What I want to do: I want to have the D&D5E rules publicly visible/available to users of a free app I'm making. What I'm thinking: I think I can use all the rules in the Basic Rules, but I'm not sure because the SRD/OGL don't cover the rules themselves. What I'm doing: I _won't_ be copying the rules verbatim, I will be re-wording them to make the rules shorter, mostly for my own benefit.
you can only use the content from the SRD for public use. for your own personal use and kept out of public domain you can use anything you own the content of.
IANAL, but game rules themselves aren't copyrightable. Beware that if you decide to use the SRD OGL, you give up some rights that you would otherwise have.
It sounds to me like what you are trying to do is allowed, but again IANAL.
Copyright does not protect the idea for a game, its name or title, or the method or methods for playing it. Nor does copyright protect any idea, system, method, device, or trademark material involved in developing, merchandising, or playing a game. Once a game has been made public, nothing in the copyright law prevents others from developing another game based on similar principles. Copyright protects only the particular manner of an author’s expression in literary, artistic, or musical form. Material prepared in connection with a game may be subject to copyright if it contains a
sufficient amount of literary or pictorial expression. For example, the text matter describing the rules of the game or the pictorial matter appearing on the gameboard or container may be registrable.
Therefore, the systems or processes that make up the core of a game—generally referred to as the “game mechanics”—are not subject to copyright, even though the written rules, game board, card artwork, and other elements—often referred to as the “theme” of the game—may be. Game mechanics can be as simple as “roll dice and move a token along a track,” or far more complex. Regardless of the complexity or originality of a given game’s systems and processes, its game mechanics will likely not be protected by copyright.
The SRD already includes all game mechanics rules, IIRC.
With the notable exception of character creation, that's correct. However to just rephrase the rules, I'm not sure that you even need to use the SRD OGL.
Thanks. I've seen a LOT of apps and websites repost the rules and content (even purchasable content) word for word on their websites and was concerned.
A number of sites have the right to repost the rules. DDB is one of them... DDB doesn't write any of the content. WOTC does. But then WOTC "leases" it to them.
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WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Thanks. I've seen a LOT of apps and websites repost the rules and content (even purchasable content) on their websites and was concerned.
Most sites that post this material do so without permission from WoTC and likely are infringing their copyrights. Just because the rules themselves may not be copyrightable doesn't mean that WoTC's expression of those rules in written form isn't copyrightable.
Though I think you are probably okay to rephrase the rules for your app, IANAL. WoTC may disagree and send you a cease and desist. You should read through the terms of the SRD OGL for yourself and see if it fits your needs. If I recall correctly, the biggest limitation is not being able to use or reference WoTC's trademarks, like "Dungeons and Dragons", in your product.
The SRD already includes all game mechanics rules, IIRC.
With the notable exception of character creation, that's correct. However to just rephrase the rules, I'm not sure that you even need to use the SRD OGL.
You may be thinking of the Basic Rules, the System Reference Document features full rules on character creation.
The SRD already includes all game mechanics rules, IIRC.
With the notable exception of character creation, that's correct. However to just rephrase the rules, I'm not sure that you even need to use the SRD OGL.
You may be thinking of the Basic Rules, the System Reference Document features full rules on character creation.
No. You have that backwards. The basic rules have character creation and the SRD does not.
The SRD already includes all game mechanics rules, IIRC.
With the notable exception of character creation, that's correct. However to just rephrase the rules, I'm not sure that you even need to use the SRD OGL.
You may be thinking of the Basic Rules, the System Reference Document features full rules on character creation.
No. You have that backwards. The basic rules have character creation and the SRD does not.
Aren't the basic rules a part of the SRD OGL?
Edit: After a quick look: the basic rules found here on dnd beyond contain the SRD as well as other things.
And on the 5esrd website they have character creation outline:
Even though there's some overlap, the basic rules aren't covered by the OGL while the SRD is. I wouldn't use what's found on dndbeyond as a guide for what's allowed because they definitely have their own unique licensing deal. The 5esrd page you cited has the disclamer at the top "The text below is adapted from another OGL product for use with 5e." They probably took the character creation rules from Pathfinder or something and "adapted" them whatever that means.
True, I don't know whats all in the SRD, and they have that disclaimer, but 5e is still a s20 system and it's character creation hasn't changed much in 30+years. Wine details might change, like 5e you now get to add a background as part of the character creation, but other games have had that before.
So for the OP if this thread, he could do similar. Or do a skeletal outline like just state the steps and then refer people to the free download if the basic rules of 5e, or their own PHB if they own one. I believe that falls under the acceptable use and inside the safe area of the copy right laws.
OP could also do something similar and put a disclaimer that they "adapted" the rules from another similar game in the OGL SRD and still put in a link to the basic rules for the official rules everyone has access to.
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What I want to do: I want to have the D&D5E rules publicly visible/available to users of a free app I'm making.
What I'm thinking: I think I can use all the rules in the Basic Rules, but I'm not sure because the SRD/OGL don't cover the rules themselves.
What I'm doing: I _won't_ be copying the rules verbatim, I will be re-wording them to make the rules shorter, mostly for my own benefit.
Is this allowed?
Mostly I'm just making a cheatsheet.
you can only use the content from the SRD for public use. for your own personal use and kept out of public domain you can use anything you own the content of.
IANAL, but game rules themselves aren't copyrightable. Beware that if you decide to use the SRD OGL, you give up some rights that you would otherwise have.
It sounds to me like what you are trying to do is allowed, but again IANAL.
https://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.pdf
https://www.americanbar.org/groups/intellectual_property_law/publications/landslide/2014-15/march-april/not-playing-around-board-games-intellectual-property-law/
The SRD already includes all game mechanics rules, IIRC.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
With the notable exception of character creation, that's correct. However to just rephrase the rules, I'm not sure that you even need to use the SRD OGL.
Thanks. I've seen a LOT of apps and websites repost the rules and content (even purchasable content) word for word on their websites and was concerned.
A number of sites have the right to repost the rules. DDB is one of them... DDB doesn't write any of the content. WOTC does. But then WOTC "leases" it to them.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Most sites that post this material do so without permission from WoTC and likely are infringing their copyrights. Just because the rules themselves may not be copyrightable doesn't mean that WoTC's expression of those rules in written form isn't copyrightable.
Though I think you are probably okay to rephrase the rules for your app, IANAL. WoTC may disagree and send you a cease and desist. You should read through the terms of the SRD OGL for yourself and see if it fits your needs. If I recall correctly, the biggest limitation is not being able to use or reference WoTC's trademarks, like "Dungeons and Dragons", in your product.
You may be thinking of the Basic Rules, the System Reference Document features full rules on character creation.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
No. You have that backwards. The basic rules have character creation and the SRD does not.
Aren't the basic rules a part of the SRD OGL?
Edit: After a quick look: the basic rules found here on dnd beyond contain the SRD as well as other things.
And on the 5esrd website they have character creation outline:
https://www.5esrd.com/character-creation-outline/
Even though there's some overlap, the basic rules aren't covered by the OGL while the SRD is. I wouldn't use what's found on dndbeyond as a guide for what's allowed because they definitely have their own unique licensing deal. The 5esrd page you cited has the disclamer at the top "The text below is adapted from another OGL product for use with 5e." They probably took the character creation rules from Pathfinder or something and "adapted" them whatever that means.
True, I don't know whats all in the SRD, and they have that disclaimer, but 5e is still a s20 system and it's character creation hasn't changed much in 30+years. Wine details might change, like 5e you now get to add a background as part of the character creation, but other games have had that before.
So for the OP if this thread, he could do similar. Or do a skeletal outline like just state the steps and then refer people to the free download if the basic rules of 5e, or their own PHB if they own one. I believe that falls under the acceptable use and inside the safe area of the copy right laws.
OP could also do something similar and put a disclaimer that they "adapted" the rules from another similar game in the OGL SRD and still put in a link to the basic rules for the official rules everyone has access to.