>From: "Marc Tassin, Ilium Software" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

>I agree and have said it many times. This entire "you don't make enough
>stuff free" is getting old.  It was only a matter of time before WoTC got
>targeted too.  Give it a rest people.  Getting ANYTHING for free (ie: open)
>is more than you ever would have had in the past.  Be thankful for that
>fact and get over the fact that you can't just use other people's ideas as
>your own. Spend more time coming up with ideas and less time complaining
>that other people won't let you use theirs.
>

You may have missed the reply to this which clearly stated that the "ocean" 
of free material is deeply appreciated.

This wasn't about desiring more free stuff. The question being raised wasn't 
even related to those who want to evolve their own game system based on the 
SRD.
The point made is that those wishing to create adventures based on the core 
SRD race descriptions don't have access to much more than the game mechanics 
themselves (statblock info), and have to even carefully examine any visual 
artwork, background and racial culture that relates more obviously to the MM 
than the public domain. This is not, in fact, what WotC themselves would 
necessarily want, since they legally limit the ability of independant 
publishers to contribute adventure gaming material in a fashion consistent 
with the Monster manual, as found at "almost all gaming tables".

The question being asked is whether this is a desired effect, or an 
unfortunate side-effect, perhaps requiring some kind of license expansion 
for those that merely want to publish adventures compatible with the 
purchased core books. As it stands, many 3rd party publishers, through 
careless derivation of artwork, background information, or basic racial 
behaviour from the MM, are in technical violation of the license under which 
they are effectively must publish. I'm wagering, however, that WotC don't 
have any problem with most of these works, and are probably thankful for the 
general contribution they make to the enriched D20 genre.
They actually serve to enforce the value of the MM itself.

I don't think it's a problem with an easy answer, since inclusion of artwork 
and background info in the SRD effectively nullifies the marketability of 
the MM, which could then be published by virtually anyone, and 
electronically for free.

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