The WotC OGL Release on DDB today was edited in real time!

[Scribe]

How much new stuff for 3e SRD and the 5.0 SRD are you expecting? Is anyone making content for PF1? When was the last Mutants & Masterminds release?

Consider that the openly stated goal is that OneD&D will be backwards compatible with 5e, and that OneD&D is intended to be an evergreen edition.

Further consider, that the 5.0 SRD is in the wild, and 5e-alike offering(s) already exist.

Now we see, that the 1.0 OGL being killed, is actually critical to Wizards.

 

[Yaarel]

Legal right? Where is that right outlined?

The OGL 1.0a is a LEGAL CONTRACT that grants the legal right to those who sign onto the contract.

That is the whole point of the OGL 1.0a.

That is why there is such an outcry about Hasbro-WotC violating its contract.

 

[Yaarel]

The OGL is for publishers, not homebrew modifications.

You are mistaken.

Homebrew, especially making it publicly available, exists because of the legal right to modify the SRD.

 

[FormerLurker]

Homebrew, especially making it publicly available, exists because of the legal right to modify the SRD.

Can you point me to someone with the OGL on r/UnearthedArcana?
If it's required why does dandwiki.com only have 1,597 Open Game Content articles but 26,573 Homebrew articles?

 

[FormerLurker]

The OGL 1.0a is a LEGAL CONTRACT that grants the legal right to those who sign onto the contract.

That is the whole point of the OGL 1.0a.

That is why there is such an outcry about Hasbro-WotC violating its contract.

I think you're mistaking a privilege for a right.

 

[Yaarel]

I think you're mistaking a privilege for a right.

A contract is a contract: a legally binding document.

Courts punish corporations with millions of dollars for violating contracts.

 

[Yaarel]

If it's required why does dandwiki.com only have 1,597 Open Game Content articles but 26,573 Homebrew articles?

Many times, the Open Gaming License 1.0a is taken for granted. Because there is now an Open Gaming culture. Properly, a copy of it should be included.

For example, if someone here in ENWorld posts a homebrew race or class for 3e or 5e, it is implied that they are modifying the SRD.

Without the OGL 1.0a, Hasbro-WotC could send a Cease-and-Desist letter to take it down for infringing on copyright.

Copyright law is murky. The difference between an "idea" and the "expression" of that idea is murky. Reasonable people can debate where the line is, while each prioritizes different concerns.

The OGL 1.0a intentionally cuts thru all of that murk, and just lets you publish that homebrew, without legal friction, and without worry and without hassle.

Now, Hasbro-WotC wants to kill all of that freedom. But Hasbro-WotC are violating the legal contract.

 

[Voadam]

How much new stuff for 3e SRD and the 5.0 SRD are you expecting? Is anyone making content for PF1? When was the last Mutants & Masterminds release?

According to DriveThru the most recently released individual products were six days ago when products from two different publishers were released on the ninth. You then have to go back another two days to the seventh to get a product from a third publisher.

 

[FormerLurker]

Many times, the Open Gaming License 1.0a is taken for granted. Because there is now an Open Gaming culture. Properly, a copy of it should be included.

For example, if someone here in ENWorld posts a homebrew race or class for 3e or 5e, it is implied that they are modifying the SRD.

Without the OGL 1.0a, Hasbro-WotC could send a Cease-and-Desist letter to take it down for infringing on copyright.

Copyright law is murky. The difference between an "idea" and the "expression" of that idea is murky. Reasonable people can debate where the line is, while each prioritizes different concerns.

The OGL 1.0a intentionally cuts thru all of that murk, and just lets you publish that homebrew, without legal friction, and without worry and without hassle.

Now, Hasbro-WotC wants to kill all of that freedom. But Hasbro-WotC are violating the legal contract.

You can't "imply" the SRD. You need to include the full text of the OGL to use the OGL.

That's the thing, the OGL is for publishers not fans and homebrew. WotC isn't TSR and doesn't give a toss about fans sharing fan homebrew. 99% of Unearthed Arcana and the D&D Wiki is flagrantly illegal. Ditto the Dragonlance Nexus and Fraternity of Shadows and Burnt World of Athas fan websites. Heck, you could make a case that a lot of the homebrew shared here and copied text violates copyright and trademark laws.

WotC could have hit those with C&D and DMCA takedown requests decades ago. But they haven't because going after fans that aren't profiting is needless and PR suicide.

The OGL isn't for homebrew and fan content. Fans making homebrew psionics classes don't need the OGL and never did.

 

[Yaarel]

You can't "imply" the SRD. You need to include the full text of the OGL to use the OGL.

Yes, that in fact is true.

The OGL 1.0a REQUIRES providing a copy of the OGL 1.0a whenever relying on it and the SRD that contributes to its Open Gaming Content.

The contract can be at the end of a book, or somewhere reasonably accessible on a website.

WotC isn't TSR and doesn't give a toss about fans sharing fan homebrew.

Yet.

When the merger of DMsGuild-DnDBeyond-VirtualTableTop-OneD&D would happen, and would be the only place to go, the legal climate would shift dramatically to crush all other sources and communities.

Hasbro-WotC seeks to be the only one who can "monetize" the gaming culture.

Right now, Hasbro-WotC lacks concern for the gaming community itself. Hasbro-WotC is willing to violate its contract. The lawyers are battleready.