Why?

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

Dagne

Feb 14, 2015 16:00:43

Here we are.. 8 months or so after initial release of 5th edition.  We have the 3 core books and 6ish official modules released and all the electronic tools online are being asked to remove anything related to 5th edition.   Why?  I see no official sites or tools for this purpose.   It seems counter productive.  In fact, the move to ask 3rd parties not to support the game has resulted in my group deciding to go with Pathfinder instead for our new campaign.  I wanted 5th.. but if WotC is going to nix any online community efforts it seems silly to even use the rules.  Have i missed something? Is there some chargen tools out there i am missing?

#2

BoldItalic

Feb 14, 2015 16:32:51

I do not share your rage.

#3

OoftaMeg

Feb 14, 2015 16:42:06

Well, the online content that was removed has as far as I know contained text copied straight from the books.  Hasbro has every right to expect people to respect they're copyrighted material.

 

Sheets that do simple calculations (but still require you to use the books) over at enworld have not been taken down, for example.

 

Hopefully they'll figure out something for a digital presence soon.

#4

SleepsInTraffic

Feb 14, 2015 17:41:10 		Not trying to throw shade but, why would you need a character builder for this system. The character gen and maintenance in this is trivially easy. I can see a need for electronic sheets, just for remote gaming in hangouts and stuff alone, but those should be up and running just fine. Hell wizards put out its own form fillable PDF you could use for those instances.
#5

AaronOfBarbaria

Feb 14, 2015 17:41:59

Dagne wrote:
#6

Illithidbix

Feb 14, 2015 18:25:04

My vague and flawed understanding of copyright and IP law is that if you don't crack down on one case of it, then this can be used as evidence against you in the future in another case that you actually care about.

 

(Can someone more qualified confirm/deny this?)

(Reply to #6)

AaronOfBarbaria

Illithidbix wrote:
#8

CCS

Feb 14, 2015 20:49:50
Dagne wrote:
(Reply to #8)

Dagne

Wow.. so.. the DnD community seems to have totally drank the corporate koolaid.  Guess i will ebay my 5th ed books and go back to a company that actually encourages community use of its products...  Good Ridance   

 

CCS wrote:
#10

bawylie

Feb 15, 2015 11:11:18

Property Rights = corporate cult worship. Ooookkkkkkaaaaaayyyyyy. 

#11

Hurin88

Feb 15, 2015 11:12:03

Dagne wrote:
#12

AaronOfBarbaria

Feb 15, 2015 11:43:55

Wizards of the Coast does encourage community use of its products.

 

They just ask that the community not infringe upon their copyrights and trademarks, and hand out their game information for free and thus reduce the incentives that other potential customers have to actually buy the books.

 

It's like how you would probably say yes if your friend asked to borrow your lawnmower, but if they hadn't asked and you found your lawnmower in use over at their house you'd be upset that your friend would take your stuff without asking (and for the sake of this analogy, also without previously establishing a "use my lawnmower whenever you need it" arrangement).

 

(Reply to #12)

Reius

AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
(Reply to #13)

AaronOfBarbaria

Reius wrote:
(Reply to #14)

Reius

AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
#16

BoldItalic

Feb 15, 2015 16:19:00

There's already is a fan site kit for 5e. It's been up for about a month although it hasn't been shouted out much. It's mainly images but the terms of use are worth a read. It sets out WotC's policy and spells out, right at the bottom, that if you put up material that doesn't comply, they will ask you nicely to take it down. They are now doing what they said they would do. Seems reasonable to me.

 

 

(Reply to #16)

AaronOfBarbaria

BoldItalic wrote:
(Reply to #16)

Reius

BoldItalic wrote:
(Reply to #11)

Coredump00

Hurin88 wrote:
#20

Mistwell

Feb 15, 2015 20:00:09

Illithidbix wrote:
#21

Mistwell

Feb 15, 2015 20:02:48

Hurin88 wrote:
(Reply to #21)

LupusRegalis

Mistwell wrote: