Why is The World's Most Popular Role-Playing Game being referred as The World's Most Popular Role-Playing Game in Paizo products? Is this because of some copyright thingie? Or because if you speak The Name of The One Who Must Not Be Named it's agents come to deliver swift death upon you?
Yup.
It has specifically to do with the Open Game License, which states:
"7. Use of Product Identity: You agree 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. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity."
Saying "Dungeons and Dragons" is using product identity to indicate compatibility. That's only authorized when using a separate license and paying for the right. Now, seeing as how Paizo can rightly say they are a contender for "the most popular RPG" title you'll find in newer products that Paizo says:
"This [Product] is set in the Pathfinder campaign setting and works best with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game or the 3.5 version of the world’s oldest fantasy roleplaying game..."
Yup.
I take that as a yes to both questions.
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Yup.I take that as a yes to both questions.
yup. ;-)
It has specifically to do with the Open Game License, which states:
"7. Use of Product Identity: You agree 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. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity."
Saying "Dungeons and Dragons" is using product identity to indicate compatibility. That's only authorized when using a separate license and paying for the right. Now, seeing as how Paizo can rightly say they are a contender for "the most popular RPG" title you'll find in newer products that Paizo says:
"This [Product] is set in the Pathfinder campaign setting and works best with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game or the 3.5 version of the world’s oldest fantasy roleplaying game..."
Tricky business that product identity.. I once toyed with an idea to copyright the sentence "I love you" in all possible languages so that everytime anyone uses it they pay me few cents.
My friends claimed that it would never work. But just you wait..
yup. ;-)Yup.I take that as a yes to both questions.
Thank heavens! So the nice Men in Black at my door are not from the funeral home after all! Aunt Jude still lives! Blessed be!