Greta had a few questions. Here are my answers:
1. "OK, so we can use the stats but not the name???
So we can say "You open the door a see a MONSTER!"
then
include all the stats for it and draw some art derived
from the description but cannot use the name??! This
is assume you have not closed the name MONSTER. I
should publish a PDF tomorrow that comprises a single
encounter with a creature called MONSTER."
Very funny. I have a feeling you understand this is
wrong and are making a joke. But just in case, here is
why that is not correct. Open Content has not one
single thing to do with running the game, adventure or
using the product. For example, Tomb of Horrors was
not open content. You can run that adventure and say
the names of all the closed content stuff you
encounter: "You stare, wide-eyed, as the gem-encrusted
skull of the demi-lich Acerak rises from its stone
bed." Just like you can say to your players: "You
climb down the rope to investigate the strange growth
on the far side of the cave. Unfortunately for
Calthar, that growth is an Undead Ooze. Roll
Initiative."
What you can't do with the names of the creatures from
the Creature Collection (as it stands now) is use them
as a d20 producer in a game or adventure you create
without a specific license from Sword and Sorcery
Studios (which, as I mentioned before, is seperate
from Necromancer Games and I dont control final
decisions).
Remember, whether content is open or closed doesnt
make any difference to someone using the product. It
only matters to people wanting to use that stuff to
make other products using it.
2. "I hope they open that up a bit. Do you think I
can
take all the OGC and just give the monsters new names
from your manual -I don't intend to do this! -I was
just wondering how you are protected from someone
doing just that. The stats are OGC."
That is a great point. You could do that. Just like
you could make a PHB knock off from the d20 material
from the PHB. That was my main argument why the names
should be open, too. I also argued that netword
externalities should drive sales of the CC if other
people use it and use monsters from it in their d20
products. I think we just need to realize that some
people are going to be very conservative in what they
tag as open content and others are not. I am trying to
get the people who make the decisions to agree to open
up the monster names too.
3. "Can you answer my original question? If I choose
to use your cool new sword in my work -do I even have
to say your name anywhere -if so, how would it be
properly referenced?"
OK, now you have crossed over to Necromancer products.
I have total say on those products (well, my partner
Bill has equal say but we both agree about this
stuff). If you wanted to use anything that was open
content from Crucible in one of your d20 products, all
you need to do is follow the rules from the licenses
regarding doing just that.
Remember, nothing prevents you from "using" even
closed content in your D&D game. You just can't put it
in a product.
I hope that clears a few things up.
Clark
=====
http://www.necromancergames.com
"3rd Edition Rules, 1st Edition Feel"
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo! Messenger.
http://im.yahoo.com/
-------------
For more information, please link to www.opengamingfoundation.org
