>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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