>>----- Original Message ----- >>From: Clint >> >>Greetings all, >> Hello. : ) I'm going to ask you a bunch of questions. (Some of the same questions I had to deal with, in fact.) Please don't read them as patronizing (matronizing?) or think that I am underestimating you. I'm just curious about some things. >>I'm very interested in applying the Open Game License >>to an ongoing role-playing game system I've been >>working on for several years now. Are all of the game mechanics original? If not, do you have permission to open them? >>This game engine is >>specifically designed for any science fiction, comic >>book, or anime style setting. As far as I know, this >>may the first application of the OGL to a science >>fiction style game. Why don't you want to use d20? IMO, what makes a game great has more to do with its themes and less to do with its game mechanics. Do you think your game engine is the best for your plans? Why? Are you going to do any playtesting? >>It has always been intended to be >>modular in design. If you don't like the Psionics >>rules as they are, you can write your own alternate >>version that can be "substituted" for the current >>rules. IMO, any game is modular because people usually change what they want to regardless of what is allowed by the original game system. How will your game facilitate tweaking more than other game systems? >>You can modify existing rules and submit your >>own "home" version. You can write expanded mechanics >>for existing rules, which can be added on to the >>original. It will operate on the same concepts as >>FUDGE or FUZION, but will be more streamlined. We want >>to get as many RPG designers and contributors to work >>on it as possible, in the same vein that Steffan O' >>Sullivan did when he worked with members of the >>alt.design.games to write FUDGE. How do you plan to make this convienient for people who don't like or dont have the time to sort through vast amounts of data? >>I strongly feel this >>method of creating a RPG lends itself to the concepts >>of Open Gaming and the Open Gaming License. People can create new game mechanics and release them as open content without being involved in your project. How will you attract them to your project? How will your project be different from a compliation of already open content? What steps will you take to make sure that everything your group publishes as open content is original? >>A website >>is currently be put together for this project that >>will become the home site for the game system. >>Contributors can go to the site and access interactive >>forms that will allow them to make their additions or >>modifications to the game system online. So there is no control over how content gets published? What if some of it is inappropriate for children under 13? What if some of it is published as open and it wasn't really original? >>All of this >>is easy enough to distinguish as Open Content, as I >>read the OGL and the OGL FAQ. As far as I can see, all >>of the mechanics will be considered Open Content. This >>section concerning the game mechanics will all be >>designated a different color than the rest of the >>site, making a distinction between it as Open Content >>and the rest which will be our Product Identity. How do you plan to handle copyright notices? >>What >>I'm hoping will work out is that a group could go to >>the site, click on each of the rules they prefer, and >>put together their own copy of the system tailored to >>their tastes in gaming. Same question about copyright notices. >>My first question is this: How exactly should I use >>the OGL on my site? I don't think you should use it at all unless you have some convincing answers to all of the above questions. >>As I understand the OGL and the postings here on the >>list, I can use the OGL as written by Ryan as the OGL >>for my game system, with modifications made to the >>COPYRIGHT NOTICE section to give credit to each person >>that contributed to the game. I should have a copy of >>the OGL in one primary location on my website, and >>each page of my site with Open Content should have a >>link back to the primary license page. Is this correct >>so far? I'm not sure, but that sounds right. >>Now, for each of the interactive forms that will be >>used ( one for submitting weapons, one for powers, one >>for an alternate attribute) do I need to include >>something like "By hitting the submit button you have >>read, understand, and agree to all terms of the Open >>Game License presented HERE."? I definitely think you should do that. I would also make them sign something physical and include a statement that their work is original and appropriate for children under 13 (or make the site limited access). >>Would the logo graphic I have designed for the game >>system be considered my Trademark, or should it also >>be considered Open Content? You could do both if you wanted to. >>I would like for others to >>be able to use the logo on their works, advertising >>their game uses the game system. How would you feel if someone took your logo and your work and published it for a profit? Would that bother you? >>Right now my thoughts >>are that the logo will be our Trademark, and that we >>will have to design a different license similar to the >>D20 System Trademark license to allow others to use >>the Trademark, but still retain control over its use. If you make your mark "open" then that doesn't mean you can't use it anymore. : ) >>Since I am distributing my system as Open Game >>Content, anyone else could take the system verbatim, >>word for word, from my site and put it in any of their >>written works or on their own game site, as long as >>they include an updated version of my OGL in their >>work. Is this correct? I don't know what you mean by "updated version", but once you open you content anyone can do anything they want with it except close it. >>Any Open Content contributed to the system can also be >>used and redistributed by me as long as I give credit >>to the person in the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of the OGL I >>include with each copy of the work. Sound correct? I think so. >>If WOTC decided to make a change to the OGL, my game >>would be covered under Section 9 of the license as >>using a earlier, acceptable version. Is this right? I think so. >>I can reproduce the "The Open Game License: FAQ" and >>the "Open Game Definitions" from the WOTC site on my >>website as long as I include the Copyright notice that >>goes with them. Correct? Or should I only put links to >>the original pages on the WOTC site? I don't know. >>The Game System is not complete…I consider it to still >>be in the heavy development stages. I have nearly 75% >>of it completed, but I want to be able to bring others >>in to help contribute to it and make changes as >>necessary. Why? How will other people be able to benifit your work? How do you plan to make sure the experience is positive for you? How will you get them all to work together? >>I have opened a Yahoo group to discuss >>various aspects of the game's development…do I need to >>include a copy of the OGL that can be accessed from >>the group site, or include in the notice for becoming >>a member of the group a copy or link to the OGL to let >>people know whatever they contribute to the game will >>be considered Open Content? How do you plan to keep creative control and provide leadership over content that is open and available to the public regardless of what you think or need? >>We are also working on a unique Campaign Setting to go >>along with the Game System which will include >>timeline, histories, characters, stories, creatures, >>races, etc. that will all be considered our own >>Product Identity, seperate from the Game System. Who is "we"? Do you trust them? Do they trust you? Who will be the legal owner of the PI? How will you prove who the owner is if you have to? How will you separate game mechanics from the setting? >>We >>plan on introducing this setting as the "default >>setting" for the Game System, but put it under a >>license that more closely resembles the FUDGE >>licenses…you can modify or add to our setting as long >>as its for you own entertainment or personal use, but >>if you want to publish anything for commercial >>purposes then you must apply for a separate license >>from us to do so. This will allow anyone to create >>material for our setting if they'd like (characters, >>stories, adventures, new planets, starships, monsters, >>etc.) but not directly profit from it without our >>permission. This allows us to maintain intellectual >>property over our creations, but be flexible enough to >>allow anyone to add to it as well. Sounds similar to what I'll be doing, but I'm avoiding the "license" step by creating an interesting little corporate umbrella. But I digress. ; ) >>So in closing, for our entire project we will have >>four licenses for different things…the Open Game >>License for Open Content for the game system, the game >>system Trademark logo license, the "FUDGE-like" >>license for the Campaign Setting, and the "FUDGE-like" >>license for commercial use of material created for the >>Campaign Setting. That's a lot of licenses. >>Anyone interested finding out more information about >>this project please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Our >>website should be up and nearly functional in the next >>week to week and a half or so. I think you should take this step slowly. Having a web site and getting involvement is not as important as establishing a long term plan designed to make your project thrive. Additionally, there are a lot of established projects (those that have already worked out some of the glitches) that might be willing to welcome you in or give you some kind of support. Best of Luck! Maggie |
- [Ogf-l] Questions regarding new game system and the OGL Clint
- Margaret Vining
