So, I've long since wanted to create a literal and physical "spell book", filled with all the spells to aid pathfinder players. Of course it would take a lot of time and effort to create, my own art for the cover and pages, etc. To even begin discussion about feasibility, I have to address the OGL and licensing concerns:
I've been told I can publish all the spells in the SRD under the OGL with no license whatsoever. This may not be the 'best' and most complete spellbook, but at least it's something.
So I began comparing the spells, and I have a few very nitpicky questions:
If I include only/all spells from the SRD such as 'Monster Summoning' am I allowed to addend the list of monsters that can be summoned by adding the names of commonplace things, that have been put on the monster summoning list by Paizo's version of the same spell?
Specifically, the SRD version of MS3 doesn't include "Ape" etc. Would it break the OGL license to list the OGL monster summoning 3 spell, using their full list of monsters, and then 'add' other possible monsters to that list like an "Ape" or a "Crocodile" or a "Shark" or a "Wolverine". These are all commonplace real creature names. I would never reference the stat panel of the monster or refer to it again, I simply list them as an available thing to summon.
Also, I AM interested in the process of actually acquiring a license with Paizo, so I can make this spellbook as complete and proper as possible. My original intent was to create a complete listing of all the spells from various official paizo sources, and even put the game's version on it. I think this would be the "most" useful to players. But this opens a legal issue up that I'm not all that familiar with. Whats the process and all that, who actually can give me permission to do this, what are the costs. We create all art ourselves, we have the ability to produce and ship the product ourselves, etc.
Chief Technical Officer
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Johs,
Anything we've declared as Open Game Content in our products is available for use under the Open Game License; anything we've declared as Product Identity is unavailable. In most of our products, you'll find the statements of OGC and PI on the title or credits page at the front of the book. Note that these statements occasionally vary from product to product, so you'll need to check the individual statements in each product you wish to draw from.
To use Open Game Content in your own products, you just need to use the OGL, which you can find in any OGL product. The OGL itself tells you how to use it. Please 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. You may wish to consider speaking with an intellectual properties legal specialist.
I will point out that, in the OGL, "Use" means "to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content."
Note also 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." So to indicate that your OGL product is compatible with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, you'll need to follow our free Pathfinder RPG Compatibility License, which you can find at http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/compatibility. Note that the Compatibility License is only applicable to books, electronic books, and freely available websites. Without the Compatibility License, you can still use Open Game Content in a OGL product that's not a book, ebook, or free website, but you can't say it's compatible with the Pathfinder RPG or use trademarks like Pathfinder or Paizo in any way. (You may, however, use the non-trademarked term "PACG" in such a work.)
If you are a noncommercial user, you may be able to use some of our PI by way of our Community Use Policy, which you can find at http://paizo.com/paizo/about/communityuse.
If you are a commercial user, our PI is not available for your use.
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I've been told I can publish all the spells in the SRD under the OGL with no license whatsoever.
I'm hoping you really meant "with no additional license whatsoever", seeing as the OGL itself is a license and would need to be included in such a work :)
Thank you very much for the clarification.
Since I would be a commercial user, I assume I will not be granted a written allowance to use your PI to make the spellbook as complete as possible, but thats fine.
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Johs, I think you should continue reading up on the OGL. I applaud you for asking the right questions. I think it's important for you to know that when I read your original post, I think you are missing some fundamental information about the OGL.
For instance, the summon monster III list, including the Ape, is open content. As long as your Section 15 is correct and you otherwise adhere to the OGL, you are in good shape.
But if you want to mention the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game in any way, other than in the required copyright declarations in Section 15, you'll need to acquire a license from Paizo.
But if you want to mention the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game in any way, other than in the required copyright declarations in Section 15, you'll need to acquire a license from Paizo.
Also note this can be as simple as using the Pathfinder Compatibility License for your work (in which case you also need to read very carefully the terms you need to follow if you do so.)