License alternatives for 3rd party D100 supplements

[RosenMcStern]

So, now that the MRQ logo license is dead as an "open" alternative and only exists as a negotiated, commercial license, what are the alternatives for small press who want to make something with a BRP-like system?

I can see several ones:

a) GORE (the least likely, I think)

b) D100Rules (but I can see some legal issues here)

c) OpenQuest (see Newt's comments here)

d) Make your own using the MRQ OGL - it is still open

e) BRP - the license terms are affordable in the end

[RosenMcStern]

Anyway, what good are licenses? Can't people publish what they like, so long as they don't infringe decency, copyright or trademarks? So long as you don't use Chaosium or Mongoose logos you're fine. Right?

I am not so sure. "Fair use" applies to US laws only. WotC allowed retro-clones of D&D, but it could have sued.

Basically, if you wish to do a fanzine-like thing, you can do it. But if you want something more professinally made, that sells, you better have a license of some sort.

[Atgxtg]

I am not so sure. "Fair use" applies to US laws only. WotC allowed retro-clones of D&D, but it could have sued.

Basically, if you wish to do a fanzine-like thing, you can do it. But if you want something more professinally made, that sells, you better have a license of some sort.

Mongoose sort of let the cat out of the bag when they were talking about MRQI. When people asked how they could base MRQ on the RQ system, since they only licensed the RQ name, Mongoose noted that you cannot copyright a rules system, just specific settings. creatures and such.


So there is nothing to prevent someone from practically copying BRP or MRQ verbatim, as long as they don't use copyrighted terms or settings.

That is the reason why WotC "allowed" retro-clones of D&D. They didn't have a legal leg to stand on.

Now how people view this morally is another matter.

[dragonewt]

e) BRP - the license terms are affordable in the end

How could this be viable when someone wants to release a free/open product?

[RosenMcStern]

I should have phrased it as "third party" supplements. Trif, would you change the thread title?

[dragonewt]

I should have phrased it as "third party" supplements. Trif, would you change the thread title?

I am still interested in the idea of releasing a free product using BRP.

What options are open to me?

With OpenQuest, I can blend my content with the rules and provide a self contained OGL product.

However, what options do I have with BRP? Could my free end product only provide background material with a few new spot rules, while only making reference to the BRP core rules?

[frogspawner]

What legal issues might there be for d100Rules? (I must admit to being worried by this thought myself, when Trif announced it).

Surely there is another alternative (and isn't this what d100Rules is?)...

f) Do a BRP-clone (without using Chaosium's copyrighted words, Logos, or Trademarks e.g. the name "Basic RolePlaying" or even "BRP")

[NickMiddleton]

f) Do a BRP-clone (without using Chaosium's copyrighted words, Logos, or Trademarks e.g. the name "Basic RolePlaying" or even "BRP")

It's a legal alternative certainly - it's also as morally contemptible now as when Stafford and Sprange first claimed they were going to do it, or when GORE was released and frankly, the more often it happens, the more contemptible it gets, not less.

I am still interested in the idea of releasing a free product using BRP.

What options are open to me?

Ask Chaosium politely, supplying them with some idea of what you plan to do. Worked for me.

With OpenQuest, I can blend my content with the rules and provide a self contained OGL product.

Yes, but you cannot reference ANY IP you do not hold an explicit license for in such a product.

However, what options do I have with BRP?

Ask Chaosium - it's their trademark and their copyright text.

Could my free end product only provide background material with a few new spot rules, while only making reference to the BRP core rules

Depends on what Chaosium let you do - ASK THEM.

No, there is no blanket statement that gives any third party open access to Chaosium's copyright text and trademark without seeking Chaosium's specific permission first. Doesn't mean you can't ask - and if you put a solid proposal to them, I'm sure they would listen. Maybe even including letting you use the BRP core text directly provided your final product correctly attributed their copyright and trademark ownership.

Bear in mind that "free" (as Uncounted Worlds is) does not mean "released to public domain". The text of the MRQ SRD (or any other SRD released under the OGL) is NOT public domain - it is not free for any one to use how they wish. It has been made available under a specific license with specific criteria as to how it can be used and attributed...

And here's the weird thing - for DECADES prior to the OGL/d20 STL RPG supplements were frequently published WITHOUT regurgitating great gobbets of the core rules over and over again, or worrying about "open licenses" and the like...

:rolleyes:

Nick

[Vile]

And here's the weird thing - for DECADES prior to the OGL/d20 STL RPG supplements were frequently published WITHOUT regurgitating great gobbets of the core rules over and over again ...

In fact, decades before the Intertubes (and even a few years after they happened) fanzines were perfectly happily publishing unlicensed materials for their favourite games without great gobbets of legalese on their front pages, and they were charging money for them! :eek:

[dragonewt]

Yes, but you cannot reference ANY IP you do not hold an explicit license for in such a product.

Hence the sneaky reference to my content.

And here's the weird thing - for DECADES prior to the OGL/d20 STL RPG supplements were frequently published WITHOUT regurgitating great gobbets of the core rules over and over again...

I am not planning a supplement. Yet, the problem with BRP as it stands now is that it has 400 pages to quote over and over, which is not my intention. However, the BRP core book is really a toolkit. Yes, I am the kind of person who doesn't mind referencing it along with a plethora of other odds and ends of material and house rules in games I run. However, there are some people who want a complete system in one book that they can just pick up and play, and achieve something with the basic book. I think this is partly one of the reasons why systems such as Savage Worlds are so popular. There is plenty of supplemental material for Savage Worlds that references the core rules, but the core rules are not a chore for the more common demographic to use and expand on.

Maybe this is one way to make BRP more popular, which is rather topical in a current thread.

I am considering something that I can hand out to a local group of players or at a convention, and have one work of reference. The intention is to provide people with the benefit and joy of a D100 system, yet without the overhead of needing to own the same library and plethora of books and notes (as myself), without the question of which options will be used this time.

I am looking to experiment with something that sources the toolkit, but is a mostly complete solution in one book per gaming session/group.

With a database driven documentation system, in theory, a dynamic range of books can be made as required for a given game, genre or type of play.

The block of wood is carved into utensils
by carving void into the wood.
The Master uses the utensils, yet prefers to keep to the block
because of its limitless possibilities.
Great works do not involve discarding substance.