Is there an idiot’s guide to OGL / ORC / compatibility / infinite / community / ect?

[Bloodtyger]

I have some material that I have been working on and would like to offer it for pwyw but I want to make sure I get the licensing right.

The first is a location set in the starfinder 1e setting as a near space world.
There aren’t any mechanics in this beyond a list of prices for goods and services. (Altering these could make it 2e compatible)
There is some references to the pact worlds, near space, drift beacons, and a section about a drift anomaly which I think qualifies as Paizo IP.

The second is a bestiary for the aforementioned location. Starfinder 1e stat blocks and descriptions that reference things like the Drift.

If I understand the licensing correctly, this would mean I would have to give it away under the community license or sell it under infinite or try to negotiate a commercial license.
If I removed references to the pact worlds and the drift I could sell under OGL or ORC with compatibility logos.

I’m not expecting legal advice, just some hint if I am understanding this correctly.

[Mark Moreland]

It seems like you've got the gist of it, yes.

Basically, you can use the rules of the game(s) but none of the setting material (including the Pact Worlds, the Drift, the Gap, etc.) under the OGL for Starfinder First Edition or the ORC for Starfinder Second Edition. You can't release something under both.

If you want to use the setting material in your product, you can do so in conjunction with the OGL/ORC so long as it's a non-commercial product and you adhere to the terms of the Community Use Policy.

Alternatively, you can forego using the OGL/ORC and just use the Starfinder Infinite license, but that does mean you have to be careful about first edition material that might be derivitive of the OGL. Safest bet is to make it a second edition product.

In the first two cases, you can use the Starfinder Compatibility logo for the appropriate edition of the game, if you so choose. Doing so grants you limited rights to use our trademarks, but not the rules, so you'd still need the OGL/ORC (and Community Use Policy if you kept the setting material in the product). You can't use both the Infinite and Compatiblity licenses.

Hope that helps, but as I said, I think you understood it pretty well before I "helped."

[Lindley Court]

Mark Moreland wrote:

It seems like you've got the gist of it, yes.

Basically, you can use the rules of the game(s) but none of the setting material (including the Pact Worlds, the Drift, the Gap, etc.) under the OGL for Starfinder First Edition or the ORC for Starfinder Second Edition. You can't release something under both.

If you want to use the setting material in your product, you can do so in conjunction with the OGL/ORC so long as it's a non-commercial product and you adhere to the terms of the Community Use Policy.

Alternatively, you can forego using the OGL/ORC and just use the Starfinder Infinite license, but that does mean you have to be careful about first edition material that might be derivitive of the OGL. Safest bet is to make it a second edition product.

In the first two cases, you can use the Starfinder Compatibility logo for the appropriate edition of the game, if you so choose. Doing so grants you limited rights to use our trademarks, but not the rules, so you'd still need the OGL/ORC (and Community Use Policy if you kept the setting material in the product). You can't use both the Infinite and Compatiblity licenses.

Hope that helps, but as I said, I think you understood it pretty well before I "helped."

Hi Mark, question for you from another enterprising creator. Where would I find the Starfinder Compatability logo for second edition? I downloaded the compatability logos .zip from the Paizo site this morning and it doesn't contain a Starfinder second edition folder. Thanks!

[Mark Moreland]

It should be in the folder now. Try downloading again.

[Lindley Court]

Nope, still don't see a Starfinder Second Edition compatibility logo in the download.