5e DMGuild, SRD and OGL Released by Wizards of the Coast

[Malkuthe Highwind]

I'm not sure how many of you people follow D&D news very closely, but, given that Iwaku is a community of writers with a handful of people that are dedicated to homebrewing content for tabletop RPGs like D&D, I thought it only pertinent to bring this to the attention of most people.

I'm probably not the most qualified person to speak on the matter, but basically, this is a godsend for the creative minds that love D&D.

The nitty-gritty is that you are now, basically, able to create, distribute, and profit off of content constructed for and compatible with the 5th Edition d20 system, provided you adhere to the conditions of the 5th edition Open Game License(OGL). Furthermore, Wizards has provided the System Reference Document(SRD) to help facilitate this. So, basically, if you want to publish and sell your own campaigns, worlds, and basically anything homebrew, you are now able to---within certain limitations, of course.

However, the most unprecedented thing to come from all this is the creation and launch of the Dungeon Masters' Guild, which is basically an online marketplace for homebrew material. What makes the DMGuild so special is that it opens up the distribution of and profit from original work set in the Forgotten Realms. Basically, if you distribute through DMGuild, you are able to use Wizard of the Coast's IP in a way that you simply were not able to before.

What do you guys think of this development? Will there be any of you looking into participating in the DMGuild? I know I want to try. It might be worth the shot, right?

 

[Astaroth]

This is really fucking cool and I'm going to have to look into it a bit more to see if it's worth it.

 

[Space Cowboy]

Dug up the link for this.

Dungeon Masters Guild Now Open | Dungeons & Dragons

SUPER COOL.

 

[Malkuthe Highwind]

Isn't it, though? Not only do you get paid for your work, but you are also helping to support further development on D&D.

Not to mention, WotC has basically said that if they find something really compelling, they will consider outright buying your IP and adding it to the canon. I think they're looking for talent and potential employees through this, too.

 

[Space Cowboy]

Isn't it, though? Not only do you get paid for your work, but you are also helping to support further development on D&D.

Not to mention, WotC has basically said that if they find something really compelling, they will consider outright buying your IP and adding it to the canon. I think they're looking for talent and potential employees through this, too.

This... Is totally a way for people to break through.

And when I say people, I mean me.

 

[Brovo]

What do you guys think of this development?

Business smart. They allow people to create content for them, and sell that content. Said people get to keep a majority of the gravy (80-90% I'm willing to bet) while WotC takes a nice 10-20% cut for themselves for doing nothing more than hosting advertisements like they already do to sell content for their own system. Atop this, fan-based communities have a habit of perpetuating permutations on content that attracts new users, who will then have to buy the D&D 5E Player Manual, and possibly the Monster Manual and DM Guide, which means even more money. Atop all this, they get to look like good guys for playing nice with copyrighted material, in a manner that benefits the little guy.

I support it knowing fully well what it is: WotC realizing the Valve model of selling content is extraordinarily lucrative if you can get most of the sales through your marketplace, typically through unique incentives. Like, say, opening additional IP up for access to sale...

EDIT

Oh, and as a bonus, especially popular new content designed in the 5E system? Said authors could be hired directly by WotC, allowing the community to go through the process of "interviewing" and "vetting" these creators without WotC having to spend even a single ounce of a fuck or dollar doing so themselves. It benefits everyone involved, though.

 

[Malkuthe Highwind]

Business smart. They allow people to create content for them, and sell that content. Said people get to keep a majority of the gravy (80-90% I'm willing to bet) while WotC takes a nice 10-20% cut for themselves for doing nothing more than hosting advertisements like they already do to sell content for their own system. Atop this, fan-based communities have a habit of perpetuating permutations on content that attracts new users, who will then have to buy the D&D 5E Player Manual, and possibly the Monster Manual and DM Guide, which means even more money. Atop all this, they get to look like good guys for playing nice with copyrighted material, in a manner that benefits the little guy.

I support it knowing fully well what it is: WotC realizing the Valve model of selling content is extraordinarily lucrative if you can get most of the sales through your marketplace, typically through unique incentives. Like, say, opening additional IP up for access to sale...

EDIT

Oh, and as a bonus, especially popular new content designed in the 5E system? Said authors could be hired directly by WotC, allowing the community to go through the process of "interviewing" and "vetting" these creators without WotC having to spend even a single ounce of a fuck or dollar doing so themselves. It benefits everyone involved, though.

Well, the current business plan is 50-50. The creator gets 50%, while Wizards of the Coast and Onebookshelf splits the remaining 50%.

 

[Brovo]

Well, the current business plan is 50-50. The creator gets 50%, while Wizards of the Coast and Onebookshelf splits the remaining 50%.

Lol. Even more lucrative for WotC than I originally thought then. My point stands.

 

[Gwazi Magnum]

I still have yet to find a 5th edition group to join, so I lack the experience to make any sort of content myself.

But I think the business move is genius, will get a ton of new content going for D&D and let it explore so many avenues never seen before.

However, this also means the days of 5th edition simplicity are gone, for there's going to be so many classes, feats, variant rules etc it's gonna be more complex than Pathfinder. :3
Which I actually enjoy in a tabletop, so in my mind there is no downside.

 

[Hellis]

I'm not sure how many of you people follow D&D news very closely, but, given that Iwaku is a community of writers with a handful of people that are dedicated to homebrewing content for tabletop RPGs like D&D, I thought it only pertinent to bring this to the attention of most people.

I'm probably not the most qualified person to speak on the matter, but basically, this is a godsend for the creative minds that love D&D.

The nitty-gritty is that you are now, basically, able to create, distribute, and profit off of content constructed for and compatible with the 5th Edition d20 system, provided you adhere to the conditions of the 5th edition Open Game License(OGL). Furthermore, Wizards has provided the System Reference Document(SRD) to help facilitate this. So, basically, if you want to publish and sell your own campaigns, worlds, and basically anything homebrew, you are now able to---within certain limitations, of course.

However, the most unprecedented thing to come from all this is the creation and launch of the Dungeon Masters' Guild, which is basically an online marketplace for homebrew material. What makes the DMGuild so special is that it opens up the distribution of and profit from original work set in the Forgotten Realms. Basically, if you distribute through DMGuild, you are able to use Wizard of the Coast's IP in a way that you simply were not able to before.

What do you guys think of this development? Will there be any of you looking into participating in the DMGuild? I know I want to try. It might be worth the shot, right?

As much as I personally dislike and rag on the system these days (Played it to death). This is mad cool from a writers and GM perspective.

 

[Astaroth]

Well, the current business plan is 50-50. The creator gets 50%, while Wizards of the Coast and Onebookshelf splits the remaining 50%.

That's one of the things I wanted to know. 50% isn't bad.

 

[Jorick]

Neat. I doubt I'll put much, if anything, of my own creation on there, but it'll be a cool resource for people like me who want to branch out and find neat new things to use that they never would have thought of themselves.

 

[Malkuthe Highwind]

Well, you're still free to self-publish truly original content(setting and all) under the OGL, so... :P.

@Astaroth: No, it isn't. Considering this is WoTC allowing you to use their own IP, right? I'm surprised WoTC isn't taking more than 50%, honestly. Thankfully, though, it isn't. XD.