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Author Topic: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders  (Read 4800 times)

GeekyBugle

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #30 on: January 13, 2023, 11:50:13 AM »
If Hasbro wants to get salty about the usage of "hit points", they're going to have to explain to a judge why they never tried to sue SquareEnix, or several other large video game companies.
Hit Points came from a navy war-game according to legend. If anyone finds such a gam, combined with the use of hit points throughout the hobby (including the computer side) for half a century, well it doesn't seem they'd have much of a case.

It's not a legend, there's an interview with Arneson where he talks about it, and also Saving Throws come from the wargame Arneson was playing in his table, he invented those.

But that's mechanics, the first two so old and predating TSR that they couldn't try to trademark the name. The third one was first published in 1971's Chainmail edition no trademark either.

So, the mechanics ARE fine to use, and the names too because no trademark and there's decades of people not D&D using them.
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Here is why this forum tends to be so stupid. Many people here think Joe Biden is "The Left", when he is actually Far Right and every US republican is just an idiot.

“During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.”

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Alden

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #31 on: January 13, 2023, 11:55:00 AM »
Just going to leave this here it's WotC's explanation/response to the OGL debacle as of 1/13/2023.

https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1423-an-update-on-the-open-game-license-ogl

THE_Leopold

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #32 on: January 13, 2023, 12:23:31 PM »
Just going to leave this here it's WotC's explanation/response to the OGL debacle as of 1/13/2023.

https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1423-an-update-on-the-open-game-license-ogl

Oh boy let's discuss this shall we:

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First, we wanted the ability to prevent the use of D&D content from being included in hateful and discriminatory products

Second Sentence and they are already gaslighting.

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Second, we wanted to address those attempting to use D&D in web3, blockchain games, and NFTs by making clear that OGL content is limited to tabletop roleplaying content like campaigns, modules, and supplements

Web3-buzzword, nebulous
blockchain game-buzzword, nebulous application
NFT- buzzword dead application

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And third, we wanted to ensure that the OGL is for the content creator, the homebrewer, the aspiring designer, our players, and the community—not major corporations to use for their own commercial and promotional purpose.

Translation: It's ok for the little guy to make stuff, but anyone making a considerable amount of Cash, you fucking better pay us.

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Driving these goals were two simple principles: (1) Our job is to be good stewards of the game, and (2) the OGL exists for the benefit of the fans. Nothing about those principles has wavered for a second.

1. Liar and False
2. No it was designed for ANYONE who wanted to write for D&D to do so AND to sell their works if they so chose to do so. A half-truth.

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That was why our early drafts of the new OGL included the provisions they did. That draft language was provided to content creators and publishers so their feedback could be considered before anything was finalized.

False again as you don't sign draft contracts and expect them to be taken into Law. OGL 1.1 was set to go into effect as is.

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In addition to language allowing us to address discriminatory and hateful conduct and clarifying what types of products the OGL covers, our drafts included royalty language designed to apply to large corporations attempting to use OGL content. It was never our intent to impact the vast majority of the community.

Again with the gaslighting and morality police.  Now they've gone up from "only 20 companies" to "Large Corporations!"    Also, considerign the vast majority of the community falls between the 50k-750k range that is a significant chunk of people.

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However, it’s clear from the reaction that we rolled a 1.
insert that Meme here

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It has become clear that it is no longer possible to fully achieve all three goals while still staying true to our principles.

You mean we found out you were going to fuck the community over in your pursuit of getting extra ROI percentage points?  Why not be honest with us here?

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The next OGL will contain the provisions that allow us to protect and cultivate the inclusive environment we are trying to build and specify that it covers only content for TTRPGs.

OGL 1.0a does this already

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That means that other expressions, such as educational and charitable campaigns, livestreams, cosplay, VTT-uses, etc., will remain unaffected by any OGL update. Content already released under 1.0a will also remain unaffected.
OGL 1.0a does all this already at 1/10 the word count

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What it will not contain is any royalty structure.

here starts the walk-back attempt and damage control

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It also will not include the license back provision that some people were afraid was a means for us to steal work. That thought never crossed our minds

No WOTC you never thought of it as "stealing" only being able to take popular content and use it for free, forever, without paying the creators or acknolweding them. You wanted the community to build your VTT platform's content for free.

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Under any new OGL, you will own the content you create. We won’t. Any language we put down will be crystal clear and unequivocal on that point.
OGL 1.0a does this already

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The license back language was intended to protect us and our partners from creators who incorrectly allege that we steal their work simply because of coincidental similarities.

That's called Trademark infrigement and can be settled in court. Also, OGL 1.0a does this already if you use the content you must attribute the creator and no one can get sue happy.

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As we continue to invest in the game that we love and move forward with partnerships in film, television, and digital games, that risk is simply too great to ignore. The new OGL will contain provisions to address that risk, but we will do it without a license back and without suggesting we have rights to the content you create. Your ideas and imagination are what makes this game special, and that belongs to you.

How can you make a D&D movie and use the trademark and not be sued? OGL does not allow the use of the "D&D" logo in any shape or form.  This is the heart of the issue in how they can protect the brand and use it for a Netflix show.

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A couple of last thoughts. First, we won’t be able to release the new OGL today, because we need to make sure we get it right, but it is coming.

Good luck with that leaking submarine you call a company in anything coming out will now be scrutinized 16 ways to sunday.

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Second, you’re going to hear people say that they won, and we lost because making your voices heard forced us to change our plans. Those people will only be half right. They won—and so did we.

Nice pompus and smug backhanded compliment you gave yourself WOTC. Whichever lawyer and marketing schelp wrote that you better fire for their sheer hubris.  Now is the time to be humble instead of arrogant. Another 1 on your Diplomacy check.

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Our plan was always to solicit the input of our community before any update to the OGL; the drafts you’ve seen were attempting to do just that.

You can't use drafts for contracts as we've determined.

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We want to always delight fans and create experiences together that everyone loves. We realize we did not do that this time and we are sorry for that. Our goal was to get exactly the type of feedback on which provisions worked and which did not–which we ultimately got from you. Any change this major could only have been done well if we were willing to take that feedback, no matter how it was provided–so we are. Thank you for caring enough to let us know what works and what doesn’t, what you need and what scares you. Without knowing that, we can’t do our part to make the new OGL match our principles. Finally, we’d appreciate the chance to make this right. We love D&D’s devoted players and the creators who take them on so many incredible adventures. We won’t let you down.

A community feedback forum with a draft of the OGL could have gone a long way into preventing this shitshow. Hiding all this behind the scenes with lawyer speak and NDA BS has shown WOTC is a terrible steward and does not have the interest of the players at heart only their own corporate greed.


I give this a 4/10 on the Damage Control meter. They tried, better to put more points in Persuassion next level.



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DocJones

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #33 on: January 13, 2023, 12:44:30 PM »
Honestly, the best thing for RPGs at this point will be the death of Hasbro’s lifestyle brand hopes. The movie falling well short of their goal (thus failing to move its tie in products) and the mass exodus of 3pp and cancellations of DDB subscriptions from D&D proper showing that, in fact, D&D was OVER-monetized (largely due to the pandemic) will do that. Without that prospect, Hasbro will lose interest in the ttrpg market entirely as too small to bother with… which should reduce the threat of lawsuits against non-OGL products closer to what Hasbro in full lifestyle brand mode would pursue as infringements.
My fantasy is the next season of Stranger Things opens up with the kids playing Traveller.


THE_Leopold

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #34 on: January 13, 2023, 12:49:14 PM »
Honestly, the best thing for RPGs at this point will be the death of Hasbro’s lifestyle brand hopes. The movie falling well short of their goal (thus failing to move its tie in products) and the mass exodus of 3pp and cancellations of DDB subscriptions from D&D proper showing that, in fact, D&D was OVER-monetized (largely due to the pandemic) will do that. Without that prospect, Hasbro will lose interest in the ttrpg market entirely as too small to bother with… which should reduce the threat of lawsuits against non-OGL products closer to what Hasbro in full lifestyle brand mode would pursue as infringements.
My fantasy is the next season of Stranger Things opens up with the kids playing Traveller.


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S'mon

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #35 on: January 13, 2023, 01:04:44 PM »
I give this a 4/10 on the Damage Control meter.

Seems about right. I'm seeing a few dimwits buying into it.

Effete

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #36 on: January 13, 2023, 01:12:51 PM »
Just going to leave this here it's WotC's explanation/response to the OGL debacle as of 1/13/2023.

https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1423-an-update-on-the-open-game-license-ogl

Archived link HERE.

THE_Leopold

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #37 on: January 13, 2023, 01:31:54 PM »
I give this a 4/10 on the Damage Control meter.

Seems about right. I'm seeing a few dimwits buying into it.

Who is that fucking stupid to swallow that load of lot lizard oily cumdumps?
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GeekyBugle

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #38 on: January 13, 2023, 01:38:39 PM »
I give this a 4/10 on the Damage Control meter.

Seems about right. I'm seeing a few dimwits buying into it.

Who is that fucking stupid to swallow that load of lot lizard oily cumdumps?

The Sparkle Troll Brigade.
Quote from: Rhedyn

Here is why this forum tends to be so stupid. Many people here think Joe Biden is "The Left", when he is actually Far Right and every US republican is just an idiot.

“During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.”

― George Orwell

S'mon

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #39 on: January 13, 2023, 02:09:04 PM »
I give this a 4/10 on the Damage Control meter.

Seems about right. I'm seeing a few dimwits buying into it.

Who is that fucking stupid to swallow that load of lot lizard oily cumdumps?

The Sparkle Troll Brigade.

Yeah, pretty much. I'm seeing a few on ENW, and most seem pretty sparkly.

SHARK

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #40 on: January 13, 2023, 02:18:40 PM »
Greetings!

Good analysis and commentary, Leopold! I agree.

4/10 Damage Control! *Laughing*

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK
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Alden

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #41 on: January 13, 2023, 02:58:04 PM »

Good analysis and commentary, Leopold! I agree.

Yes thank you Leopold, great analysis of WotC's damage control

THE_Leopold

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #42 on: January 13, 2023, 03:00:56 PM »
Anytime. Glad to be of service.

This has been a helluva week and the ride is only getting started.
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Rod's Duo Narcotics

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #43 on: January 13, 2023, 03:30:48 PM »
I wish you were right, but I have at least a dozen co-workers that play D&D (5e). None of them know about the OGL.

Meanwhile, to boost their stock, Hasbro just needs to go on and on about how the OGL1.1 lets them leverage Web 3 for profit and people will lick it up. Get your Drizzt and Elminster NFTs

To mangle a Trotsky (I think) quote: "they might not care about the OGL, but the OGL cares about them"
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blackstone

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Re: A Warning for Hasbro Shareholders
« Reply #44 on: January 13, 2023, 05:50:37 PM »
Anytime. Glad to be of service.

This has been a helluva week and the ride is only getting started.
Can I quote you in our podcast tonight? I think what you said was PERFECT.
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