Updated status on the revised GSL

[Ultimatecalibur]

On Thursday, September 11, 2008, at 2:22 pm PST, Scott Rouse (Senior Brand Manager - Dungeons and Dragons) posted the following in the "are the revisions dead" thread in the GSL section of the WotC Dungeons and Dragons forums.

It has not been shelved. It's sitting right here on my desk next to the bazillion other things I've got going on right now. I haven't been on the boards in a while (weeks?) so I have not been aware of what was going on.

The draft is done. The changes are approved and it just needs to get pushed to a final document. But there is still work to do. Since Lidda is gone I am taking on myself (as well as a bunch of other licensing duties) plus my day to day so as you can imagine I am slammed.

So what's left?

As an outcome of one of the changes we made we need to create a "statement of rejection" form that will be an official opt out of the license upon a revision. It will look a lot like the SOA.

We also need clear up some things on the SRD and in the FAQ. Lidda left me a draft of the FAQ but I have not looked at it yet and I have not met with R&D to discuss the changes/clarifications to the SRD.

Realistically, looking at my work load this is still weeks off being done.

 

[Corjay]

Thanks for the news update.

I like the SOR idea. It looks like they've added a cushion period to allow the opt-out, suggesting they have given thorough consideration to the licensee's rights. All we can do is wait to see how it looks.

 

[Ranger REG]

So if a 3PP opted out, can they bring their product line back to OGL after being published for or converted over to 4e?

 

[Brown Jenkin]

So if a 3PP opted out, can they bring their product line back to OGL after being published for or converted over to 4e?

I doubt it. It is likely a way to end the relationship with WotC with whatever the most current version of the GSL is before a change. They would still be bound by that version and any restriction it contains and would no longer be able to print anything new, but they would be free of any other restrictions or changes a new version would bring. It gets rid of the particularly onerous change at will clause and lets publishers make descisions based on what the current version of the GSL says without having to worry about being bound by unknown future restrictions. It essenstiallly means the only unknown will be how long the licence lasts (either by cancelation or unaceptable changes).

 

[HalWhitewyrm]

Not necessarily wonderful news, but at least it's good to know there has been progress made.

 

[fabneme]

My 2 cents? We won't be seeing any GSL before october 1st (a.k.a. old-GSL date for 3PP that didn't buy the "Early publisher kit" to start releasing products).

Edit: As you can see, by my post count, I just gave the answer to life, the universe and everything, if you know what I mean

 

[occam]

Wait, did I miss something? Is Lidda gone gone, or just on vacation?

 

[Ry]

Sadly, lidda got "restructured" out of a job.

 

[Alzrius]

Wait, did I miss something? Is Lidda gone gone, or just on vacation?

It wasn't announced very loudly, but yeah, Linae Foster (aka Lurking Lidda) is no longer with WotC.

 

[Morrus]

My 2 cents? We won't be seeing any GSL before october 1st (a.k.a. old-GSL date for 3PP that didn't buy the "Early publisher kit" to start releasing products).

Nobody bought the early publisher kit. It never went on sale - an idea that never happened.