----- Original Message -----
From: "Doug Meerschaert" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, September 18, 2000 7:34 PM
Subject: Re: [Open_Gaming] Final Text of Approved Open Gaming License
My interpretation of PI is that it allows you to create a list of
things that will remain closed even if they appear in a section marked
as OGC. This allows you to keep Snakemen closed yet still use them in
a section designated as OGC.
So you can say Snakemen and Mongoosemen are PI and then later in a
stat block marked as OGC say "Mongoosemen get a +2 bonus when fighting
Snakemen" and not worry that you've just opened Snakemen and
Mongoosemen.
> kevin kenan wrote:
> > If a spell, monster, name, etc does not appear in a section
> > designated as OGC, then it is closed.
>
> *OR* if it apperas in the section marked PI, and the works says "all
> parts not marked PI are open."
Yep, that what my next point says, though you disagree with it.
> > If a spell, monster, name, etc. appears in a section designated as
> > OGC, but also appears in the list of PI, then it is closed.
>
> Wrong. OGC cannot be PI--it's a violation of the OGL.
I'm not saying OGC is PI. I'm saying that by declaring something as PI,
you are able to keep it closed even though it appears in a section
which is otherwise OGC. From the FAQ:
Q: What is "Product Identity"?
A: Product identity means things that might be mixed in with Open
Game Content that you do not wish to apply the terms of the License
to.
The phrase "mixed in with Open Game Content" is what I'm referring to.
> > If an item appears in the list of PI and appears in a section
> > designated as OGC, but doesn't meet the criteria of PI given in
> > the OGL, then you have a breach of the license.
>
> If it appears in PI and doesn't meet the list, it's a violation.
Probably. More precisely, if an item meets the definition of Open Game
Content (that is, the item is a game rule) then it can't be PI. From
the FAQ:
Q: That's not very Open then, is it?
A: The License specifically limits the Product Identity to non-Game
Rule content....
If you declare something as PI and it isn't a game rule then I do not
think you've breached the license.
-kenan
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