will a new edition of D&D have any effect on the OGL/SRD?

Age of Fable · September 14, 2007, 06:56:51 AM

Will people still be able to put out their own games that are compatible with the current rules if they want to?

flyingmice · September 14, 2007, 08:52:22 AM

Yes. People can release anythng they want based on the 3.0 or 3.5 SRDs under the OGL. WotC can't take back anything they have already released under the OGL. People can also release anything else they want under the OGL - it's a license, not a system.

The release of 4.0 would only affect things meant to be compatible with 4.0.

-clash

Warthur · September 14, 2007, 09:08:53 AM

I think WotC have also confirmed that 4.0 will have a SRD and an OGL associated with it, as well as something like the D20 licence - although I suspect it'll be significantly tightened up compared with the current one.

Caesar Slaad · September 14, 2007, 09:12:01 AM

Quote from: WarthurI think WotC have also confirmed that 4.0 will have a SRD and an OGL associated with it, as well as something like the D20 licence - although I suspect it'll be significantly tightened up compared with the current one.

I think the OGL is supposed to be unchanged, whereas the D20 System Trademark License is supposed to be undergoing revision.

Age of Fable · September 14, 2007, 09:12:31 AM

if lots of people don't like the new edition but do like the current one, then other companies can supply that demand - so it doesn't really matter if 4th edition is no good?

flyingmice · September 14, 2007, 09:13:15 AM

Quote from: Age of Fableif lots of people don't like the new edition but do like the current one, then other companies can supply that demand - so it doesn't really matter if 4th edition is no good?

Yep.

-clash

arminius · September 14, 2007, 10:10:17 AM

I'm not a lawyer but...isn't the answer: Yep...but D&D includes material that isn't Open Content, so in order to supply "3.5 for grognards" other companies would have to rewrite/reverse-engineer those portions of the rules.

James J Skach · September 14, 2007, 10:40:02 AM

Quote from: Age of Fableif lots of people don't like the new edition but do like the current one, then other companies can supply that demand - so it doesn't really matter if 4th edition is no good?

Hence the d20 Haven - for people who decide not to pursue 4E - or pursue it, but still pursue OGL/d20 stuff.

I think there will actually be a market for it - but much of it depends on what the OGL and d20 trademark look like for 4E. If the rule system is not significantly different, people might just shrug and update. There is the chance that it might be different enough that a subset of gamers prefer the current system. As long as that's the case, the OGL essentially shortcuts the OSRIC cycle of someone having to reverse engineer the rules out of the IP.

Nicephorus · September 14, 2007, 10:56:09 AM

I think that, not matter what 4e is like, there will still be a small market for continuing 3e products. No matter what they change, it will piss off some people. Others will just cling to what they have without wanting to update.

Mcrow · September 14, 2007, 11:50:27 AM

Maybe I missed something but the way it sounded to me using the 4E OGL will be more difficult, like less of the parts that make 4E, 4E instead of just another 3E will be more restricted.