Well,
Here is an interesting set of Facts that people might not have considered.
1. The OGL is a Generic Open License which could just as easily be used to release open content "Family Planning" books if someone wanted to.
2. The D20STL itself is actually released under the OGL. This means I could release the "Family Planning Logo" and modify the text of the D20STL to become the FPL-STL.
The question I would then have for Gold Rush is this: What is the intended purpose of the 3 logos? Are they intended as a means to indicate compatibility OR are they intended as a means to control brand indentity?
IF you are using it as a means of controlling your property ie. You can use our stats and rules but ONLY if you put this logo on it then creating your own license is the way to go. You may loose some of the die hard Open Movement supporters that way, but not too much to worry about.
On the other hand, if you just want a compatibility indicator ie. You can put our logo on if you meet the following standards... then rather than re-inventing the wheel I'd recommend going this route:
1- The Action! SRD - Put All of your open rules into a single product/file and release it under the OGL.
2- The Action! STL - Open up the D20STL, Change all references to D20 system to Action! system and change all references to Wizards of the Coast to Gold Rush Games.
3- The Action! STL Guide - This one is the complicated one. The D20STL Guide is Open Content so you can use it as a template for your own. Go through and define what the basic requirements are in order to use each of the 3 Logos on your product.
It'll be interesting to see how well you pull it off. You'll find that by and large people will use and publish compatible works under this license particularly if you include the ability to include character creation.
A significant minority will probably publish hybrid rules(Action!/D20) just out of a sense of experimentation since would become possible. They wouldn't however be able to use either the D20 or Action! logos.
Thought Experiements with Bill.
-----Original Message-----
From: Reginald Cablayan
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: 10/6/01 3:51 AM
Subject: Re: [Ogf-l] Open Gaming Alert: Action! System by GRG
----- Original Message -----
From: "Martin L. Shoemaker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
> From: On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> > Out of curiosity, if GRG wanted to "borrow" *some* of the wording
> > of WotC's OGL and D20 System licenses, do you thingk they'd be
> > amenable to that? I'm not suggesting that we would use the same
> > licenses. We would not. But some parts of it might be worth
> > emulating. Just a thought.
>
> Would you not use them because they don't fit your needs? After all,
> you can use the OGL in its entirety, and Wizards can't say much about
> it. That's the purpose of it, after all. So what about the OGL doesn't
> fit your needs?
Perhaps because the OGL is too synonymous with the d20 System in the
eyes of
the average Joe consumers nowadays. Only people who are well-versed in
the
license know that it is a GENERIC license, that anything you designate
as
OGC is covered by this license.
But that's only one-half of what GRG is asking. The other being the
trademark license. Still, the two licenses are copyrighted by WotC and
only
they can give permission. Otherwise, other companies will have to look
at it
as some kind of template for which they can draft their own license in
their
own legal words.
Perhaps Ryan Dancey may consider offering a private consult? Or in the
near
future, set up an Open Gaming Conference (akin to the Writer's
Conference)?
Anyhoo, just some rambling thoughts...
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