Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 xjel Jul 23, 2008 14:09:48	If I write a 4e adventure and want it published in a gaming magazine run by a gaming company (No Quarter - Privateer Press for example), does the company have to have signed up to the GSL to publish my article?
#2 mudbunny Jul 23, 2008 14:20:58	That is something that you should ask the magazine that you submit the adventure to.
#3 Magocrat Jul 23, 2008 15:01:10	Yes, it does. Well, they don't have to, but if they don't, they'll get WotC's legal team on their backs.
#4 Tabularasa Jul 24, 2008 4:05:08	Does this also mean that the magazine has to exclusively publish 4th edition materials? More specifically can there be in the same issue a scenario for 3.5 and for 4.0?
#5 malkav666 Jul 24, 2008 6:12:56	They do not have to be signed to the GSL as long as the respect WOTC's IP. love, malkav
#6 Zherog Jul 24, 2008 8:06:54	Does this also mean that the magazine has to exclusively publish 4th edition materials? More specifically can there be in the same issue a scenario for 3.5 and for 4.0? Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV My understanding is that once a company signs the GSL, any product they produce for 4e cannot also be produced for any other system - 3.5, True20, etc. In addition, that entire product line from that point forward must be 4e only. What does this mean for a magazine? It seems to mean that if a magazine signs and uses the GSL, then the support in that magazine must be 4e only.
#7 mudbunny Jul 24, 2008 8:14:45	But that leads to the question - Is a magazine that is simply presenting the work of someone else, considered to be a company producing something under the GSL and thus required to follow the GSL, or could they be considered as simply presenting the material, and thus not required to follow the GSL??
#8 samwise Jul 24, 2008 9:45:01	Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV[/ii] My understanding is that once a company signs the GSL, any product they produce for 4e cannot also be produced for any other system - 3.5, True20, etc. In addition, that entire product line from that point forward must be 4e only. No, the GSL currently only restricts a company from publishing a "the same or similar title, product line trademark, or contents" under the GSL and the OGL. It does not mention system as distinct from either of those at this time. That is likely moot as there may well be no other system using mechanics similar or identical enough to those of 3E/3.5 or 4E to qualify under either license yet not be under said license. You could however, theoretically, publish such a product under both the GSL and for Call of Cthulu and World of Darkness. That is of course theoretical, as I am sure Chaosium and White Wolf respectively in those examples would have their own ideas about such use. What matters for this is that the GSL does not, at this time, currently prohibit such. Of course it could be modified to do so at any time in the future, and all licensees are responsible for checking for updates that would prohibit such use, but it does not say anything about such at the moment.
#9 samwise Jul 24, 2008 9:50:45	But that leads to the question - Is a magazine that is simply presenting the work of someone else, considered to be a company producing something under the GSL and thus required to follow the GSL, or could they be considered as simply presenting the material, and thus not required to follow the GSL?? Even if they are not directly such a company, I expect they would be in the position of being an affiliate of someone who had signed the GSL for a particular product line, and thus the signatory would be responsible for ensuring third party compliance. Conversely if they were a signatory and you were not, there would be some issues of you later making a prohibited conversion and them bearing certain responsibilities as a result. Of course the original question is more likely subject to the considerations of those people who are publishing 4E compatable products without signing the GSL. It may well be that they do not need to sign such to publish a 4E adventure, provided the adventure violates no trademarks or copyrights.
#10 Zherog Jul 24, 2008 12:59:52	But that leads to the question - Is a magazine that is simply presenting the work of someone else, considered to be a company producing something under the GSL and thus required to follow the GSL, or could they be considered as simply presenting the material, and thus not required to follow the GSL?? Again, in my opinion -- and I am not a lawyer... Even though Xjel wrote the material, the magazine (in this case Privateer Press's No Quarter) would be the publisher of that material. They're certainly free to try to publish the material under the OGL - they certainly wouldn't be the first to try it. But it sure seems to me that if they sign the GSL, once they produce a version of No Quarter with the GSL, they can then never go back to the OGL again. No, the GSL currently only restricts a company from publishing a "the same or similar title, product line trademark, or contents" under the GSL and the OGL. It does not mention system as distinct from either of those at this time. That is likely moot as there may well be no other system using mechanics similar or identical enough to those of 3E/3.5 or 4E to qualify under either license yet not be under said license. You could however, theoretically, publish such a product under both the GSL and for Call of Cthulu and World of Darkness. That is of course theoretical, as I am sure Chaosium and White Wolf respectively in those examples would have their own ideas about such use. What matters for this is that the GSL does not, at this time, currently prohibit such. Of course it could be modified to do so at any time in the future, and all licensees are responsible for checking for updates that would prohibit such use, but it does not say anything about such at the moment. Good distinction. Thank you.