>1) If you wrote a module, would you place it on the open license agreement?

[FAUST REPLIES]
No.  I would issue it under the D20 STL, taking care to identify the open 
content and protect my own content.  >IF< I wrote something that was really 
good, but that in my judgement I later determined to be unmarketable, I 
would probably then issue it as open content.  If I write something that 
sold well, but then it was overtaken by the market and was no longer 
selling, I might convert it to open content.

>2) How do you think such an agreement affects a new writer breaking into 
>the
>field?

Makes it much easier, but makes the motivation somewhat lower.  This is 
exactly our business model at EARTH 1066 - to use the OGL/D20 STL to lower 
the barriers to entry for new writers and help people get published in print 
that otherwise would not have the chance.  Give us a call...

>3) Do you think experienced writers will use the open license agreement?

Not as an initial release mechanism, but they might release older stuff 
under OGL to help create a market for their new stuff.  I'm not sure this 
will work, however.

>4) What do you predict will happen to professional writers who choose not 
>to
>use the OGL?

I agree with the majority consensus here that the OGL will cause a shakeup 
in medium sized gaming companies.  I believe this is most of the reason WotC 
is advancing it.  It is my impression that the goal of most professional 
writers in the gaming industry is to break into mainstream fantasy fiction.  
I think OGL will make this much harder, and that WotC will be left holding 
all the ropes.

Personally, I have no desire to be a professional writer - just to hack off 
a couple of modules and rules supplements, and maybe get some recognition 
for them.

>5) Who benefits the most from the OGL, and why?

WotC.  Without question.  Small "hobby" writers like myself will have better 
opportunities to contribute to the hobby, but it will become harder for them 
to become professionals or to break into real writing careers.

I am perplexed at the people who have been saying that the mid-level gaming 
companies will be hurt AND the customers will be helped.  This notion goes 
against every economic and business theory on the books.  You reduce 
competition, and the customer will never benefit.  Never.  No small game 
company will be even remotely able to compete with WotC for customer 
attention, distributor attention, advertizing, or shelf space.  This is 
basic business theory, guys.

>To state my biases, I believe that the OGL does not, as yet, hold water in
>the legal sense and contains a logical structure designed to provide WotC
>with the equivalent of a slushpile with no need to pay the authors

No, I do not think WotC will take OGL material and print it as is.  If they 
did that, they would open up a lot of problems for themselves.    They will 
instead either hire the author or buy his work for very low prices, if they 
find something their staff has not done already and they want - they will 
certainly have him rewrite it for them.  A *really* evil scenario has the 
"big bad corporation" threatening the writer with publication and 
distribution of his OGL work in such a way as to force him to sign a "low 
cost" rewriting contract.  Note that I DO NOT think WotC is this slimy (so 
please don't flame me), but it could happen - when corporate stock options 
and big bonuses are on the line, people tend to forget that they are 
human...

I do believe the OGL + D20 is designed to reduce or eliminate serious 
competition in the industry.  Ryan himself has said that he believes this 
will be the result.  By giving something away that others have to sell to 
remain profitable, they are following a time honored tradition.  After all, 
Microsoft did it to Netscape...

Faust

See the OGL FAQ <unofficial> at:
http://www.earth1066.com/D20FAQ.htm

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