a large number of post-BoEF WotC works - MMIV, Howling Horde, Races of the Dragon, etc. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/s...ex=books&field-author=Gwendolyn F. M. Kestrel

I also don't have a problem with the BoEF. People that say "oh it reflects poorly on the hobby" need to be neutered so they don't reprodce. RPGs are a medium. Like books, TV, movies, comics, etc. I bet most of the people that say "Oh Lawdy a RPG book with !!!" go to see R-rated movies, etc.

Choice is good. If you only want G-rated fantasy, you can go see Bridge to Terabithia, read Daffy Duck comics, and buy Races of Fluffy Bunnyness. If you want R-rated fantasy you can go see Conan the Barbarian, read Transmetropolitan, and buy the Book of Erotic Fantasy. Viewing all d20 as some comprehensive body of work that you need to guy into all of is ridiculous and no one but people against the BoEF ever claim it's a good idea.

This is another reason for openness. Even the level of gore found in the Rise of the Runelords Pathfinder series would run afoul of WotC's baby-friendly "content standards", which are just as execrable as the old comics code.

 

[JohnRTroy]

This is another reason for openness. Even the level of gore found in the Rise of the Runelords Pathfinder series would run afoul of WotC's baby-friendly "content standards", which are just as execrable as the old comics code.

But it's not up to you to decide. It's up to the owner of the brand, the D&D and d20 owners, to decide. Brands are powerful statements and I think it's up to WoTC to define their standards.

This is one reason I'm for a licensed version of D&D but not the same level as the OGL. Poor quality reflects poorly on the brand, as well as things that don't reflect their standards of taste and ethics/morals. Franchises and licenses usually have those types of requirements.

If you don't like it, play another game, or find a game that's truly open and decentralized so nobody's in charge.

 

[mxyzplk]

Sure, that's why if they keep on this retarded path it's Pathfinder RPG all the way baby! Everyone keeps harping that it's "their decision" - sure. It is. And those decisions are going to lose them customers, so they are bad decisions. No one contests their right to drive D&D into the ground if they'd like.