The Compatibility License is OGL-specific and Breaks Citation Standards


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Though IANAL it appears the Pathfinder Second Edition Compatibility License has some issues that make it undesirable:

1. It is OGL-specific: "your Product's Open Game License must include the following text"

2. It has the weird requirement that you can't use the page number of a book.

3. It is generally more strict regarding approval and deauthorization.

I hope the license will be improved. I assume #3 maybe could align more with the Community Use Policy. Would it have to remain more strict due to the different level of perceived association with Paizo? I'm not sure. It actually seems less associated with Paizo since the Community Use Policy works can use the Pathfinder logo apparently since it is in the Community Use Package, and there isn't even a size restriction on it like in the Compatibility License. I hope at least #1 and #2 will be improved soon.

Regarding #1 though, publishers may need a new separate ORC Community Use Policy so the old Community Use Policy will be left intact. Many publishers still are using the vast pool of OGL content.

Regarding #2, even Archives of Nethys uses page numbers. The restriction seems to just make the license harder to use: people cannot even use a standard citation style if no page number is allowed. The license says that the page numbering concern is related to editions and translations, but every standard citation style has all that on the sources cited page. Also, there will never be another Core Rulebook edition, presumably, and translations (and edition) can be cited on a sources cited page.

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