What's Open, What's Closed

[Michael Hopcroft]

In these Pre-SRD periods, I find myself wondering what specific things are (or will be) open content and what will be closed. One example is third-party books like D6 Powers. They had a full-feldged powers system for D6, but I don't know whether they've opened up the content.

I also wonder about the possibilities of combining the D6 open content with open content from other systems. Before they went out of business, Guardians of Order opened up their Attribute system relative to the d20 concepts. (In retrospect, that struck me as part of their over-eager embrace of d20 that was part of their downfall). It would take a great deal of work to extrapolate those concepts to D6, but would it even be useful as a way to extrapolate powers into d6?

[hellsreach]

In these Pre-SRD periods, I find myself wondering what specific things are (or will be) open content and what will be closed. One example is third-party books like D6 Powers. They had a full-feldged powers system for D6, but I don't know whether they've opened up the content.

I also wonder about the possibilities of combining the D6 open content with open content from other systems. Before they went out of business, Guardians of Order opened up their Attribute system relative to the d20 concepts. (In retrospect, that struck me as part of their over-eager embrace of d20 that was part of their downfall). It would take a great deal of work to extrapolate those concepts to D6, but would it even be useful as a way to extrapolate powers into d6?

As mentioned, all 51000 series books will be open, sections of Septimus will be open and I'll look at other books on a case by case basis.

D6 Powers is a third party supplement and was published on a prior private license. As such, Khepera Publishing has no requirement to make that content available under OpenD6. While I encourage them to make some or all open for the sake of the entire D6 community, I will not request them to do so.

One of the great things about using the OGL for OpenD6 means that integration between OpenD6, D20*, Fate, or any other OGL based system may be intermingled as much as the individual desires.

*By D20, I refer to the 3rd edition series, not 4th edition which does not use OGL.

[Michael Hopcroft]

As mentioned, all 51000 series books will be open, sections of Septimus will be open and I'll look at other books on a case by case basis.

One of the great things about using the OGL for OpenD6 means that integration between OpenD6, D20*, Fate, or any other OGL based system may be intermingled as much as the individual desires.

*By D20, I refer to the 3rd edition series, not 4th edition which does not use OGL.

4th edition is in my experience usually not referred to as D20, but simply as 4E. The core concepts are very, very different. Between the license and the core concepts, that's not something I care to mess with.

The 51000 series books are the three cores (Space, Fantasy and Adventure), correct?

[Whill]

The 51000 series books are the three cores (Space, Fantasy and Adventure), correct?

Yes, and I believe The D6 System: The Customizable Roleplaying Game (http://www.amazon.com/D6-System-Customizable-Roleplaying-Game/dp/0874313724/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242772052&sr=8-2) (1996) is included as well. With only a few flaws, it's an excellent book overall, a "game system toolkit" so to speak.

[hellsreach]

Yes, and I believe The D6 System: The Customizable Roleplaying Game (http://www.amazon.com/D6-System-Customizable-Roleplaying-Game/dp/0874313724/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242772052&sr=8-2) (1996) is included as well. With only a few flaws, it's an excellent book overall, a "game system toolkit" so to speak.

Yes, the cookbook, the 3 core books and all the the supplements printed in support of those books, plus the unprinted D6 Vade Mecum of Magic.

[The Game Guy]

Is it possible to publish a game using Open D6 and not have content open for others to use.

[~HANZO~]

Even if you make your work derived from an open rules set. You can still copyright your specific IP material. your IP is yours. The rules are what is open. Just like the OGL.

For example Mutants and masterminds system is based one the SRD/OGL. But freedom city and their NPCs and Famous supers from there works is Copyright.

Or another example is 3.5 SRD, While the rules are SRD. Ravenloft, and Dragonlance, as well as other IP specific works are wholy owned by WOTC.

Just because you are free to use the 3.5 SRD. Does not give you the right to use ravenloft or any other IP using those rules.

[hellsreach]

Is it possible to publish a game using Open D6 and not have content open for others to use.

Previously open material cannot be "closed," (such as any material you take from the OpenD6 database) but any new material you do not wish to be considered open must be clearly indicated as Product Identity per the OGL 1.0a. So, the answer is "yes."

[Lubidius]

Eric:

Would it be easier on you if we submitted to you two copies of our works? One that is the original full text (minus pictures), and one that is what we feel would be considered unique/new opend6 content? Of course, still clearly within our own text and the product identity process during submission also mark it properly, but if for nothing else SPEED on your part in taking NEW opend6 content and placing it into an appropriate section of your website. I hope you catch my drift. If not, I can re-state. Most likely, you are going to see lets say 10 authors send you re-worded versions of existing open content; at least for a goodly % of what you get. I'd think that would be a rather daunting task on your part to keep many versions of this that and another; all of which basically points to existing opend6 content? I hope I am getting my point across. Or do you plan on fine-tooth combing them yourself, and taking out only 'new' stuff to put on your website? Just trying to figure out the most efficient method to use. Perhaps I could even paragraph by paragraph state which are open and closed (section numbers would help)

For the version I actually sell, I will likely just do a Part 1 Game Mechanics and a Part 2 The World of XXXXXXX (where XXXX is the licensed portions I cannot keep open content). And just label Part 1 as open content and Part 2 and Closed.

Lubidius -
Bell-Bottoms & Blades:
http://bellbottomsandblades.blogspot.com/
and hopefully a newly licensed OpenD6
product, which I cannot speak of yet openly.

[Michael Hopcroft]

That seems a bit of a convoluted way to do it. It's usually sufficient to state in the table of contents or Open Game License page (which every open-content-based product is required to carry anyway) either that certain elements are Product Identity, and thus closed, or that all elements except certain ones are PI. Doing two books, one open one closed, is usually going overboard.

[hellsreach]

Eric:

Would it be easier on you if we submitted to you two copies of our works? One that is the original full text (minus pictures), and one that is what we feel would be considered unique/new opend6 content? Of course, still clearly within our own text and the product identity process during submission also mark it properly, but if for nothing else SPEED on your part in taking NEW opend6 content and placing it into an appropriate section of your website. I hope you catch my drift. If not, I can re-state. Most likely, you are going to see lets say 10 authors send you re-worded versions of existing open content; at least for a goodly % of what you get. I'd think that would be a rather daunting task on your part to keep many versions of this that and another; all of which basically points to existing opend6 content? I hope I am getting my point across. Or do you plan on fine-tooth combing them yourself, and taking out only 'new' stuff to put on your website? Just trying to figure out the most efficient method to use. Perhaps I could even paragraph by paragraph state which are open and closed (section numbers would help)

For the version I actually sell, I will likely just do a Part 1 Game Mechanics and a Part 2 The World of XXXXXXX (where XXXX is the licensed portions I cannot keep open content). And just label Part 1 as open content and Part 2 and Closed.

Lubidius -
Bell-Bottoms & Blades:
http://bellbottomsandblades.blogspot.com/
and hopefully a newly licensed OpenD6
product, which I cannot speak of yet openly.

You can submit it whichever way you want, but as a requirement of the license, it still MUST be indicated clearly what is and is not protected. This is per the OGL, not me.

[The Game Guy]

Previously open material cannot be "closed," (such as any material you take from the OpenD6 database) but any new material you do not wish to be considered open must be clearly indicated as Product Identity per the OGL 1.0a. So, the answer is "yes."

I understand the base mechanics are open, etc. I was refering to some mechanic bits which I am developing for a game. I want to keep those closed and not let others use them.

You answered my question though. Thank You

[Lubidius]

You can submit it whichever way you want, but as a requirement of the license, it still MUST be indicated clearly what is and is not protected. This is per the OGL, not me.

Thanks. I will clearly mark in the final text at the section headers what is open and closed content and just submit as one file. I'm thinking of keeping the Open Content in a Game Mechanics Part 1, and the Closed Content in an Introduction and a Part 2 to keep things clean. The end user (consumer) needs to know what is opened or closed as well in case they want to use a portion in their own works (commercial or otherwise).

I think the only question I have in this regards is what will be actually available to the web user of opend6.com in regards to my text? Are you going to hand pick 'new' opend6 material for use in your selection process on the web pages? Or will there just be a menu system of submitted full text content? I think this was the impetus of my questioning this. I don't want the full text of my book available on the site (but you may have for personal archive for the OGL) My assumption is you will only make available to the public the open content.

My concern is when you are an author using a licensed IP, for the sake of concentration on that material, that IP property may be intertwined in almost every other sentence. For example, look back at the Star Wars RPG 2nd Edition Revised & Expanded. There is IP in just about every paragraph. It would have been a nightmare to mark it up as open or closed. I hope you catch my drift..

[Lubidius]

Well my potential license has fallen through (boo hoo) so no concerns at this point. I'm switching gears to my own work most or all of which will be open content. I really need to get a full book under my belt before attempting to obtain another license. I also need to form an LLC or Corporation to protect myself and the folks I negotiate license with.

[Whill]

Thanks. I will clearly mark in the final text at the section headers what is open and closed content and just submit as one file. I'm thinking of keeping the Open Content in a Game Mechanics Part 1, and the Closed Content in an Introduction and a Part 2 to keep things clean. The end user (consumer) needs to know what is opened or closed as well in case they want to use a portion in their own works (commercial or otherwise).

I think the only question I have in this regards is what will be actually available to the web user of opend6.com in regards to my text? ... Or will there just be a menu system of submitted full text content? ... I don't want the full text of my book available on the site (but you may have for personal archive for the OGL) My assumption is you will only make available to the public the open content.

My concern is when you are an author using a licensed IP, for the sake of concentration on that material, that IP property may be intertwined in almost every other sentence. For example, look back at the Star Wars RPG 2nd Edition Revised & Expanded. There is IP in just about every paragraph. It would have been a nightmare to mark it up as open or closed. I hope you catch my drift..

I think I catch your drift.

Maybe I'm wrong and Eric can correct me, but my understanding is that the only text that has to be available on the Open D6 website for others to view are the game mechanics. And Eric seemed to respond to GG that you can even mark some of your original game mechanics as IP, which means that no one else could publish them with them without your permission. But I understand that whether they are your original IP or not, all the game mechanics have to be avialable for others to view and and use (for private personal use only, if marked as your IP). Maybe I'm wrong and the IP game mechanics don't even have to be public.

But as far as your fluff goes, Eric may require a copy of your entire text for archive purposes like you said, but I don't think your non-game-mechanic IP has to be available for others to read and copy/download. So it seems it would be a lot easier on you to make your original work in such as a way as you describe: section off the IP and the open content by chapters. Some complete games with a setting could only have 1 chapter with the setting fluff and the rest be game mechanics.

Star Wars is a great example of the fluff being completely intertwined with the game mechanics. That makes sense for traditionally licensed material, but is completely impractical for Open D6.

[jdrakeh]

I think I catch your drift.

Maybe I'm wrong and Eric can correct me, but my understanding is that the only text that has to be available on the Open D6 website for others to view are the game mechanics. And Eric seemed to respond to GG that you can even mark some of your original game mechanics as IP, which means that no one else could publish them with them without your permission. But I understand that whether they are your original IP or not, all the game mechanics have to be avialable for others to view and and use (for private personal use only, if marked as your IP). Maybe I'm wrong and the IP game mechanics don't even have to be public.

But as far as your fluff goes, Eric may require a copy of your entire text for archive purposes like you said, but I don't think your non-game-mechanic IP has to be available for others to read and copy/download. So it seems it would be a lot easier on you to make your original work in such as a way as you describe: section off the IP and the open content by chapters. Some complete games with a setting could only have 1 chapter with the setting fluff and the rest be game mechanics.

Star Wars is a great example of the fluff being completely intertwined with the game mechanics. That makes sense for traditionally licensed material, but is completely impractical for Open D6.

All Open Game Content that you use from other sources (i.e., any content declared Open Game Content in sources you are working from), less Product Identity (i.e., trade dress) as defined therein must remain open and be declared as such in your own works. According to Eric, all text in the WEG D6 catalog will be designated Open Game Content, while the terms "Opend6" and "D6 System" will be designated Product Identity.

This means that all text reused from the WEG D6 catalog must be declared as Open Game Content in your own works — with the exception of the terms "OpenD6" and "D6 System", which you may not use at all unless you agree to the terms of an additional licence that requires you to upload content to the OpenD6 site. Short Version: If using the OpenD6 brand name in your product is important, you must agree to upload content to the OpenD6 site.

Having said all of the above, you can use all Open Game Content in the WEG catalog without uploading anything (Eric can't change the terms of the OGL to require that publishers upload their OGC to his website). You must, however, still declare it as Open Game Content per the terms of the OGL. In either case, you may designate any contribution of your own design as Open Game Content or Product Identity as you see fit.

[Whill]

In either case, you may designate any contribution of your own design as Open Game Content or Product Identity as you see fit.

Makes sense.