So, I'm sorry to jump in here, I haven't been reading every post, (too many to
read) but I have a question.
The Driving force behind the OGL has been WOTC and D&D 3e. In fact, Ryan has
made it quite clear that the primary goal for WOTC is being driven by D20 and is
to promote sales of the PHB.
To do that, they created OGL and D20 so that outside companies and players
themselves could free from danger of prosecution, produce, distribute en masse
and profit from supplements and derivatives of Dungeons and dragons. The OGL and
the D20STL were both created to drive this effort. One of the primary types of
product this would create is adventure modules and campaign worlds. Both these
products require ZERO new open contribution to be effective in sales for the
publisher and effective in promoting D&D. I could create a campaign world that
created no new monsters, classes, weapons, skills. Everything pulled directly
from D&D and if it was a good world, I'd make a profit and promote Open Gaming.
TO force the Licnense to required added open content would reduce its utility
for its original purpose.
The side effect is that joe blow game company can now repackage without adding
"OPEN" value and make a profit. Doing this is good if the original designer
created a game and setting that could capture players, the alternate setting
only adds more value. If however, the content originator does not have a solid
campaign, they will suffer as others profit from their ideas.
In the end I don't see this as a problem. Only the largest game companies (ala
WOTC) are likely to have a large number of Open Game companies contributing
work. Small companies will still either become big due to the quality of the
product and attract hangers on, OR they will remain largly unnoticed and
contributors will rarely if ever not contribute something.
In short, I think we've reached the limit of our comparison with Open source.
The OGL was simply never intended to be THAT open. And while an alternate Open
License could be created, it would fall by the wayside (more then likely) as
companies flock to D&D Cash cow. So, to question the ethics of a company abiding
by the Spirit of the OGL is silly. If you feel the need to contribute to
anything you take, then do so and watch open source grow as your contribution is
snatched up by players who would know nothing about the OGL were it not for
those unethical companies.
Corey Reid wrote:
> Ethics? Wassat?
>
> Thanks for the Outlook tip -- but I'm enjoying the show. Me and my buddies
> are huddled in a foxhole, listening to the shells coming in and passing a
> hip flask around.
>
> Since we seem to be in the same camp, you're welcome to join in.
>
> core
>
> > ----------
> > From: Doug Meerschaert
> > Reply To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2000 5:32 AM
> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Subject: Re: [Open_Gaming] Huh?
> >
> > Corey Reid wrote:
> >
> > > So what exactly is the issue? The OGL says you don't have to, so there's
> > no
> > > way to force people to do so. If you think it would be best if people
> > did,
> > > then that's one thing. But to moan and hurl insults about -- what's the
> > > point? Use a license that does enforce such rules if that's what you
> > want.
> > > The OGL is clearly not for you.
> > >
> > > Maybe you all just like arguing about this stuff. Nah, that couldn't be
> > it.
> >
> > "The Issue", which is very well hidden, is one of ethics. Open gaming
> > *IS* a
> > new thing, and like any other new thing there is some question of how
> > existing
> > ethics apply to it.
> >
> > If you don't like the topic, I'd suggest getting a mail program that can
> > kill a
> > thread--I switched back to Netscape from Outlook just for that purpose,
> > and it
> > suits me just fine.
> >
> >
> > DM
> >
> > P.S. For the record, I'm in the "No matter what you do with OGL, you help
> > the
> > OGL community" camp.
> >
> > -------------
> > For more information, please link to www.opengamingfoundation.org
> >
> >
> -------------
> For more information, please link to www.opengamingfoundation.org
-------------
For more information, please link to www.opengamingfoundation.org
