Traveller 3rd Party Licensing

[MongooseMatt]

Umm, sorry, what do you think was being ignored?

As for TAS, the Compatibility Licence was created specifically for people to use and retain their own IP. TAS is rooted in Charted Space, and always has been.

 

[wats_open?]

Ok, where's the open content that's for people and not for "established publishers"? Why isn't the SRD just available for people to use? I couldn't care less about a traveller compatible badge.

 

[wats_open?]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding but this doesn't seem anything like the impression I got of what this would be according to the original post about the open content. Is this this just till the SRD is finished or will it always be for approved publishers only? I may of missed this information but I can't find it.

 

[Prime_Evil]

The terms of the Compatibility Licence are not available for review and eligibility is restricted to established publishers. From what has been said here, it sounds like the new licence is "open" in the sense of being royalty free and allowing participants to retain some control over their own IP. But it isn't open in the same sense the OGL was. Is this an accurate impression?

I'm curious why Mongoose didn't simply go down the OGL route given that WotC has backed down on attempts to de-authorise it. This licence is well understood by publishers and provides cross-compatibility with large body of existing material. It is also more likely to tempt Cepheus Engine authors to support MgT 2e.

 

[flyteach]

So there will be no
View attachment 1665
Feel like a lot of questions are being ignored and if I'm reading this right you told someone if they didn't want the possibility of their stuff being stolen by mongoose to not use the TAS program?

Yeah, I asked what I thought was a yes/no question and the answer starts with "in theory" and doesn't give an answer to my question. Referring me to a program that I can't even view along with not getting a straight answer to my original question doesn't give me a warm fuzzy about any of it.

 

[Vormaerin]

I think he misread the question. My understanding (could be wrong) is that he meant "In theory, Mongoose could reference any contributions to the Charted Space setting published via the TAS program." Charted Space has been a collaboration project with Marc's team having the final say since the beginning. In the past, when TAS material has been something Mongoose wanted to use, they just bought it rather than "stole" it. The reason he said 'In theory' is because that's something they could do, but they have no interest in actually doing so.

If you want to produce material that is not intended to be used collaboratively as part of the Charted Space setting, then the Traveller Compatible license allows you to use the Traveller Compatible logo and have the expectation that Mongoose will help with marketing your work. Not sure how much of there there will be, only seen a couple Traveller Compatible licensed works out so far. But that is why they are not willing to let just anyone claim that Mongoose is endorsing the product.

If you don't want Mongoose's endorsement/logos and you don't want to publish in Charted space, you don't really need any particular license at all. Roll 2d6 and add your bonus space game is not copyrighted. You just can't copy/paste their text or use their trademarks.

 

[flyteach]

Well, a little more digging and I think I answered my question. I thought that the link that was in the information above was to the complete agreement for TAS. It's not, it's just the Mongoose Traveller part. One has to go back up the links to find the whole agreement which is really governed more by DTRPG rather than Mongoose. I knew I'd read it somewhere, but couldn't remember where. Not being a lawyer, this stuff is tricky, but I thought some help might be forthcoming.

 

[Anstett]

We are still waiting for more details because the documents so far only cover what you publish on DTRPG, which is the only distributor for Traveller digital products outside of the official site.

The item I am waiting on is the VTT side of things. The TAS program prevents publishing any VTT module. DTRPG prevents anyone who has published there to reproduce in any form someplace else.

So if there is a PDF on DTRPG that someone has created that same product cannot be recreated in a VTT module for any of the platforms.
Until the Licensing agreements are updated to include VTT products original content cannot be produced and distributed on any of the platforms.

The content (Charted Space) is not in question it is the format in which it is published.

I am glad Mongoose has the new VTT team working on things, I just wish authors could convert some of their old work to the new formats.

 

[flyteach]

FWIW, one could take the published PDFs and create the content for the VTT for their own use. It's what I did before the pandemic when VTT was only for those of us who live in the boonies. But yeah, as an extension of the original content, it's something that needs addressing.

 

[Anstett]

For personal use everything can be converted. But it cannot be shared.
Taking a PDF of NPCs from DTRPG and converting them to FG to put up on the Forge is not allowed. That is blocked by both Mongoose TAS and by DTRPG (Roll20) for any content published.

I am hopeful that the new licensing will be widened to include the ability to publish new things to a VTT.

 

[wats_open?]

I guess, this silence means I wouldn't like the answers to my questions. lol

 

[Studio Cat]

Question for the Powers That Be.......

I'd like to mention in my adventure the Covert Survey Bureau from an old White Dwarf article written by Andy Slack and appearing on page 31 of issue 41 of that magazine. Is this possible or will it run afoul of copyright since White Dwarf magazine was and is consider Games Workshop property even though the article was for Classic Traveller?

 

[Ewan]

Question for the Powers That Be.......

I'd like to mention in my adventure the Covert Survey Bureau from an old White Dwarf article written by Andy Slack and appearing on page 31 of issue 41 of that magazine. Is this possible or will it run afoul of copyright since White Dwarf magazine was and is consider Games Workshop property even though the article was for Classic Traveller?

I remember that article on the CSB and it was a good one.

 

[MongooseMatt]

Question for the Powers That Be.......

I'd like to mention in my adventure the Covert Survey Bureau from an old White Dwarf article written by Andy Slack and appearing on page 31 of issue 41 of that magazine. Is this possible or will it run afoul of copyright since White Dwarf magazine was and is consider Games Workshop property even though the article was for Classic Traveller?

Best to avoid White Dwarf material.

 

[apastuszak]

Ok, from what I am gathering, as long as you don't use Charted Space, you're fine to use the Traveller Compatible.

I understand that OGL purists want an SRD and was it public and OGL/ORC/ELF/CC licensed.

I think a public SRD would offer some assurances. It's a document that says "If you use what's in here and layer your own unique stuff on top of it, you can use the Traveller Compatible logo." If you want to use something outside the SRD, then you need to go the TAS route.

If Mongoose wants tighter control, so we don't get a Cepheus 2E, then they don't need to use OGL/ORC/ELF/CC. They can create their own license. I just think the existence of an SRD would give people some assurances that they're using the right license.

 

[Prime_Evil]

Ok, from what I am gathering, as long as you don't use Charted Space, you're fine to use the Traveller Compatible.

I understand that OGL purists want an SRD and was it public and OGL/ORC/ELF/CC licensed.

I think a public SRD would offer some assurances. It's a document that says "If you use what's in here and layer your own unique stuff on top of it, you can use the Traveller Compatible logo." If you want to use something outside the SRD, then you need to go the TAS route.

If Mongoose wants tighter control, so we don't get a Cepheus 2E, then they don't need to use OGL/ORC/ELF/CC. They can create their own license. I just think the existence of an SRD would give people some assurances that they're using the right license.

I don't believe this is true. The Traveller Compatibility Licence is a legal contract between Mongoose and the publisher producing the downstream products. We know nothing of the licensing terms, save that it is royalty-free and that Mongoose will promote approved third-party products. It is not an open-source style licence (like the OGL was), but appears to be a traditional intellectual property licensing agreement. The main difference appears to be the lack of royalties, indicating a desire to build a community of like-minded publishers. At this point, Mongoose is only accepting Travelker Compatible licensing applications from established publishers. Beyond this, we don't have visibility into the terms of the contract. But you cannot use the Traveller Compatible option without an agreement with Mongoose.

 

[Prime_Evil]

I don't believe this is true. The Traveller Compatibility Licence is a legal contract between Mongoose and the publisher producing the downstream products. We know nothing of the licensing terms, save that it is royalty-free and that Mongoose will promote approved third-party products. It is not an open-source style licence (like the OGL was), but appears to be a traditional intellectual property licensing agreement. The main difference appears to be the lack of royalties, indicating a desire to build a community of like-minded publishers. At this point, Mongoose is only accepting Travelker Compatible licensing applications from established publishers. Beyond this, we don't have visibility into the terms of the contract. But you cannot use the Traveller Compatible option without an agreement with Mongoose.

I should add that once FFE adds Mongoose Traveller to the Fair Use Policy, broad non-commercial use of the IP is permitted. But the key words are non-commercial. You can't publish products under this license.

 

[apastuszak]

So, if you use TAS, Mongoose gets 40% and you have to publish thru DriveThruRPG. Is there a cut DTRPG takes or is that part of the 40%?

 

[Anstett]

So, if you use TAS, Mongoose gets 40% and you have to publish thru DriveThruRPG. Is there a cut DTRPG takes or is that part of the 40%?

The Community Content Creators Program is an opportunity to share your original content with the rest of the publisher's community, while you make money at the same time. You set the price other fans will pay for your title. You then get a 50% royalty whenever your title sells. Your proceeds can be spent as site credit on other titles available on DriveThruRPG or any of its sister sites, or transferred to your personal PayPal account (after a 60 day waiting period to prevent fraud).

https://help.drivethrurpg.com/hc/en-us/articles/12723256008215-Why-should-I-participate-in-a-Community-Content-Program

 

[apastuszak]

But TAS says I get 60%