I am digging more into Unity3D and I really love D&D 5th edition and the core rule system. I know that I can't use stuff like specific art, book specific things, etc but can I use the SRD content to build a game to flesh out a system?
The first few pages tell you what you can and can't do with the open game license. I don't see anything about restricting digital content, so I'd say you're good to go!
I would definitely read over it. If you are incorporating the rules into a different game you will probably have problems. If you are however adding on additional mechanics to 5e you will probably be fine.
Most likely you can't really publish the rules themselves so that could come to play.
What flags me is that you say "commercial indie game" which implies not D&D but your own game system that you want to lift elements from the D&D rules.
Right. I want to lean on the OGL SRD 5.1 Game Mechanics to form the base mechanics for the game and build around it just as I would extending the game in tabletop form. The only difference here is I am using a game engine rather than extending it via a PDF to create an adventure, campaign, etc.
Right. I want to lean on the OGL SRD 5.1 Game Mechanics to form the base mechanics for the game and build around it just as I would extending the game in tabletop form. The only difference here is I am using a game engine rather than extending it via a PDF to create an adventure, campaign, etc.
The big issue is that I'm fairly certain you can't actually print the rules. Meaning you would not be able to include the definition of Advantage/Disadvantage, or discuss how smite works or print the Clerics class features. So while you can use the content in the SRD, you can't actually reprint the content in the SRD and you certainly can't make a new game with it.
You might be able to get away with making add on rules, optional rules, and the like, but since you can't reprint the rules, it likely wouldn't work to be part of a game engine.
My vagueness is because there is a slight difference here. You can't make a new game with any of the SRD content and you can't reprint anything from the SRD. (I.e. you can have a Cleric who can cast Bless, but you probably can't list all the cleric spells with a description in the back of your book.) You can make a game supplement that gives alternate rules, expansions and so on.
So, without knowing the details, I think you are probably on the cannot do it side of things.
Right. I want to lean on the OGL SRD 5.1 Game Mechanics to form the base mechanics for the game and build around it just as I would extending the game in tabletop form. The only difference here is I am using a game engine rather than extending it via a PDF to create an adventure, campaign, etc.
The big issue is that I'm fairly certain you can't actually print the rules. Meaning you would not be able to include the definition of Advantage/Disadvantage, or discuss how smite works or print the Clerics class features. So while you can use the content in the SRD, you can't actually reprint the content in the SRD and you certainly can't make a new game with it.
You might be able to get away with making add on rules, optional rules, and the like, but since you can't reprint the rules, it likely wouldn't work to be part of a game engine.
My vagueness is because there is a slight difference here. You can't make a new game with any of the SRD content and you can't reprint anything from the SRD. (I.e. you can have a Cleric who can cast Bless, but you probably can't list all the cleric spells with a description in the back of your book.) You can make a game supplement that gives alternate rules, expansions and so on.
So, without knowing the details, I think you are probably on the cannot do it side of things.
I am pretty sure you can reprint the rules (which are the Open Game Content in the SRD). The OGL reads:
4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.
In that context, Use is defined as meaning:
(g) "Use", "Used" or "Using" means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content.
(emphasis mine)
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, so I cannot give legal advice.
I'll have to read the entire thing at some point, but since I'm not a lawyer it really doesn't matter. My assumption is that the SRD does not allow for the creation of a different game using elements of the SRD, whether or not you could actually legally reprint the entire SRD in a book. So it might be possible you could essentially make your own players handbook using SRD content. I would still tread carefully at doing such a thing, especially if you are creating a different game and "borrowing" mechanics from the SRD.
I believe there is a way you could do it, and a way you can't do it. I can't really provide details on the differences, but they are important.
Hrm. Possibly some of the higher ups may pop in the thread. Betting not but may help clear things up :P
Curse is not part of WotC, and therefore will certainly not comment. Anyone from WotC would not comment either, unless they gave a legal speak answer. So yeah no chance on hearing from the higher ups.
Really going to depend on how its done. Just I would advice caution and make sure everything is good to prevent any headache's down the line.
Simple answer: Making your own game with concepts from the SRD is certainly not allowed. Making a D&D game with concepts from the SRD with "optional" and "expanded" rules, leans more toward the allowed side of things. There is a line between legal and illegal in what you want to do, and unfortunately I'm not qualified to give you the answer as to which side of the line you fall on.
The current SRD, or more accurately the OGL, absolutely does allow someone to make their own table-top RPG out of the SRD material plus added materials and/or alterations. This is how games like Arcana Evolved, Iron Heroes, Pathfinder, and even True20 and the like came into existence.
The only question I'm unsure of is whether this translates to the video game medium, and that's because I've not actually read the OGL to check for clauses relating to non-table-top-game media.
The current SRD, or more accurately the OGL, absolutely does allow someone to make their own table-top RPG out of the SRD material plus added materials and/or alterations. This is how games like Arcana Evolved, Iron Heroes, Pathfinder, and even True20 and the like came into existence.
The only question I'm unsure of is whether this translates to the video game medium, and that's because I've not actually read the OGL to check for clauses relating to non-table-top-game media.
Pathfinder, Iron Heroes, Arcanna evolved are without question D&D. Each would fall under the "optional" / expanded rules statement I made above. Granted everything you mentioned was made using the 3rd edition OGL.
The question is can I make a Game called Shadowgangs that uses d6's to determine results, make classes more organic but slap on the SRD statement and use Advantage & Disadvantage, and other D&D terminology while having an obviously not D20 game system? Basically making an entirely different game but using the parts of the SRD that I'd like for my own game that in no way remotely resembles a d20 game.
The other question being, can I make a nice pretty SRD in leather and sell it?
Simple answer: Making your own game with concepts from the SRD is certainly not allowed. Making a D&D game with concepts from the SRD with "optional" and "expanded" rules, leans more toward the allowed side of things. There is a line between legal and illegal in what you want to do, and unfortunately I'm not qualified to give you the answer as to which side of the line you fall on.
I did not see any indication in the OGL, that it is not allowed to make your own game from the SRD. You are allowed to create Derivative Material, which is defined as:
(b)"Derivative Material" means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted
You have to include a copy of the OGL in your work though and you have to clearly indicate which parts of your work are under Open Gaming License and you have to include copyright notices. Note, that derivative works are also part of the Open Game Content and thus have to comply with the OGL (except for Product Identity):
(d)"Open Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity.
As I understand it, that basically means that you have to license your own game mechanics (as derivative work) under the Open Gaming License also. You might have to make the game mechanics portions of your source code available, because they are a translation into a computer language - please ask a lawyer about this. Open Game Content and the OGL specifically excludes any Product Identity. If you want to use copyrighted material, you have to get an independent license for it and it must not be in conflict with the OGL.
Pathfinder, Iron Heroes, Arcanna evolved are without question D&D.
That statement is ridiculous. Also, you have seemed to deliberate skip True20 and the like, by which I was referring to games are absolutely not D&D, but utilize rules found in the SRD which the OGL permits the use of (and by the way, there is no "3rd edition OGL" and "5th edition OGL", there is a singular OGL that permits usage of material labelled as open content - which happen to usually be found within an edition-specific SRD).
And while yes, you can make a nice pretty SRD in leather and offer it for sale, you can't expect to get many people to purchase because they can already get the content free and print it for them self, and likely even bind it suitably to their own standards, for cheap enough that any price point you pick that would give you enough profit to actually continue doing business would appear to be unreasonably expensive.
Pathfinder, Iron Heroes, Arcanna evolved are without question D&D.
That statement is ridiculous. Also, you have seemed to deliberate skip True20 and the like, by which I was referring to games are absolutely not D&D, but utilize rules found in the SRD which the OGL permits the use of (and by the way, there is no "3rd edition OGL" and "5th edition OGL", there is a singular OGL that permits usage of material labelled as open content - which happen to usually be found within an edition-specific SRD).
And while yes, you can make a nice pretty SRD in leather and offer it for sale, you can't expect to get many people to purchase because they can already get the content free and print it for them self, and likely even bind it suitably to their own standards, for cheap enough that any price point you pick that would give you enough profit to actually continue doing business would appear to be unreasonably expensive.
Amazon has sellers selling the Starter set for like $30. People will buy anything! or at least try selling anything.
I excluded True20 because I've never looked at it, and have no idea what it is. I have the other books so I could speak about them.
Amazon has sellers selling the Starter set for like $30. People will buy anything! or at least try selling anything.
I excluded True20 because I've never looked at it, and have no idea what it is. I have the other books so I could speak about them.
The starter set (which includes a dice set and an adventure, neither of which are available for free) is a completely different sort of thing than just putting a nice cover on a printed product that is otherwise actually 100% free.
And while it's not always a great source, it works well enough in this case, so here is a place you can inform yourself about True20.
Amazon has sellers selling the Starter set for like $30. People will buy anything! or at least try selling anything.
I excluded True20 because I've never looked at it, and have no idea what it is. I have the other books so I could speak about them.
The starter set (which includes a dice set and an adventure, neither of which are available for free) is a completely different sort of thing than just putting a nice cover on a printed product that is otherwise actually 100% free.
And while it's not always a great source, it works well enough in this case, so here is a place you can inform yourself about True20.
IDK, I bet you could actually sell people printed copies of the SRD for like $10 on amazon and call it a special edition and you will get buyers even though its free, because a lot of people who play D&D never go to the WotC website.
IDK, I bet you could actually sell people printed copies of the SRD for like $10 on amazon and call it a special edition and you will get buyers even though its free, because a lot of people who play D&D never go to the WotC website.
I doubt selling printed copies for $10 a piece would be profitable, which is what I said earlier - I don't think a price that would actually pull a reasonable profit would be received as reasonable by consumers, whether they have visited the official site for the game or not.
Also, if I were to work on a tabletop RPG, could I base it on the SRD and remove classes/races/etc and only include custom classes/races/etc to make up the world? Such as in a modern world.
Please be aware that the answers you're receiving are the opinions of people who aren't Wizards of the Coast.
Only Wizards of the Coast can answer these questions for you fully - I strongly suggest contacting them directly if your questions aren't answered on the SRD page.
I am digging more into Unity3D and I really love D&D 5th edition and the core rule system. I know that I can't use stuff like specific art, book specific things, etc but can I use the SRD content to build a game to flesh out a system?
The first few pages tell you what you can and can't do with the open game license. I don't see anything about restricting digital content, so I'd say you're good to go!
http://media.wizards.com/2016/downloads/DND/SRD-OGL_V5.1.pdf
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Great! I will take a look also just to ensure I cover my bases :D
I would definitely read over it. If you are incorporating the rules into a different game you will probably have problems. If you are however adding on additional mechanics to 5e you will probably be fine.
Most likely you can't really publish the rules themselves so that could come to play.
What flags me is that you say "commercial indie game" which implies not D&D but your own game system that you want to lift elements from the D&D rules.
Right. I want to lean on the OGL SRD 5.1 Game Mechanics to form the base mechanics for the game and build around it just as I would extending the game in tabletop form. The only difference here is I am using a game engine rather than extending it via a PDF to create an adventure, campaign, etc.
I'll have to read the entire thing at some point, but since I'm not a lawyer it really doesn't matter. My assumption is that the SRD does not allow for the creation of a different game using elements of the SRD, whether or not you could actually legally reprint the entire SRD in a book. So it might be possible you could essentially make your own players handbook using SRD content. I would still tread carefully at doing such a thing, especially if you are creating a different game and "borrowing" mechanics from the SRD.
I believe there is a way you could do it, and a way you can't do it. I can't really provide details on the differences, but they are important.
Hrm. Possibly some of the higher ups may pop in the thread. Betting not but may help clear things up :P
The current SRD, or more accurately the OGL, absolutely does allow someone to make their own table-top RPG out of the SRD material plus added materials and/or alterations. This is how games like Arcana Evolved, Iron Heroes, Pathfinder, and even True20 and the like came into existence.
The only question I'm unsure of is whether this translates to the video game medium, and that's because I've not actually read the OGL to check for clauses relating to non-table-top-game media.
You have to include a copy of the OGL in your work though and you have to clearly indicate which parts of your work are under Open Gaming License and you have to include copyright notices. Note, that derivative works are also part of the Open Game Content and thus have to comply with the OGL (except for Product Identity):
As I understand it, that basically means that you have to license your own game mechanics (as derivative work) under the Open Gaming License also. You might have to make the game mechanics portions of your source code available, because they are a translation into a computer language - please ask a lawyer about this. Open Game Content and the OGL specifically excludes any Product Identity. If you want to use copyrighted material, you have to get an independent license for it and it must not be in conflict with the OGL.
Disclaimer: I am still not a lawyer.
Also, if I were to work on a tabletop RPG, could I base it on the SRD and remove classes/races/etc and only include custom classes/races/etc to make up the world? Such as in a modern world.
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D&D Beyond FoundersHi KegFaulty,
Please be aware that the answers you're receiving are the opinions of people who aren't Wizards of the Coast.
Only Wizards of the Coast can answer these questions for you fully - I strongly suggest contacting them directly if your questions aren't answered on the SRD page.
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