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As far as I can tell, you are posting non-OGL content without permission.If you are referring to my existing content, that's fair use much like making an index of books in a library and putting that online.
IMarv
I hope that the publishers will agree that indexing their books and reposting systematically their content in a way that makes the books unnecessary is fair use of their materials.
I hope that the publishers will agree that indexing their books and reposting systematically their content in a way that makes the books unnecessary is fair use of their materials.
How does a long list of spell names (and nothing else) make books unnecessary?
Andrew, the spells are largely the same as in the SRD now (in terms of range, number of targets, etc.). You certainly could put them into your database (they're Open Content, after all), but I don't know that it would be worth the effort for a pretty small number of differences (e.g. Animal Growth only affects one target now) that may change in a year anyways.
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How does a long list of spell names (and nothing else) make books unnecessary?Compare Align fang by Lilith with Align Fang by Andrew.
I hope that the publishers will agree that indexing their books and reposting systematically their content in a way that makes the books unnecessary is fair use of their materials.How does a long list of spell names (and nothing else) make books unnecessary?
Andrew, the spells are largely the same as in the SRD now (in terms of range, number of targets, etc.). You certainly could put them into your database (they're Open Content, after all), but I don't know that it would be worth the effort for a pretty small number of differences (e.g. Animal Growth only affects one target now) that may change in a year anyways.
Um, some of the entries, deities for example, are more than just an entry in a list. Click on the entry and you get the domains for the deity.
Compare Align fang by Lilith with Align Fang by Andrew.
See, to me that's like saying that reading TV Guide makes television obsolete. I guess we'll just agree to disagree.
At any rate, this has nothing to do with Pathfinder spells (which are Open Content under the OGL).
You don't want page 403 for declaration of OGC--look to the TOC/Credits page for this text:
Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, artifacts, places, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, language, incidents, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress.
Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the contents of this Paizo Publishing game product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content might be reproduced in any form without written permission. To learn more about the Open Game License and the d20 System License, please visit wizards.com/d20.
The Pathfinder RPG, Beta Playtest Edition is published by Paizo Publishing, LLC under the Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All other trademarks are property of Paizo Publishing, LLC. ©2008 Paizo Publishing. Printed in China.
The Product Identity section notes all the areas you are not free to reproduce without permission, so you can't go noting specific gods' names, countries, languages, etc. without written permission from Paizo. I just asked for clarification on their OGC, actually, in relation to a character sheet I'm working on right now.
Director of Brand Strategy
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If Paizo does wish to be picky, I could just truncate the deity names at 3 letters and add "-god" to the end of the name.
IMarv
It's not really a question of Paizo, or any other publisher, being "picky." If something is their intellectual property, it is their responsibility to defend their copyright. As it stands, a lot of spells and feats on your site are not just lists, but links to full rules text of non-open content.
Sure, Paizo can't stop you from posting the open content from their books, such as new spells, monsters, feats, and equipment from the PRPG or any Pathfinder supplement—They're open content. But WotC would have very strong grounds for legal action for the posting of full rules text from non-open content. Simply listing who the copyright holder of a given piece of IP is doesn't make you exempt from copyright infringement.
While I think that copyright should be honored and upheld, I also have issue with your attitude, as comments like "if Paizo wants to be picky" shows a severe lack of respect for the company. Again, it's not about being picky, it's about business. If you post the complete text of a company's book, open or not, it makes those books obsolete. It is entirely within Paizo's or any other publisher's right to request that you not make their books unnecessary. If you have any respect for the creators of this content, you should respect that. WotC's decision to keep certain books closed is the same as them requesting (requiring, even) that no one use it.
As far as I can tell, you are posting non-OGL content without permission.Are you referring to my existing content which is excerpts in an index or Pathfinder? The Pathfinder RPG is OGL, see page 403 of the Beta book. If you are referring to my existing content, that's fair use much like making an index of books in a library and putting that online.
I think he's referring to the content that you list *on your site* as:
"The Closed content displayed above has been reproduced without permission from the copyright holder."
It's a lovely site, but I'm in agreement that I don't think some parts of it (the full descriptions of items, etc.) is legal.
All that said, there is already PathfinderWiki.com, as well as pfsrd.org which will be similar to d20srd.org. However PFSRD will be a private site at Paizo's request for now.
If you are referring to the equipment items section, I have so few full item descriptions from books that those are not substantial either.
I may have just gotten lucky then, I was looking at the Rings of Alignment Command.
Compare Align fang by Lilith with Align Fang by Andrew.
I just noticed this -- compare them both to Align Fang by Jason Bulmahn!
School transmutation [see text]; Level druid 2, ranger 2
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Effect
Range touch
Target living creature touched
Duration 1 min/level
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)
Description
Align fang makes one natural weapon of the subject good, evil, lawful,
or chaotic, as you choose. A natural weapon that is aligned can bypass
the damage reduction of certain creatures. This spell has no effect on a
natural weapon that already has an alignment.
When you make a natural weapon good, evil, lawful, or chaotic, align
fang is a good, evil, lawful, or chaotic spell, respectively.
Tsk, tsk...
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Chief Technical Officer
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You don't want page 403 for declaration of OGC--look to the TOC/Credits page for this text:
The Product Identity section notes all the areas you are not free to reproduce without permission, so you can't go noting specific gods' names, countries, languages, etc. without written permission from Paizo. I just asked for clarification on their OGC, actually, in relation to a character sheet I'm working on right now.Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, artifacts, places, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, language, incidents, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress.
Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the contents of this Paizo Publishing game product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content might be reproduced in any form without written permission. To learn more about the Open Game License and the d20 System License, please visit wizards.com/d20.
The Pathfinder RPG, Beta Playtest Edition is published by Paizo Publishing, LLC under the Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All other trademarks are property of Paizo Publishing, LLC. ©2008 Paizo Publishing. Printed in China.
Yes. Since your site is publishing under the OGL, you're free to publish anything we specified as open content, and you're not allowed to publish anything we've reserved as Product Identity.
I need to clarify my position a bit more. What I do show, I show under a belief that it is usable under fair use. Since I do hold back the majority of each piece (the description text) of a whole in a compilation, I believe I am not violating copyright.
Your belief is mistaken. "Fair Use" is not applicable because you are publishing under the OGL, and thus must abide by its terms.
Specifically, by using the Open Game License on your site, you have agreed, per section 7, "not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark."
Thus, using anything that any publisher has reserved as Product Identity is a violation of the OGL (unless you've been given specific permission by that publisher to use it).
You don't get to have all of the benefits of the OGL without also abiding by all of the restrictions of the OGL.
Now, if you want to toss the OGL out the window and rely entirely on fair use, you can do that, but if you do, I'd advise you to seek out an intellectual properties attorney to ensure that you really are adhering to fair use guidelines.
