GavinRuneblade
October 11th, 2018, 08:37
Essentially, this can't be covered by one single rule for all RPG systems and situations. Each RPG system publisher has their own guidelines/requirements for publishing content for their systems - whether it's under an OGL/CC license, or something else - they'll all have guidelines as to what names and logos you can use on your own products.
I think you misunderstood the intent of the question. Multiple sites or sources of info is great. Needing to ask to get anything, IE not having a published set of guidelines is a barrier. I, personally, suck horridly at even basic searches and I know I'm not alone in this. Hence asking does anyone know of published sources of guidance. With help, I found one source that had guidance for many companies. Are there any others that people know about? Adding such information to Rob's instructions seems like a great combination if the intention is for people to actually make mods that can be distributed as opposed to ones that are just for themselves. My understanding is that posting any mod that might violate copyright is forbidden even if it is not for sale. So knowing the guidance for people's favorite games seems relevant information to have in a tutorial on how to make mods for those games otherwise people cannot even share what mods they do make in their games' forums rendering Rob's tutorial extremely limited in its usefulness.
If you want to put *anything* in the FG store you'll need to discuss that with SmiteWorks first, whether the product is 100% your own creation or a conversion from an existing product. If you have a specific question email SmiteWorks on
[email protected] to discuss details - I'd recommend having a specific development goal in mind - i.e. what system and exactly what you want to produce, rather than a broad generalised query.
In terms of publishing here on FG there is only an avenue for existing publishers to get their work hosted on the FG store.
One thing I aspire to is to build up the number of readily available rulesets, adventures and accessories. I expect most of these will come from the community, like they do today. There are problems with the current model though. Developers/users desperately want to share their hard work with the community but they are hampered by the unknown of whether or not their work infringes upon anyone else' Intellectual Property. I would like to assist in the process by working directly with the publishers to gain approval for anything which uses their IP or which might infringe upon their IP. If something is cool but uses any of their actual IP, then the publisher needs to have final approval and then receive royalties. If it doesn't require royalties, then we will have received verification from the publisher to that effect. (at least that is the idea)
Damned's quote above seems to be the direct opposite of what Ddavison proposed. Now, he proposed it back in 2009, a loooooooooong time ago. I think it is reasonable to ask, is that offer still valid, because if it is, that same location (from 2009) has instructions indicating which publishers are open to cooperating with SW and SW gave a series of steps how to begin that starts exactly where you said: talking to him.
But, if Damned is correct and the ONLY way to get a mod on the FG store is to publish first somewhere else then I think that fact needs to be linked to Rob's instructions so people don't invest a lot of time and energy making a mod then get disappointed they can't share it and go to drivethru as a consolation prize. If they know upfront the process starting with drivethru will be a stepping stone used happily. Much behavioral economics research has documented that few things get us to abandon effort as effectively as taking away our hoped-for reward. So setting correct expectations strikes me as valuable.
I imagine a simple list of links, sort of like the awesome GM resources thread (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?36014-GM-Advice) LordEntrails made, where companies that are open to working with SW (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?11156-Want-to-produce-official-FG-products-adventures-rulesets&p=80392&viewfull=1#post80392) and have guidance for publishing (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/cc/0/default) are on top, and those that have only guidance or only a willingness to work with SW have their own sections. Using just a minimal number of the games/companies a sample/starting point might look like:
Relationship with SmiteWorks and Existing Guidance on Publishing Content
Call of Cthulu (FG link (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?11156-Want-to-produce-official-FG-products-adventures-rulesets&p=80392&viewfull=1#post80392) / Guidance (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/cc/16/Miskatonic))
WOIN (FG link (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/store/?sys=21&pub=-1&typ=-1&search=&sort=1) / Guidance (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/cc/14/WOIN))
Willing to work with SmiteWorks to get content for Fantasy Grounds, but no guidance for publishing content
Iron Crown Enterprises / Rolemaster Standard System (Link (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?11156-Want-to-produce-official-FG-products-adventures-rulesets&p=80731&viewfull=1#post80731))
Guidance for publishing content but no relationship with SmiteWorks/Fantasy Grounds
Infiniverse Exchange/Torg (Link (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/cc/15/Infiniverse))
Am I crazy or does this not seem like something more than half of the people interested in Rob's tutorial might want to have access to? Even if they don't think about selling something here on Fantasy Grounds' store because their first product might not be all that great, it is something to aspire to and work towards. That should, in the long run, help out a lot of games that right now are very limited in what is available. Without it, as I understand, people cannot even share a mod on the forum, right?