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I made a campaign setting guide for players for playing Pathfinder in Ravnica, it's useable, but could use a little feedback/polishing. I have it, I want to give it out, but am afraid that because it's all based off of WotC's intellectual property that it's nogood? I mean, I just want to give it away for free. Does somebody have an answer to this?
I'd like to post it to get feedback/cc to make it better. I also mean to in the near/far-ish future to release a GM handbook for it to supplement it with alot of useful details and guild organization rules and a map. But it would be a waste if I can't even give it to the community.
I have the PDF and want to post the material for feedback and general use.
Also what would be required to release it under the OGL? Is that even a thing?
Thanks community.
I made a campaign setting guide for players for playing Pathfinder in Ravnica, it's useable, but could use a little feedback/polishing. I have it, I want to give it out, but am afraid that because it's all based off of WotC's intellectual property that it's nogood? I mean, I just want to give it away for free. Does somebody have an answer to this?
I'd like to post it to get feedback/cc to make it better. I also mean to in the near/far-ish future to release a GM handbook for it to supplement it with alot of useful details and guild organization rules and a map. But it would be a waste if I can't even give it to the community.
I have the PDF and want to post the material for feedback and general use.
Also what would be required to release it under the OGL? Is that even a thing?Thanks community.
What does the bolded part actually mean? If your setting basically is one of WotC's settings with races, cities and gods having their names changed but the setting recognizably Eberron or Greyhawk or whatever, no. If you mean that you've created a d20 compatible setting with its own lore but relies on Pathfinder RPG as the mechanics, then you're (likely) okay.
But really, what IP are we talking about here? Drizzt and Mystra and warforged and the mourning and the bloodwar? No. Saving throws and bless and Power Attack, yes.
the big thing is whether you're making money off it.
a repackaged product you're selling is a definite no-no.
What you are basically posting is more along the lines of fanfic, and shouldn't be a problem.
==Aelryinth
Okay. Thennnn imma post it. Should I make another thread or edit the first post here? I really appreciate the replies
You can't edit a post after an hour has elapsed...
A new thread or here... Depends on if you think a new thread title will be clearer...
You don't need the thread to be deleted. Merely make a new one.
Uhhhhhh, you know the thing where I said you aren't okay if you're using established theme material? Guess what it turns out you're doing?
Look, the thing about "it only matters if you're making money" is incorrect advice. For instance fanfic is a morally grey but legally black & white area. If I start writing kinky porn novels about Calistria, Paizo absolutely can legally shut me down; I'd be working with their copyrighted material. The OGL covers game mechanics and very specific open content names. What you're doing isn't that.
So. You're now informed. The answer is "no, you cannot legally do that". You may or may not get away with it. Many authors allow fanfic, most turn a blind eye, and some rabidly defend their copyright.
I'd expect Hasbro won't hear of you. Until they do.
My advice: spend your effort either creating something new, or something inspired-by, not based-on. For instance, a story about a galactic government gone overboard being pestered by sympathetic "space terrorist insurgents" is inspired by Star Wars while "Luke kicks the new emperor's butt using his new Force powers that he learned from recordings Yoda stored in R2D2" is based on Star Wars. The first is a) art and b) legal while the second is... neither. <Grin> (Note: I think Lucasworks' and now Disney's stance is to ignore fanfic, but I could be wrong.)
So, look, I am not a lawyer, but I'm confident you need (written) permission from but WotC/Hasbro and the author you're lifting from (though he may have sold the rights to WotC/Hasbro).
How can you know if it is illegal to convert Ravnica to Pathfinder if you don't know what Ravnica is?
Because... Google.
Sometimes I think people talk (er... post) just to hear their heads rattle.
Agreed.
To assist in that, Ravnica is the setting for a pair of Magic the Gathering blocks. It is basically a world wide city controlled by guilds (pairs of colors of magic, like Boros is white and red, Azorious is white and blue, etc.).
I cannot believe that all possible conversions of everything would be illegal (as people in this thread would indicate), yet Paizo would have a conversion forum.
You're not getting it. Take a look more at the OP's description and details on his other thread. He's outright lifting the setting name, organization names and so on.
Paizo has a conversion area so people who want to discuss how to make a Pathfinder character "like Doctor Who" can do so. It's not here so people can discuss "here's my new setting, PFEberron and it's chock full of warforged and beholders and mind-flayers and Karnathi craftsmen and oh, there are these awesome shifters and these psionic Kalashtar and, and and." 'Cuz that's copyright infringement.
I get it, that's not what you want to hear, nor does the OP. But hiding your head in the sand and pretending it's somehow me that doesn't "get it" misses the point that "his" intellectual property is of the copyrighted variety. When I first posted here, I had no idea what Ravnica was, so I ASKED what type of WotC's property was being used. Someone gave the OP bad advice and based on a single bit of that, the OP went ahead and posted his material. Seeing that, I looked at it, researched some of it, discovered the answer the question I myself asked, and have taken my own time to TRY to inform him/her.
Every year we read stories about surprised creative types who act surprised when copyright is enforced on them. The OP doesn't need to be one of them. So get it - I'm not out to crap on anyone's parade, but I am the bearer of bad news.
But... but... Naruto D20....
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Dear everyone, I love you all, and appreciate your appreciation and consideration. I'm probably going to go the WotC forums and ask a mod/staff, if I can get that far. I do think that this is a matter of discussion that is kind-of important to this whole sub-forum though. I took down the file for now, better safe than sorry.
I'd go to wizards a bit more directly than their message boards. I'd love to see what you have and help you out on this project. From what I know about Wizards it would be better to sell it as a 3.5 project you were working on.