First Post! Wahoo! Also, a serious question.

[Lawful_g]

Dances the dance of the first poster...

I'm kind of wondering what this forum is for... Last time I heard things discussed I thought it was decided collaboration on Data file projects could not go on in the Hero Lab forums for fear of invoking the wrath of WotC, has that changed?

 

[kingpaul]

WotC's position is that a user can create a datafile for their own personal use. However, the user is not to distribute this datafile without WotC's permission. Collaborations are not, therefore, permissable because the user's would be distributing the work to the others in a group.

 

[Lawful_g]

That is what I had thought. Doesn't that render this section of the forum moot? No point in collaborating if work cannot be shared

"OK Bob, you do Complete Arcane, and I'll do Complete Mage, then when we're done, I'll do Complete Arcane and you do Complete Mage."

That doesn't seem like collaboration to me, it seems like each person doing all the work themselves anyway.

 

[sppeterson]

I think there are other companies that are open to fan-created software support. Often smaller companies are very fan friendly in this regard.

Also, there's a fair bit of open content not made by WotC but which would be usable under the OGL.

 

[DannyBoy2k]

Or this is a section meant for telling others what you're working on. And, possibly, where you can get them(as in, 'would you send them to me?') Borderline, maybe, but if I don't post my file here, only inform the rest of you that I've MADE the file...

 

[kingpaul]

I should also point out that I was referring to WotC's closed content. They do have several items of OGC out there: SRD, RSRD, MSRD, Unearthed Arcana and d20 Weapons Locker...I think that's all they have.

 

[MPHopcroft]

Once the Developer's Kit is completed, I'm hoping to see people come up with stuff for some of the other open systems, of which there seem to be more and more out there. As far as closed content, this probably isn't the place to discuss it.

 

[FifthWanderer]

I'm personally planning on taking up the challenge of Spirit of the Century.

 

[Lawful_g]

So where can I find information on which books are closed content? Is it only WotC books, or does such a classification apply to other D&D books published by other companies? I am thinking specifically of the Dragonlance game books produced by Margaret Weis productions.

 

[krathen]

WotC is basically the fascism of RPG's. They only give the allusion of freedom.

 

[Bomberg]

So where can I find information on which books are closed content? Is it only WotC books, or does such a classification apply to other D&D books published by other companies? I am thinking specifically of the Dragonlance game books produced by Margaret Weis productions.

Any book, file or whatever published under the Open Gaming License has to clarify what of the contents is open and what is closed Product Identity.

As MWP is not working under OGL, but has licensed the Dragonlance stuff separately, it might be that there is no open stuff in their books at all.

---
Huldvoll

Baron von Bomberg

 

[kingpaul]

So where can I find information on which books are closed content?

The only WotC books that I'm aware of that have open content in them is: Unearthed Arcana, d20 Weapons Locker and MM2 (and I think there's only 2 creatures that are open, the rest is closed). Every other WotC book, TMK, is completely closed. WotC has published the SRD, RSRD and MSRD, which are completely open.

 

[MPHopcroft]

Unless a book specifically styates that Open Content is present, one should assume there is none.

Speaking of open content, there are numerous third-party publishers who did open some of the content of their d20 material. An example is the late, lamented Guardians of Order and their BESM d20, for which they released a pair of SRDs (incluidng one for mecha). It's an open but somewhat clunky system for point-based characters, incluidng some on the superheroic scale. However, their Tri-Stat System remains closed even though the company is out of business.

 

[Ken]

Our purpose for this is actually to put users in contact with each other so they can discuss ongoing projects. If a few users coordinate on custom data file creation project, they can all reap the benefits of those files. It's only when data files with custom content are created for the purpose of wide distribution that a publisher is likely to get concerned.

One additional note, if copyrighted material is not being copy/pasted into the files - if all the relevant notes regarding a feat, skill, etc., are left off, or reworded to summarize it - then the copyright isn't *usally* being violated. We absolutely do not encourage copyright violations, which is why we recommend that users creating content based on any publications stick to mechanics as much as possible, avoiding inclusion of text.

We have had a good relationship with WotC and intend to do all in our power to preserve that relationship. We also believe that users should have the ability to create custom content within HL and would like to support those efforts, inasmuch as they don't violate any copyrights.

This forum provides a place for you to present questions about how to do certain things within HL, if you run into problems, and to share tidbits of information you pick up as you progress through your own projects.

 

[FifthWanderer]

Well-stated Ken. Personally, in the past, when building a character generator, I've included no more than needed for mechanics. Flavor and other descriptive text I leave out. Game companies tend not to mind that too much.