After a little more than a year of off-and-on work I'm getting close to completing work on a character generator. I know there are already ones out there but I want to bring my own slant to it.
What I need to find out is, what material I can or cannot include in my generator? I would suspect anything from the Core Rulebook is fair game (OGL, I think) but I'm not 100% sure about this, neither am I sure about other published material, like the APG for example. I read through the community use FAQ but I want to avoid stepping on any legal toes.
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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After a little more than a year of off-and-on work I'm getting close to completing work on a character generator. I know there are already ones out there but I want to bring my own slant to it.
What I need to find out is, what material I can or cannot include in my generator? I would suspect anything from the Core Rulebook is fair game (OGL, I think) but I'm not 100% sure about this, neither am I sure about other published material, like the APG for example. I read through the community use FAQ but I want to avoid stepping on any legal toes.
As long as you're not selling the generator, and only giving it away for free, you are free to use ALL rules in any Paizo book, any images that have been posted on the Paizo blog, and images from the community use pack, which includes the iconic characters. You can also use names of those characters, and proper names of places and gods of Golarion, freely.
If you were going to sell the item, you could still use any RULES that have been published by Paizo in their core books and most supplements (there's a list on the paizo site here somewhere, can't remember where, though), but you can't have any proper names of gods or iconics or places. This also means you may have to change the name of feats, archetypes, etc, like we did on d20pfsrd.com (Aldori Swordlord, for instance, is now just Swordlord).
That certainly simplifies things - Thanks.
I'd like to be able to offer this generator as a viable alternative to the currently licensed character generator (an ambitious goal to be sure) but only time will tell.
One last clarification - Once I'm ready to open it up to public use (and scrutiny), under which subforum should I post the link - general discussion?
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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That certainly simplifies things - Thanks.
I'd like to be able to offer this generator as a viable alternative to the currently licensed character generator (an ambitious goal to be sure) but only time will tell.
One last clarification - Once I'm ready to open it up to public use (and scrutiny), under which subforum should I post the link - general discussion?
I would probably post it under "Compatible Products from Other Publishers".
For anything software related using our ruleset, I would send an email to Vic Wertz making sure you don't trip up on some of the legalities regarding the OGL and software use.
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Check with the Paizo people for commercial release stuff but logic dictates anything in the PRD could be used. http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/
Not necessarily. I'm pretty sure the OGL operates differently for software.
And you would definitely need to put an OGL blurb on it.
Best to check with Vic Wertz after the weekend, as Liz suggested.
Chief Technical Officer
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Kyreeberok,
Anything we've declared as Open Game Content in our products is available for use under the OGL, which you can find in any OGL product... but note that the OGL specifically restricts you from using "any ... trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product Identity by the owner of the Product Identity", or from "indicat[ing] 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."
Which means you can't use trademarks like Pathfinder, Pathfinder Society, or Paizo in connection with your app (except for citing your sources of Open Game Content in your OGL Section 15 Copyright Notice). (Using the non-trademarked term "PFRPG" is legal.)
As far as acquiring a specific license from us, that option will only be considered for established software publishers with excellent reputations and solid business plans for their prospective apps.
Finally, note that the OGL is Wizards of the Coast's license, not Paizo's, and so I can't provide any advice about its suitability for your use; I'd suggest you seek the advice of an intellectual properties attorney on that front.
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Chief Technical Officer
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As long as you're not selling the generator, and only giving it away for free, you are free to use ALL rules in any Paizo book, any images that have been posted on the Paizo blog, and images from the community use pack, which includes the iconic characters. You can also use names of those characters, and proper names of places and gods of Golarion, freely.
While this is generally correct in principal, it's a gross oversimplification of our Community Use Policy, which really can't be summed up in a paragraph; please refer to the full policy document if you think it might apply to you.
If you were going to sell the item, you could still use any RULES that have been published by Paizo in their core books and most supplements (there's a list on the paizo site here somewhere, can't remember where, though), but you can't have any proper names of gods or iconics or places. This also means you may have to change the name of feats, archetypes, etc, like we did on d20pfsrd.com (Aldori Swordlord, for instance, is now just Swordlord).
This is a gross oversimplification of the OGL. Please consult the OGL itself, plus the individual statements of Open Game Content and Product Identity in each product you wish to draw from (as it does occasionally vary from product to product).
(I suspect the list cartmanbeck is referring to is Exhibit B from the Pathfinder RPG Compatibility License, which doesn't apply to software and is thus not relevant to the original question.)
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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As long as you're not selling the generator, and only giving it away for free, you are free to use ALL rules in any Paizo book, any images that have been posted on the Paizo blog, and images from the community use pack, which includes the iconic characters. You can also use names of those characters, and proper names of places and gods of Golarion, freely.While this is generally correct in principal, it's a gross oversimplification of our Community Use Policy, which really can't be summed up in a paragraph; please refer to the full policy document if you think it might apply to you.
If you were going to sell the item, you could still use any RULES that have been published by Paizo in their core books and most supplements (there's a list on the paizo site here somewhere, can't remember where, though), but you can't have any proper names of gods or iconics or places. This also means you may have to change the name of feats, archetypes, etc, like we did on d20pfsrd.com (Aldori Swordlord, for instance, is now just Swordlord).This is a gross oversimplification of the OGL. Please consult the OGL itself, plus the individual statements of Open Game Content and Product Identity in each product you wish to draw from (as it does occasionally vary from product to product).
(I suspect the list cartmanbeck is referring to is Exhibit B from the Pathfinder RPG Compatibility License, which doesn't apply to software and is thus not relevant to the original question.)
Fair enough, I stand corrected! I was operating under the assumption that free software would use the same rules as fan websites and things like that, but clearly I was mistaken.
Good news, everyone! After much hard work I have brought my character generator that much closer to completion - and online!
Kyreeberok's PFRPG Character Generator
Because it's still in progress, I'm keeping the number of active users limited. Creating an account is free, but accounts are not active/usable until I activate them. I can and may activate/deactivate accounts at any time and without warning.
I would ask anyone wishing to help me test/debug my generator to email me (kyreeberok@yahoo.com) with "PFRPGCG" in the subject line with the details.
I cannot make any promises or guarantees about the generator at this time; it is upon you to ensure that the output of the character generator is correct and/or complete.
I have attempted to have a complete and accurate OGL/legal section; please let me know if there are any missing entries/discrepancies. This tool is my work but I make no claims to the source material/content.
Good luck and thanks to all participants in advance.