I'm on several gaming mailing lists, and the OGL is often discussed on
them. There seems to be a LOT of confusion over 'product identity'.
Please let me know if my understanding is correct:
a)1e of the OGL lists those things which CAN be termed Product
Identity;anything not in this list CANNOT be classed as Product
Identity.
b)Anything labelled as Product Identity is NOT Open Gaming Content
c)It is possible to have items which fall into the categories in 1e, but
which are explicitly marked as Open Game Content, and thus, are NOT
Product Identity.
So, for example, I could create an NPC named "Thrug". He consists of
textual description and game stats. The game stats MUST be OGC;the
textual description of Thrug *can* be termed PI, and closed;OR I can
declare it open, and it thus becomes OGC and anyone can use it in their
work without further permission from me, etc.
Or, in other words:
Name:Thrug (possible PI)
Class:Sorceror (OGC)
Race:Half-Orc (OGC, because it's derived from the D20 SRD)
Stats STR 18, CON 14, etc (OGC)
Description:"Thrug is an anamolous creature, a living embodiment of the
statement you can't judge a book by its cover...", etc (Possible PI)
It is up to me to decide whether to declare the possible PI to *be* PI,
or, to declare it open.
Have I got this?
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For more information, please link to www.opengamingfoundation.org
