Paizo Announces ORC License

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Lunar Ronin

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I realize that this has already been mentioned in the OGL thread, but really this should be its own thing IMO as its a pretty momentous change for the hobby.

Paizo announced that they will fund the creation of the Open RPG Creative License, which they hope to spin into its own independent foundation. In addition to Paizo, Kobold Press, Chaosium, Green Ronin, and others have already signed onboard.

The announcement can be found here.


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Good. Especially if it does end up owned by an existing foundation that can be trusted not to fuck with it. The problem I see for my gaming tastes is, the OSR, especially retroclones and near clones, won't benefit too much from going to a new license, yeah? So the OSR might still be out of luck. But otherwise, good for Paizo, I hope they and their partners succeed in this endeavor.
 
It’s kind of sad for this to be all happening, but this is where we’re at.
I do hope PF2 continues with rules-as-is, as they are considerably better than PF1.0.
 
The problem I see for my gaming tastes is, the OSR, especially retroclones and near clones, won't benefit too much from going to a new license, yeah? So the OSR might still be out of luck.
Matt Finch in his talk about the OGL and OSR the other day addresses this. Basically, he's fixing the OGL for S&W but it will suit other OSR publishers.
 
Boy do I hate 3.5 and PF. But I’m going to find some way to throw money their way now. Bravo.

There are other publishers coming on board with it. If Paizo makes something you genuinely like, of course buy it. But if it's Kobold Press that makes something you like, spend the money there.

Really in this environment, spending money anywhere other than WotC, or a company that has agreed to the not-Open Gaming License 1.1, is doing good.
 
They may possibly promote both out of industry solidarity, but logically they would put more emphasis on their own
I think that the basic BRP is what's going under the ORC license, but stuff to do with their actual IPs will stay under their own license. Pure speculation on my part, of course.
 
PF2 is quite a bit different from PF1. I would give the former a look if you hated the latter if you enjoy the medium crunch level.
Yeah, I hate PF1 and like PF2. And it is easy to check out what PF2 is about cause you can literally look at all the rules online for free, as they had already been using a very permissive license with all their content.
 
I wonder if they'll use this new license over their own Chaosium Gaming License.
I'm sure if they do more things like Petersens Field Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors, it would be under the new ORC license instead of under the OGL 1.1
 
Yeah, I hate PF1 and like PF2. And it is easy to check out what PF2 is about cause you can literally look at all the rules online for free, as they had already been using a very permissive license with all their content.
Ugh, having played both I actually prefer Pathfinder 1E to 2E although I don't particularly like either one as I don't enjoy the character build mini game.
 
I'm sure if they do more things like Petersens Field Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors, it would be under the new ORC license instead of under the OGL 1.1
To my knowledge, Chaosium never released anything under the OGL. What I was referring to was their own, distinct licensing they use for their "fan-use" community programs.
 
To my knowledge, Chaosium never released anything under the OGL. What I was referring to was their own, distinct licensing they use for their "fan-use" community programs.
Yeah, and I can't see them suddenly opening up all their IPs to open use. The BRP SRD? Sure, but probably nothing else.
 
I honestly think the best thing about this license is that it will be overseen by Azora Law and not any one game company or even the group of them. They can either publish under ORC or not, but they won’t be able to change the terms.
 
I honestly think the best thing about this license is that it will be overseen by Azora Law and not any one game company or even the group of them. They can either publish under ORC or not, but they won’t be able to change the terms.
For now, it will be interesting to see who is given final control of ORC and personally I'd like to know that before I went all in as a company.
 
For now, it will be interesting to see who is given final control of ORC and personally I'd like to know that before I went all in as a company.
If they create it correctly, which I believe they will, it won’t ever need to be amended. Nobody with any financial interest will be able to change it though.
 
I realize that this has already been mentioned in the OGL thread, but really this should be its own thing IMO as its a pretty momentous change for the hobby.

Paizo announced that they will fund the creation of the Open RPG Creative License, which they hope to spin into its own independent foundation. In addition to Paizo, Kobold Press, Chaosium, Green Ronin, and others have already signed onboard.

The announcement can be found here.


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I knew something like this would happen eventually, but I didn't expect it to happen so soon. And for some reason I was expecting Kobold or GR to spearhead things. Probably should have known it would be Paizo.
 
I think that the basic BRP is what's going under the ORC license, but stuff to do with their actual IPs will stay under their own license. Pure speculation on my part, of course.
That’s logical considering what we know about Chaosium. They keep the stuff they care about locked up under their own license and use a game they don’t know what to do with to get free press and goodwill from the anti-WotC sentiment.
 
I knew something like this would happen eventually, but I didn't expect it to happen so soon. And for some reason I was expecting Kobold or GR to spearhead things. Probably should have known it would be Paizo.
It had to be Paizo.
The last time WotC tried this they created their major competitor who overtook them as industry leader for a time.
This time, having retaken the industry by storm, they destroy their own reputation and goodwill and who steps in to take over? Paizo.

History had to repeat itself, the Meme Gods demand it.
 
All of WotC’s abused customers, old enemies and intimidated competitors get to give them a giant Fuck You! all at the same time.

I hope this hurts, like “D&D gets sold off, because we’ll never be able to use it again” level of hurt.
 
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