From: Otto Hammersmith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Now, the reasoning:
>
> First, I'm making some assumptions about WotC's motives here. First,
> they want to grow the sales of the Players Handbook (and other core
> books?). Second, they've figured out that D&D gaming material
> (modules, etc) drive the sales figures of the PHB up. So, the
> reasonable conclusion is to allow more people to produce such material
> and drive the sales even higher.
>
> However, they want to protect their interest, they don't want any
> product to be able to take sales directly away from the PHB. So, the
> decision to limit direct competitors to the PHB that can call themselves
> "D20". That's my understanding (IANAL) of the purpose of that clause.
That's all accurate.
I will say however, that the theory underpinning the OGL concept tells us
that it won't matter anyway because the D&D brand is so strong it will
overwhelm any competitive book. But this restriction makes everyone inside
WotC feel more comfortable with the basic experiment and once the
marketplace demonstrates an opinion one way or the other, we'll revisit this
issue.
> Also, I'm making the assumption that the Open Gaming Foundation will be
> a non-profit separate from WotC and that they will own the D20
> trademark.
The D20 Trademark will be owned by WotC.
The only thin the OGF will own is the copyright to the Open Gaming License
itself.
> Well, I can't publish a new class in a D20 module.
Yes you can.
> I can't even publish a new kit for an existing class.
There are no 'kits' in 3e, but you could publish the concept from 2e as a
D20 concept without problems.
> It really limits the
> scope of what can be published under the D20 trademark to simple
> adventures and some setting information.
Incorrect.
> ****The second revision of the PHB can't include those changes and still
> be called D20.****
Well sure it can. We just have to license that content under the Open
Gaming License, and identify the materials that are Open Game Content just
like any other publisher.
> The copyright of those changes are owned by someone else and under the
> D20 license.
No, the copyright is held using the >Open Gaming License< which is not
trademark specific.
Ryan
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