Rules as a C++ library

[Guimo]

Hi everybody,

Sorry to ask this her, I was not sure in which forum I should ask.

I was thinking about creating a computer library to handle all the rules and extensions on d20. Basically some kind of system that could be integrated in computer games, create characters, handle combat and all that.

The system would require the player to set the character attribute values but the method on generating the values would not be part of the system.

After that, I plan to use that library for my games and license such library to programmers in need of those tools. Of course the library will also include other algorithms (dice rolling, path finding).

Is that possible under the OGL? I was asking because the original SRD only allowed the SRD to be used for books, not for other forms (including computer libraries).

Thank you very much.

[Guimo]

As usual the answer came to me 30 mins after posting this. I will just interface C++ to load the PCGen Java libraries and save me a lot of trouble.

Thanks!

[Pinky's Brain]

I'd save myself more trouble and use python for something like this ...

Apart from that though, the OGL has no restrictions as far as software is concerned ... only the D20 system license had that. WotC might not use it any more, but their FAQ is still relevant :

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/oglfaq/20040123i

[Kthulhu]

The problem is that while that FAQ may be clear on the matter, the actual language of the OGL is not. And that FAQ can either disappear or say the complete opposite at WotC's merest whim.

[Pinky's Brain]

Kthulhu wrote:

The problem is that while that FAQ may be clear on the matter, the actual language of the OGL is not. And that FAQ can either disappear or say the complete opposite at WotC's merest whim.

The OGL is not clear, but the FAQ's answer is conservative ... the OGL might be more permissive, but it's certainly not more restrictive than the FAQ implies. The language is clear enough to see that.

Honestly the FAQ's answer as to how to interpret section 8 is the fundamentally right answer ... to twist the intention of the OGL and simply have a separate library of compiled binary rules indicated as OGL content would be a **** move.