OGL question

[The Wanderer]

New to the OGL etc... was wondering what this entails for mods/rulesets outside the d20 system. I'm currently working on a mod for WW's Storyteller system... should I be? or can I just not sell it? (Wasn't planning on selling anything anyway, but don't want to find myself in a lawsuit :( ) any ideas? I guess also let me know if anybody else would use it besides my current group. :rolleyes:

[kalmarjan]

Okay, this has been discussed a lot on these boards. Here is how it boils down for FG:

You may create any sort of ruleset for your use, (with your groups use implied)
You may not distribute the ruleset of OGL material without the permission of the publisher/author etc etc.

Go ahead, make your own ruleset, have fun and play a bunch of games. Do not post it to a web site, that is all.

Hope this helped,

Sandeman

[Ram Tyr]

For how to answer this question for yourself, I have linked to the appropriate places in this post:
https://forums.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showpost.php?p=26238&postcount=16

I'm actually not sure whether the system you mention uses the WotC Open Game License. If not, find the license they use and follow that license!

I'll continue assuming that it does use the same Open Game License. If your ruleset contains only Open Game Content and does not contain any Product Identity (both terms are defined in the resources I point you to in the above post) then you can distribute it. (Obviously, if your ruleset contains Open Game Content and your own content, you can distribute it!)

If you used Digital Adventure's products to build your ruleset out of they take a more restrictive view (as described by kalmarjan/sandeman above). So, if you want to share your ruleset... don't use their products unless you talk with them first, or you will hear from them.

Everyone agrees that if you never distribute your ruleset you can do what you want. (Thankfully! :) )

Later.
Ramza

[lunatis]

WW's storyteller system does not have the OGL that d20 uses. Therefore, you're bound to normal copyright restrictions (i.e., "all rights reserved"). As I'm also planning on playing FG with the storyteller system and I would also like to see a module that people could share with another, I've given these legal issues some thoughts. Without getting into the details: You will not infringe copyrights as long as you use your own words for describing the game mechanics (copyright does not apply to game mechanics), do not make derivative use of any characters, names or places, and do not copy any graphics. "Names" also implies names for clans, covenants, etc., so be careful! Every fictional name (as a rule of thumb, everything that is capitalized) is also copyrighted.

Another tricky part is the trademarks:

A trademark is a word, symbol, or phrase, used to identify a particular manufacturer or seller's products and distinguish them from the products of another.
While some terms like WoD and WW are obviously trademarked, you cannot know for sure what else falls under trademarks. As a rule of thumb: don't refer to any RPG company or any product titles by an RPG company (you can use their abbreviations, though). Even "Vampire" is a registered trademark by WW! Your "product", the module, must not give the impression that it is affiliated with WW, so you cannot give it a name that makes use of the terms "storyteller system" or "storytelling system" (not even saying it is compatible to) because these are registered trademarks. You can check the credits page of a recent WW publication to see a list of trademarks that have been registered (though this doesn't mean they haven't registered more). I know, it makes it hard to advertise your module if you cannot say that it is meant for playing WW products, but that exactly is the point of trademark law! As a suggestion, you can name the module "WW system rules", "oWoD sytem rules" or "nWoD system rules" as this will give most people a clue as to what it is about without infringing on trademarks. Just in case, your module should also point out that

The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned.

[Ram Tyr]

Lunatis,

Thanks for the clarification! Since it doesn't use the OGL, then The Wanderer can ignore my earlier post! :D

I love that you've thought through creating a module! I'm glad you've identified the relevant concerns and wish you the best!

It sounds like the two of you might want to collaborate, or at least keep bouncing ideas off each other!

Good luck.

Later.
Ramza

[joeru]

[snipped text]

"Names" also implies names for clans, covenants, etc., so be careful! Every fictional name (as a rule of thumb, everything that is capitalized) is also copyrighted.



Names cannot be copyrighted. Nothing stops you from using the names Brujah or Nosferatu in some different context. Though using them in the same context can be, in some cases, when taken far enough, considered a breach of copyright.




Another tricky part is the trademarks:

While some terms like WoD and WW are obviously trademarked, you cannot know for sure what else falls under trademarks. As a rule of thumb: don't refer to any RPG company or any product titles by an RPG company (you can use their abbreviations, though). Even "Vampire" is a registered trademark by WW! Your "product", the module, must not give the impression that it is affiliated with WW, so you cannot give it a name that makes use of the terms "storyteller system" or "storytelling system" (not even saying it is compatible to) because these are registered trademarks. You can check the credits page of a recent WW publication to see a list of trademarks that have been registered (though this doesn't mean they haven't registered more). I know, it makes it hard to advertise your module if you cannot say that it is meant for playing WW products, but that exactly is the point of trademark law! As a suggestion, you can name the module "WW system rules", "oWoD sytem rules" or "nWoD system rules" as this will give most people a clue as to what it is about without infringing on trademarks. Just in case, your module should also point out that

As you quoted, trademarks' intention is to protect a product so that it is distuingishable from other companies' products. If you name your product in a way that could cause people to mistake your product for the original company's, you're possibly in deep waters.

-- joeru

[The Wanderer]

Good Info!! Thanks for the response, things are about as clear as they can be when it comes to legal matters. I'll keep working on my, UN-related to story teller, d10-plot driven module ;)

The only other thing that I might need to work on is the Character sheet. There is a clause in the copyright that says you can copy the Character sheet for personal use. Won't be a problem to draw one, but it's sooo much easier to use a scan... oh well.

On the technical side, I think I'm actually working on an entirely new 'ruleset' rather than a 'module.' What exactly are the mechanical differences? (Maybe I should start a new thread...)

[Ram Tyr]

The Wanderer,

Use the search function on these boards for "custom ruleset". Lots of threads come up with lots of information. This has been hashed out extensively.

(I just did it to check that there are results. There are 93 as of right now.)

I'm not sure what you mean by "mechanical differences", but a custom ruleset requires using XML and "modding" FG to fit your desires. (You can search these boards or the internet for XML.) Making a module is something that you can do entirely from within FG. (You can also search these boards for module and see what comes up. There was recently a discussion concerning what to use modules for.)

There is also a tutorial on modules at Four Ugly Monsters (https://www.fouruglymonsters.com/).

Good luck.
Ramza

[DarkStar]

On the technical side, I think I'm actually working on an entirely new 'ruleset' rather than a 'module.' What exactly are the mechanical differences? (Maybe I should start a new thread...)

A ruleset contains game mechanics, specific to a system, like d20.

Module is a set of story pages, images, NPCs and the rest - using the ruleset mechanics.

In PnP terms this would mean that ruleset is what you buy from Wizards, like D&D core books. Modules are the adventures (scenarios) ready to play, if you have the rulebooks (ruleset).

[The Wanderer]

Nice, appreciate the definition... in that case I'm working on a 'ruleset.' Thanks for the various analogies.

[Daeghrefn]

As far as I understand with character sheets, is that you can design your own without any worries as to copyright infringement, as long as you leave off the obvious Vampire or other trademarked names.

There's nothing stopping you from creating an Excel spreadsheet, or PDF file for your own personal use. You can even scan or photocopy the sheet in the back of the book. You can even download a PDF version from their website.

What you can't do is mass-produce and sell them. And I would avoid publicly posting something they created. Creating your own PDF, XLS, XML or whatever character sheet and posting it shouldn't prove a problem.

It really boils down to common sense. If you aren't publicly posting things and you aren't selling them or mass distributing them, anything you do is pretty much "personal use". If you post it on your blog or personal website, you're taking a risk, but my guess would be (and I'm no lawyer) that the risk is pretty slight.

[Snikle]

This is why I say distribute without the rules, just make a character sheet and remove the rules in the xml. Sure by some definition that would still be a breach in some circles.