Hi there,
I am working on something that I'd like to publish for PF, and I'd like to use the PF Compatible license for it. Now, I read the license agreement, re-read it, and after sending a mail to Paizo and getting the recommendation to re-read it, I re-read it again and again.
But, it's legal stuff, legal stuff scares me a tad, and the fact that Paizo recommended re-reading adds to that.
In short: Out of the listed books at the very bottom in Exhibit B, what exactly can I use?
There is #5, stating
If you wish to reference sections of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game or supplemental products in your product, you may do so in the following form:
See the "Elf Racial Traits" section in Chapter 3 of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook.
but that doesn't quite help me, unless this is the very exact form I get to use the PF content.
There is not a lot in the book. Imagine sentences like "...so I'd recommend a high Strength for this character and taking skills like Swim and Acrobatics and Feats like Cleave".
So I use the word "Strength" as a reference to the base stat in PF, as well as names of skills, Feats, Equipment.
As it's a PDF, the skills, feats etc would be hyperlinked to Paizos PRD.
Could someone shed a light as to whether that would be acceptable use or not?
Thank you.
(PS: I understand you're not lawyers, so I'd never take anything here as lawyers advice, don't worry).
Looking at 3PP PF Compatible material out there (in this case, the free download volume #1 of the Zeitgeist campaign - aswesome stuff, btw), it appears that what I gave as an example should be just fine. There are stat blocks in there just fine and they list stats, skills, feats and equipment as you would expect.
Difference being, for me the crunch is in the text, not a statblock, but I'd hope that's not a key difference here, is it?
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But, it's legal stuff, legal stuff scares me a tad, and the fact that Paizo recommended re-reading adds to that.
If you don't mind me saying so, this is probably not a good sign that you should be a publisher, at least not at the moment. Dealing with legal matters is common. I would not recommend you publish until you are comfortable.
I would recommend either working as a freelancer until you are comfortable with it as a publisher can give you specific advice in specific situations until you are confident in yourself, in this respect. Or working with an existing publisher to let them handle the publing aspect of publishing for a time until you are comfortable (with the publisher taking a percentage).
"...so I'd recommend a high Strength for this character and taking skills like Swim and Acrobatics and Feats like Cleave".
So I use the word "Strength" as a reference to the base stat in PF, as well as names of skills, Feats, Equipment.
As it's a PDF, the skills, feats etc would be hyperlinked to Paizos PRD.
Color me confused what you are trying to do here. Is this suppose to be advice on how to build an NPC?
Wait a minute, I think I am getting the underlying problem, have you read the open game license? The OGL, as it is called, is the foundation on which the pathfinder license is built. Do you understand this license?
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^I second that.
But, it's legal stuff, legal stuff scares me a tad, and the fact that Paizo recommended re-reading adds to that.If you don't mind me saying so, this is probably not a good sign that you should be a publisher, at least not at the moment. Dealing with legal matters is common. I would not recommend you publish until you are comfortable.
I would recommend either working as a freelancer until you are comfortable with it as a publisher can give you specific advice in specific situations until you are confident in yourself, in this respect. Or working with an existing publisher to let them handle the publing aspect of publishing for a time until you are comfortable (with the publisher taking a percentage).
"...so I'd recommend a high Strength for this character and taking skills like Swim and Acrobatics and Feats like Cleave".
So I use the word "Strength" as a reference to the base stat in PF, as well as names of skills, Feats, Equipment.
As it's a PDF, the skills, feats etc would be hyperlinked to Paizos PRD.Color me confused what you are trying to do here. Is this suppose to be advice on how to build an NPC?
Wait a minute, I think I am getting the underlying problem, have you read the open game license? The OGL, as it is called, is the foundation on which the pathfinder license is built. Do you understand this license?
Well, for the sake of this, let's say: Yes, it's advice on building NPCs.
Working with another publisher might not be a bad idea in the grande scheme of things, it will just bring up the new problem of finding one I'd be comfortable with (and one willing to publish my useless dribble, for that matter ;) ). I'll consider that.
Oddly, reading the OGL had never occured to me, despite it being specifically mentioned in the email from Paizo (my apologies, Liz!). So, yeah, I've done that now.
((On that note, #1a
and translations (including into other computer languages), [b]potation[(b], modification,
is "potation" actually a word meant to be here? Merriam Webster only comes up with "the act or an instance of drinking or inhaling". Or is this a misprint and should be "portation"?))
So, the OGL looks at first glance like it's ok to use all the crunch, but no "proper names" and such. At the same time, the thing is long enough to make me feel intimidated. Grande.
Thank you, nonetheless.
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So, the OGL looks at first glance like it's ok to use all the crunch, but no "proper names" and such.
Every product that uses the OGL is required to state what is and is not open content. What you said is true for Paizo's PRD only. Some products say nothing is open. Other say everything is open. And there are all manner of possibilities inbetween with varying degrees of clarity.
At the same time, the thing is long enough to make me feel intimidated. Grande.
It only gets worse from here. If you ever want to hire a freelancer, guess who is going to have to write the contract: you (or a lawyer you hire, which I recommend for your first time, after that it is a copy/paste/modify job). If you want to work on a joint project with another company, you two will have to come up with your contract on how to split the money. This is a business and just like any other business, legal issues is a serious part of it.
Oh and make sure you have your NDAs ready.
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Alright, thanks for the input, folks.
Off to find me a publisher I go. Doesn't sound like the kind of gig you want to learn by trial and (costly) error. ;)