WotC OGL WTF?

[DM_Doom]

Alright, so I was looking through the book and I noticed the Open Game License in there from Wizards of the Coast. I though to myself "Huh, I didn't know this was D20 or in any way associated with them." So I look through the RPG and notice... it doesn't seem to be.

I guess what I'm asking is: What about the system require the OGL?

Or are you borrowing the OGL as legalese for the RPG's mechanic so others can use it as well and not because you're legally obliged to in order to publish the game itself or what?

[Logan01X]

perhaps WotC is not "Wizards of the Coast" but in fact "Wizards of the Council"...or maybe not, but that is a good question

[Falar]

If I recall correctly, the same question was asked of Spirit of the Century, and I believe the answer was because Fate is based on Fudge and Fudge uses the OGL from WotC. So in order to use Fudge, they use that OGL. But I'm not exactly sure on that score. It's something to do with using the OGL that Fudge uses, I'm fairly sure.

[TheMouse]

Take a look at the license. Specifically, read the first part (before section 1) and read section 10.

The first part says that the text is copyrighted by WotC.

Section 10 says that if you use open content, you need to include the text.

Just looking at those things and extrapolating, I would assume that Fudge used the verbiage that WotC developed (presumably because WotC hired a bunch of lawyers to make sure it was worded properly). Since FATE uses open content from Fudge, section 10 says that they've got to include the WotC OGL.

OGL doesn't mean D20, even though the OGL was developed for use with D20

[Big Simon]

FUDGE was designed to be Open Content, and chose the Open Gaming License to represent that.  The OGL was written by Wizards of the Coast, and the stuff that's ©copyright WotC is the actual text of the license.

The reason it's in the game is because FATE is based on FUDGE, and uses the license as an expression of limitations for end users.

[Esoteric Wombat]

Additionally, Evil Hat Productions is made up of some very cool people who like to see their work rethought and expanded on by others. Their use of the OGL is what makes Fate based games like Diaspora and Legends of Anglerre possible.

On a side note, I remember a DFRPG conversation where someone suggested that WotC was actually ran by the council, and that they defused ritual magic by disguising fragments of rituals as Magic the Gathering cards.