OGL: Foreven Sector

[Paladin]

Are OGL products for profit "forced" to be in the Foreven Sector or can a totally new subsector be developed from scratch so long as it's not in the main OTU?

 

[Paladin]

Nevermind. Answered my own question with a bit more fine print reading.

7. A sector map and other details on the Foreven Sector have been provided in the Traveller Developer’s Pack. However, you are under no obligation to use them, and are free to create your own.

The intention here is to allow people free reign when using Original Traveller Universe, to do with as they see fit. However, it also allows for a ‘semi-official’ starting point, for those who wish to remain as close as possible to Foreven material produced in the past.

 

[BP]

As long at it doesn't refer to the OTU - i.e. is not placed in any way with relation to existing sectors/subsectors.

The 'subsector' and 'sector' concept are referred to in the SRD, though not explicitly defined. So whether your maps are 2D/3D/4D and the size and relationships of sectors/subsectors, could also be redifined...

 

[Stofsk]

Is that for products that are sold for profit only, or does that include stuff that's freely distributed? Like a fanzine?

 

[BP]

Nevermind. Answered my own question with a bit more fine print reading.

7. A sector map and other details on the Foreven Sector have been provided in the Traveller Developer’s Pack. However, you are under no obligation to use them, and are free to create your own.

The intention here is to allow people free reign when using Original Traveller Universe, to do with as they see fit. However, it also allows for a ‘semi-official’ starting point, for those who wish to remain as close as possible to Foreven material produced in the past.

Just to clarify - the wording of your question seemed a little more generic - since you are in fact forced to use the 'Foreven Sector' if you are going to refer to the OTU.

This means you don't have to use the 'sector map and other details' as given - but you still must call it the Foreven Sector and it still has to remain in place and has to follow the other restrictions of the Foreven Free Sector Logo License if you are going to reference any OTU material.

If you want a different name/placement you can use the SRD (and no OTU references) or talk to Mongoose about a different license...

[This, of course, all being my own interpretation... ]

 

[BP]

Is that for products that are sold for profit only, or does that include stuff that's freely distributed? Like a fanzine?

See the 'Read Me First.doc' in the developers pack -

Note that ‘to publish’ covers not only printed books, but also documents such as those in Word or PDF formats, and web sites. Whether you are charging money for these items or giving them away for free makes no difference – if it is intended for the general public, it is still publishing!

The answer being - this refers to free publications as well. (Note that the Fair Use Policy from FFE allows OTU in free fanzines - but they cannot use the MgT rules outside of the Foreven Free Sector Logo License.)

 

[Stofsk]

So hypothetically I could publish an adventure set in a different sector of the Imperium, one not covered by MgT (ie NOT Foreven or Spinward Marches), and it would be ok so long as I don't publish any rules? (Which shouldn't be difficult anyway)

 

[EDG]

So hypothetically I could publish an adventure set in a different sector of the Imperium, one not covered by MgT (ie NOT Foreven or Spinward Marches), and it would be ok so long as I don't publish any rules? (Which shouldn't be difficult anyway)

As I understand it, under FFE's Fair Use Policy you can release an adventure for free set in any sector of the OTU - but it can't contain any Mongoose Traveller rules or references.

 

[Stofsk]

That's fair, I think adventures work best if they're rules-neutral anyway. You can write a set of scenarios and scenes and link them together with a story etc without needing to refer to specific rulesets IMO.

 

[BP]

That's fair, I think adventures work best if they're rules-neutral anyway. You can write a set of scenarios and scenes and link them together with a story etc without needing to refer to specific rulesets IMO.

Quite Fair *(Fair Use Policy )

EDG summed it up well. Keep in mind the rulesets cover creations - i.e. starship design would need to avoid any specific MgT references as a result of the ruleset. So using the Tech Level mods, new torpedo types, reaction drive specs, tonnage rules, etc. one would need to adhere to one of the Mongoose Licenses.

And as EDG emphasized, the Fair Use Policy is only for free material.

Excepting software (quite reasonably), the licenses are extremely generous with the Traveller intellectual property and I for one heartily commend Mongoose and Mark for expending the time and resources in offering such opportunities.

 

[Stofsk]

As far as ship design is concerned, I'd rather the rule was "You can show the results of your design, you just can't show how you made it."

 

[BP]

As far as ship design is concerned, I'd rather the rule was "You can show the results of your design, you just can't show how you made it."

To some degree you can as long as the results don't explicitly reference MgT. This means don't use the unique codes and items, but generic tonnage, performance (like Gs), total costs should be acceptable. As you mentioned rules-neutral approach earlier - this would imply that your design would be rules neutral.

And keep in mind the two Mongoose licenses allow the rules (SRD in a non-OTU) and a restricted OTU setting (Foreven). This is both generous and reasonable - i.e. third parties can extend and add to the Official setting without 'corrupting' it or can create their own entirely independent Traveller Universe that conforms to the rules published in the SRDs.

Bearing in mind these are my own opinions - Mongoose generously invites you in their license to run actual products by them... and you could always PM individuals (though I wouldn't bother them without actual specific samples - its a bit much to expect a hard and fast answer to a 'what if' question regarding such matters - specially for free).

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

You don't have to run your products by them. They just want a copy of the finished product (as does Marc Miller).

If you are using the FFSLL or the OGL, you do not have to get "permission" for anything.

Having said that, I can also say that Matt has been a great resource if there are any questions about specific uses of product or other legal issues.

 

[Dave Chase]

Also if your product is good enough they might be interested

Dave Chase