If 4e was released with a Creative Commons License

Interesting question.

One thing for sure, if it was released with a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike license, I'd be tearing into it and throwing out all the stupid miniature rules (DELETE, DELETE, DELETE!)  I'd create some modules around the Yaun-ti, since they are the most interesting monsters in D&D that WotC claims that it has copyright over (the second being Mind Flayers, which are based on HP Lovecraft's Call of Cthulhu mythos).  I'd also be addressing a few rules that I've seen of late.

Take Sampson of the Bible.  Sampson was a judge of Israel who also happened to be Dan's local hero.  He was strong enough to kill a lion, to carry away city gates, and to cause the Temple of Dagon to fall and destroy the entire Philistine Aristocracy.  I'd say he had a STR of 30 (of course he sinned and had his hair cut off, so he lost his strength "it went back down to a measly 9.")  For some dumb reason, the ability scores are linked to one's level.

Actually, one of my 4e players made an issue of it when I didn't think there was one.  He thought I was insane.  Actually I was so incredibly tired I didn't want to discuss the issue.  I wanted to show he had super strength (in RM, Sampson would have a bonus to his strength not a modification to his strength score.  The "supernatural" bonus would be about +10 or +15 for RMFRP).

Secondly, I'd do something about the pidgeon-holing.  I just don't know where to begin.  I'd probably throw out the extended roles and try something different (I'm beginning to think that the pidgeon-holing is a core aspect of the system, but if we just got rid of that).

So, what would you do if WotC released 4e with a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license?

The Four Freedoms of Culture

Nina Paley has reiterated the four basic freedoms of Culture.   They are basically:

the freedom to use the work and enjoy the benefits of using it

the freedom to study the work and to apply knowledge acquired from it

the freedom to make and redistribute copies, in whole or in part, of the information or expression

the freedom to make changes and improvements, and to distribute derivative works 

Well, doesn't that sound good to your ears? The problem with creating good works for the use of others is that it is automatically put under copyright.  While that is a good thing, the terrible thing about it is that you are forced to police your copyright yourself, or face the danger of selling printer rights or all your rights to a publishing company (like Wizards of the Coast or Disney, to name two).

As liberal as the Wizards of the Coast were, it was a good thing that they made the Open Game License.  However, the flaw was that people weren't able to fully exercise their rights above.  This is important, because imagine what it would be like if you could comment and have the freedom to use the work.  Or to make and redistribute copies, or even to make changes and improvements and to distribute derivative works.

After all, culture is important to us as Gamers.  We as DMs buy a piece of work from Wizards of the Coast or some other Roleplaying production company and use it to provide free entertainment to a couple of others.  Also as DMs, we create our characters and adventures and tell wonderful interactive stories.  And if we aren't free to do that with the games we bought, how can we advance our own culture as gamers?

Everyone needs to know that a Roleplaying Game Setting, once published, is culture.  And Culture should be free.  Oh, by the way, the cartoons were made by Nina Paley.

Introduction Complete

The introduction to The World of Galatea: the Caithness Isles text is complete.  The entire introduction introduces the World of Galatea, as well as contains licensing information for this free culture product.  As a creative commons product, the entire world has been copylefted.

I did spell out some interesting things that you should know.  You will be free to adapt and republish the work under any game you desire as long as you adhere to the Creative Commons license and the Open Game License, Game System License, or a similar license.  You are prohibited to lock up this campaign setting or any derivatives behind a Copyright.  You, however, can support the Artist (me) through donations via paypal.  A donation to the Artist is supporting free culture and defeats ©ensorship and Internet piracy.

Merchandising will be released when the product is released.  This is going to be fun!

Now working on:
CHARACTER RACES