The Free Universe
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.


Welcome to the forums for Public Domain Super Heroes Wiki and The Free Universe! Discuss public domain and open license properties.
 
HomeGalleryLatest imagesSearchRegisterLog in

 

 OGL... How "open" is "open?"

Go down 
3 posters
AuthorMessage
GoldenBard

GoldenBard


Posts : 369
Join date : 2010-09-27
Age : 58

OGL... How "open" is "open?" Empty
PostSubject: OGL... How "open" is "open?"   OGL... How "open" is "open?" EmptyThu Aug 25, 2011 11:30 pm

Don't know if anyone on the board has looked into this at all, but I've been wondering about the Wizards of the Coast open gaming license. Does it apply only to gaming? Or could I conceivable use it to write stories, either free-standing or combined with other PD concepts (like, maybe, Fox's Golden Knight battling the drow minions of the Demon Queen Lolth)?
Back to top Go down
argosail

argosail


Posts : 481
Join date : 2010-05-02
Location : California

OGL... How "open" is "open?" Empty
PostSubject: Re: OGL... How "open" is "open?"   OGL... How "open" is "open?" EmptyFri Aug 26, 2011 6:26 am

I don't know if you've tried downloading any of the OGL stuff, but I think it's restricted to the material in those packages (I don't think Lolth is in there) and for gaming purposes only.

Basically, you can create a DnD clone pretty easy anyway and there isn't much they can legally do about it, so they thought, "okay, you can use our system, just give us a little credit here will ya?" It's smart, because it allows third parties to expand their game in new ways with fairly compatible material and that keeps it interesting to fans. But the OGL statement demands that you recommend people get the official d20 books, so it is a calculated buisness decision. I don't think it is an open license on their characters and their universe, because that does not necessarily benefit them in any way, and characters are much more ownable than game rules. I think most of the creatures included in the OGL materials are pretty much just generic models of the creatures most common to DnD campaigns, and that is probably done because they can't claim exclusive ownership over dwarves and elves, might as well keep the games consistent and compatible.

Personally, excep for major characters like those in Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms, I don't think there is anything terribly unique about most of the characters/creatures in DnD. Most are modeled after characters in real world mythology, and if you start mining into that, you will find THOUSANDS of creatures and demons to pit your heroes against. Name anything in DnD and there is probably a PD mythological source for it (I don't know what Lolth is based on, but there were dark elves who lived underground in mythology).
Back to top Go down
Yzz

Yzz


Posts : 105
Join date : 2010-05-23

OGL... How "open" is "open?" Empty
PostSubject: Re: OGL... How "open" is "open?"   OGL... How "open" is "open?" EmptySat Sep 03, 2011 3:03 pm

GoldenBard wrote:
Don't know if anyone on the board has looked into this at all, but I've been wondering about the Wizards of the Coast open gaming license. Does it apply only to gaming? Or could I conceivable use it to write stories, either free-standing or combined with other PD concepts (like, maybe, Fox's Golden Knight battling the drow minions of the Demon Queen Lolth)?

You could use monsters from the System Reference Document & some third-party books, but characters/gods and some "iconic" creatures are copyrighted by WoTC. You could use Drow, but Lolth (and Kord, Pelor, Hextor, etc) are probably gonna get you sued.

~~Yzz
Back to top Go down
http://yzzverse.blogspot.com/
GoldenBard

GoldenBard


Posts : 369
Join date : 2010-09-27
Age : 58

OGL... How "open" is "open?" Empty
PostSubject: Re: OGL... How "open" is "open?"   OGL... How "open" is "open?" EmptySun Sep 04, 2011 11:18 am

Thanks, guys. Honestly, this was just some nebulous thing in the back of my mind; I'm not 100% sure where I was going with it...
Back to top Go down
Sponsored content





OGL... How "open" is "open?" Empty
PostSubject: Re: OGL... How "open" is "open?"   OGL... How "open" is "open?" Empty

Back to top Go down
 
OGL... How "open" is "open?"
Back to top 
Page 1 of 1
 Similar topics
-
» My own open source characters
» Open Source Superhero Novels for $0.99
» Outworlder Open Source Comic
» Open Source Super-Team?
» Flux - new open source character

Permissions in this forum:You cannot reply to topics in this forum
The Free Universe :: Welcome to the Public Domain! :: Legal Questions and Debate-
Jump to: