Dithering, see here. It's not a complete answer, but it's something while we wait for the snow to break.
(Also, I believe the d20 license allows product that's already in distribution systems to be sold, so Paizo's store shouldn't be effected.)
Hrmm. I don't know about that. A hardcopy of a book would be in distribution and therefore not be a problem. I really have no idea how PDFs are considered to be in distribution or not, so I'll cede the floor to someone who actually knows what they're talking about.
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Hrmm. I don't know about that. A hardcopy of a book would be in distribution and therefore not be a problem. I really have no idea how PDFs are considered to be in distribution or not, so I'll cede the floor to someone who actually knows what they're talking about.
Well, in that same link, Vic says he still isn't sure that the D20 license was ever canceled - in his searching he saw that they planned to do it (from an informal interview) but no actual announcement canceling the license.
Director of Brand Strategy
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I know that Green Ronin will be rebranding their d20 pdfs with a new logo. It looks like the d20 logo but says "3.5 Era" instead. I believe that the deal with pdfs is that they can't have the d20 logo on them, but otherwise are still legal to sell via the OGL. Dead tree copies can't be changed so easily, though, and will thus no longer be allowed. Once they officially cancel it, it seems.
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CEO
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I am working on getting some of the d20 stuff from various publishers to keep it around for a while. If there are any particular companies whose stuff you would like to see us have on hand past 12/31, please post here and I will do my best. d20 PDFs are a different thing. A number of publishers have asked us to take their d20 PDFs down at the end of the year, so get them now while you can!
-Lisa
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Director of Brand Strategy
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A number of publishers have asked us to take their d20 PDFs down at the end of the year, so get them now while you can!
Can you tell us who those publishers are? With so many d20 publishers out there, it'd be much easier to know which ones have a definite countdown on their availability to stimulate that itchy buying finger.
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Chief Technical Officer
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Here are the relevant portions of Scott Rouse's ICv2 interview back in February:
...in June of 2008 [the d20] license will be terminated as we release the new game system license. We’re going to give publishers a sell-off period where they’ll have until the end of 2008 to move through any stock that they have in their warehouses. Once it’s at distribution or in retail, the product can continue to sell through in its natural progression. We’re not going to ask publishers to recall that product and destroy it. But any excess inventory that they may happen to have in their warehouses at the end of ’08 would need to be destroyed. Any subsequent reprints they can still publish through the Open Gaming License, they just have to remove the d20 system trademark logo. That would include both PDF and physical product that continues to be sold after 2008.
Again, I've seen no evidence that Wizards actually terminated the d20 license in June 2008 (or at any other time); there's currently nothing about such an action on Wizards' d20 license info page. Nonetheless, some publishers are acting as though the plan Scott laid out in the interview is official.
01 Games and Expeditious Retreat Press have already had us replace all of their d20 PDFs with OGL-rebranded versions, and Skirmisher Publishing is working on doing the same.
The only company I know of that has asked for their d20 products to come down entirely is Goodman Games, but Lisa may know of others.
I'm assuming that every other d20 PDF publisher is waiting for an official announcement ending the license before they take any action; we're not taking any action until we hear otherwise.
The only company I know of that has asked for their d20 products to come down entirely is Goodman Games, but Lisa may know of others.
(I'm hijacking this thread for a moment, politely. Please take this thread to Cuba.) Vic, one part of the Goodman Games takedown that I'm a bit unclear on is how their request relates to their 1e and Castles and Crusades offerings through the DCC line. Are they going bye-bye also on December 31, or will they still be available, as neither uses the d20 license AFAIK?
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Chief Technical Officer
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Vic, one part of the Goodman Games takedown that I'm a bit unclear on is how their request relates to their 1e and Castles and Crusades offerings through the DCC line. Are they going bye-bye also on December 31, or will they still be available, as neither uses the d20 license AFAIK?
Sorry I missed this! Goodman's 1E and C&C PDF offerings will continue to be available.
We have one more product to add to the list—Tabletop Adventures' sole d20 product will be going away tonight, although they expect to revise it as an OGL product in the coming months, so it will be back.
I understand Goodman Games DCC's are coming down form the store at the end of the year (already new year here down under).
What about the download links from the "My Downloads" page for pdfs we have already bought. Are they going to stay there, or do I need to make sure I have downloaded everything I have bought, and ensure I have adequate backups so I don't lose them in the event of a harddrive crash etc?
From what I remember hearing, the downloads in My Download section are yours. They will stay there unless Paizo is told otherwise.
OTOH, I will be eventually making a backup copy or 5 of all of my downloads. Just in case.
From what I remember hearing, the downloads in My Download section are yours. They will stay there unless Paizo is told otherwise.Correct—and Goodman has okayed our continuing to provide the files to people who have already purchased the products.
Great and thanks for the fast response.