There are many threads running about the OGL changes, its impact, and the consequences of the proposed changes. So I thought I would offer up an alternative, one that might go a long way towards Wizards of the Coast wanting to exercise more control on the game its creators.
Dungeons and Dragons Adventurer’s League (DDAL) has been I existence since 5 edition began. It was a way to maintain some commonality between characters and allow players to come and go from games all over the world at any time. DDAL runs the D&D Virtual Weekends. DDAL has significant players all over the world, both live and over multiple VTT/Discords. For most book releases, there were DDAL modules that happened around the same setting, supporting the hardcover and adding even more content.
My suggestion is that WotC turn the DDAL into an official “Brand” within D&D. They take over distribution of the modules- something as easy as purchasing DMsGuild- and then charge a modest fee for each one sold. This would allow larger companies that sell through DMsGuild to change very little. It would allow smaller companies and individual creators something to aspire to. WotC would have access to volumes of creator content for free and need only give its ‘stamp of approval’ for quality and content. It would also allow them to publish “DDAL Gazetteer” with compilations of the best monsters, traps, spells, magic items and so on. But it would also note that these specializations can only be used within the DDAL ‘world’ listed. That would be part of the agreement with those that publish within the brand. The Gazettes get people interested, so they have to buy the ‘world’ book to use in in DDAL. This really isn’t that much different than the miniatures- if you buy The Monsters of Exandria miniatures, you are going to want to book with the stats in it. Now, if you buy the Gazette with the monster’s stats, you are going to want the sourcebook with the flavor text and story.
The OGL would then change to require only PHB and DMG content for classes, spells, monsters, and magic items. As long as any creator kept to just the basics, they would be free to write and independently publish whatever they wanted. But if you wanted to publish new content, spells, and so on, then it could ONLY be introduced through official DDAL products.
DDAL currently has Dungeoncraft, which is a set of guidelines for writing modules that could be published for use in DDAL. So the standards already exist.
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There are many threads running about the OGL changes, its impact, and the consequences of the proposed changes. So I thought I would offer up an alternative, one that might go a long way towards Wizards of the Coast wanting to exercise more control on the game its creators.
Dungeons and Dragons Adventurer’s League (DDAL) has been I existence since 5 edition began. It was a way to maintain some commonality between characters and allow players to come and go from games all over the world at any time. DDAL runs the D&D Virtual Weekends. DDAL has significant players all over the world, both live and over multiple VTT/Discords. For most book releases, there were DDAL modules that happened around the same setting, supporting the hardcover and adding even more content.
My suggestion is that WotC turn the DDAL into an official “Brand” within D&D. They take over distribution of the modules- something as easy as purchasing DMsGuild- and then charge a modest fee for each one sold. This would allow larger companies that sell through DMsGuild to change very little. It would allow smaller companies and individual creators something to aspire to. WotC would have access to volumes of creator content for free and need only give its ‘stamp of approval’ for quality and content. It would also allow them to publish “DDAL Gazetteer” with compilations of the best monsters, traps, spells, magic items and so on. But it would also note that these specializations can only be used within the DDAL ‘world’ listed. That would be part of the agreement with those that publish within the brand. The Gazettes get people interested, so they have to buy the ‘world’ book to use in in DDAL. This really isn’t that much different than the miniatures- if you buy The Monsters of Exandria miniatures, you are going to want to book with the stats in it. Now, if you buy the Gazette with the monster’s stats, you are going to want the sourcebook with the flavor text and story.
The OGL would then change to require only PHB and DMG content for classes, spells, monsters, and magic items. As long as any creator kept to just the basics, they would be free to write and independently publish whatever they wanted. But if you wanted to publish new content, spells, and so on, then it could ONLY be introduced through official DDAL products.
I’m not an expert, but this sounds like a really good idea.
I really like D&D, especially Ravenloft, Exandria and the Upside Down from Stranger Things. My pronouns are she/they (genderfae).
DDAL currently has Dungeoncraft, which is a set of guidelines for writing modules that could be published for use in DDAL. So the standards already exist.