Update: OGL drama and related issues

 A few days ago, I asked the question "Who owns OpenD6?"

Many people have reached out to me on the matter. I'm aware of who owns it. Nocturnal Media still owns the WEG trademark and the D6 system, so presumably, they also own the OpenD6 property and would be the authority on that matter.

It's also clear that the owner has no internet presence related to the property and I respect their personal privacy. Please make no effort to reach out to them or to anyone else on my behalf regarding this question. Likewise, I'm not looking for any more information. The question is settled.

It wasn't clear in my question, but my concern was that OpenD6 had become "orphaned" as the property of an owner who may not be or might not be made aware of the issues regarding the OGL in a timely manner. I'm now confident this is not the case.

I've not spoken with the owner or an official representative of theirs, so I don't know anything that isn't public knowledge.

OGL Drama

Lots of folks have offered opinions (via several channels) regarding what the OGL drama might mean. Thank you. I appreciate your opinions.

Until the OGL worries move from the realm of leaks and rumors (as credible as they do appear to me), I have no official change in plans concerning the future of Mini Six, in its current Bare Bones Edition form or the upcoming revision.

I have a contingency plan in mind. There's no reason to go into more detail until and unless it becomes necessary, but I expect that it will become clear quickly.

The community has strong opinions on what the alleged changes might mean. What I won't be able to personally tolerate, is ambiguity. Even if a number of reasonable-sounding, learned folks hold one position, if WotC unambiguously holds an opposed view, I'm unlikely to make myself the legal David to WotC's Goliath.

In the case of a dispute between WotC and the community on a matter that's relevant to the legal status of OpenD6/Mini Six, I will take myself out of the line of fire. If a judge makes a favorable ruling, that's great. This kind of thing has a habit of taking a really long time to figure out, even if one side clearly has the law on their side.

To be clear, I'm sure that there's virtually a 100% chance that I'm not on WotC's radar. I'm not on Nocturnal Media's either. Regardless, I like to do things by the book. When the rules become ambiguous, I'm out.

I've been involved in a dispute that was settled in my favor ages ago, but it still lacks finality from a legal perspective. What I'm saying is that relying on the courts is a strategy, but even if it's obvious that you've won, delays are a strategy the other side can use to cause a lot of stress. As I've been through that particular hell already, I have no desire to open myself up to it again for what boils down to a labor of love, which generates pizza money at best. I don't have the energy for that stress.

This Week in Mini Six

I have two paths forward. One is the one where the status quo is maintained. The other is the contingency plan. Like many creators, I'm shutting down development for now, sort of.

I'm still working on the next Mini Six, but not the parts I hoped to be working on this week. for now, I'm focusing on the parts that work regardless of which path I'm forced to choose. Unfortunately, I really need more foundational work done first before I can do more than tinker with that stuff.

There's only so much work you can do on a building before the foundation is complete. I don't expect to get anywhere near a week's worth of work done over this next week.