>From: Infinite Possibilities <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>"R. Hyrum Savage" wrote:
>
> > Just because someone comes along and says "Wow, those are cool rules,
>*I*
> > should have thought of them. Hey wait, I just did, now they're open",
> > doesn't give you the right to do so.
>
>Just remember that you can't protect the rules. Only how you wrote them.
>
>My guess is that all rules will become "open". If someone comes along with
>closed rules, someone else will probably rewrite the rules and make them
>open.
>
>It is just like Ryan was saying with the D&D PHB. Someone could republish
>it as
>long as they completely rewrote it. Rewrote being the key word there.
>
I'm inclined to agree with Darren on this. I've given a lot of thought to
this issue and the way I see it rules under the license should be open for
the good of the design community. I intend to publish all of my hard rules
content as open and my setting and campaign rules will be mostly closed.
I do understand the perspective of those that want to keep their rules
closed for the purposes of marketing a unique product. But the reason behind
this license, IMO, is not to provide a vehicle for commercial gain. I see
that as secondary to contributiing to and building a versatile and enjoyable
rules system.
I don't think that innovative rules will, in this case, equate with a
product that sells well. Since much of what is written under d20 will be
available for free or very inexpensively any product that sells well will be
a result of a good overall game and not just the rules. It is very difficult
to regulate this of course but I do think that the design community will
take steps to ensure that the spirit of the license is upheld.
Realistically nobody is going to make a mint off of this. It is in ALL of
our best interests to work together and contribute to the whole rather than
hoard our resources. The success of this experiment and the products of our
labor do not rely on one person but on all who take part.
Sedge
io Spam, jail Shub-niggurath
________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com
-------------
For more information, please link to www.opengamingfoundation.org
