Question about game licensing

I've primarily been a contributor to other people's projects up to this point and I haven't reallye paid much attention to the minutae of product licensing. Whatever I have offered up to this point has been under the Open Game License and that has tended to suit my needs. However, I have a few ideas for game supplements that while I don't want to make the whole work open, I do want to make it availiable for derivative works. I'm aware of the Creative Commons Share and Share Alike and that really seems like it would suit my needs. However, what I have in mind is essentially a derivative of the Labyrinth Lord Rule Set which is itself under the Open Game License. So, for instance, if I wanted to come up with a fantastic location and release it as a common idea for people to create derivative works from but not directly take my work whole cloth and use it for their own commercial projects, what is the best way to proceed? I like how the Cthulhu mythos authors had common touch stones such as the Necronomicon or Carcosa that they could all use in their work. Ideas?

Comments

  1. TreyFebruary 24, 2011 at 10:12 AM

    If your willing to allow derived works, what particularly are you looking to retain? If its just you always want to be given credit for the original ideas.

    So more a game product you would designate the OG content, then maybe designate product identity, but note that that is covered under whatever version of the creative common license you want to use? I'm just guessing here, but that's what I'd think.

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  2. TimeshadowsFebruary 24, 2011 at 4:00 PM

    I recommend looking at:

    * FUDGE: http://www.fudgerpg.com/fudge-publishing/15-fudge-system-logo.html?catid=21%3Alicenses

    * Creative Commons: http://creativecommons.org/choose/

    ReplyDelete
  3. XyanthonFebruary 24, 2011 at 10:14 PM

    Thanks Trey and Timeshadows. I'll probably go OGL but I wanted to see if there are more flexible options. I'm still mulling it over though.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dyson LogosFebruary 25, 2011 at 6:33 AM

    Since you plan on using the LL ruleset which in turn is OGL, you have no choice but to remain with the OGL.

    At the same time, you can protect your PI, AND make it available for others to use. This was done in a lot of the original Sword & Sorcery Studios products where they identified the monster names and proper names in their spells as Product Identity, and then provided a separate license to use them in your own products, as long as you note that said items are the copyright of (company X) and are used under license.

    ReplyDelete

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