Is possible to move Cepheus SRD to ORC License?

[Nerun]

Cepheus SRD is released under OGL. Is it possible to migrate it to the new ORC License? Of course, there seems to be no more danger, even D&D 5.1 is now CC-BY 4.0 (much more open than OGL).

But legally speaking, is it possible?

paizo.com -- ORC License: The Final Version is Here!

 

[Starglim]

Cepheus SRD is released under OGL. Is it possible to migrate it to the new ORC License? Of course, there seems to be no more danger, even D&D 5.1 is now CC-BY 4.0 (much more open than OGL).

But legally speaking, is it possible?

paizo.com -- ORC License: The Final Version is Here!

I understand either all the source documents would have to be re-licensed under ORC (or one of the alternatives that other parties have written that has compatible terms) or Cepheus Engine would have to be rewritten based on ORC licensed materials.

15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

High Guard System Reference Document Copyright © 2008, Mongoose Publishing.

Mercenary System Reference Document Copyright © 2008, Mongoose Publishing.

Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002-2004, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, Eric Cagle, David Noonan, Stan!, Christopher Perkins, Rodney Thompson, and JD Wiker, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison, Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker.

Swords & Wizardry Core Rules, Copyright 2008, Matthew J. Finch

System Reference Document, Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

T20 - The Traveller’s Handbook Copyright 2002, Quiklink Interactive, Inc. Traveller is a trademark of Far Future Enterprises and is used under license.

Traveller System Reference Document Copyright © 2008, Mongoose Publishing.

Traveller is © 2008 Mongoose Publishing. Traveller and related logos, character, names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Far Future Enterprises unless otherwise noted. All Rights Reserved. Mongoose Publishing Ltd Authorized User.

Cepheus Engine System Reference Document, Copyright © 2016 Samardan Press; Author Jason "Flynn" Kemp

It may be easier than it sounds. Just to start with, Swords and Wizardry won't use ORC but will have its own license. Some of the listed sources might have made minor and replaceable contributions.

 

[aramis]

Yeah, all the documents used that were under OGL would need to be rereleased under a different license. And that would require them to be clear of other open licensed works. Including the OGL itself...

 

[Nerun]

You are right guys.

Probably is easier to move to Creative Commons BY 4.0 than ORC, since Wizards re-released SRD 5.1 under CC-BY 4.0. Mythmere Games did something similar with Swords & Wizardry. In their words:

LICENSING
Most people are aware that in January, Wizards of the Coast made an attempt to "de-authorize" the Open Game License under which Swords & Wizardry had originally been written. This new version is based on the material which WotC contributed to the Creative Commons License, so it's now officially "non-OGL." This has virtually no impact on players, but is important to third-party publishers. We hope that you will support our move away from the OGL and into new territory for open licensing and open game content for the gaming community.

We are going to release the game under a license that allows publishers to publish material for the game and reference our trademark ("compatible with Swords & Wizardry"). One possible form of this license might be the ORC license which Paizo and various other publishers are working on now. Another possibility is that we will draft our own license, based loosely on the OGL but with the flaws fixed. We will keep everyone posted on this -- for the time being, we're waiting to see the first draft of the ORC license.

But for them it was easier since S&W was based exclusively on SRD 3.5:

15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

Swords & Wizardry Core Rules, Copyright 2008-2011, Matthew J. Finch​

But some portions of Cepheus can be "rebased" to SRD 5.1 CC-BY 4.0 too. Cepheus is based upon 7 SRDs as remembered by Starglin above:

1. High Guard
2. Mercenary
3. Modern SRD
4. Swords & Wizardry
5. SRD 3.0 (from 2000 not SRD 3.5 from 2003)
6. T20 - The Traveller’s Handbook
7. Traveller SRD (Mongoose)

About 4 and 5, it's possible to rebase to SRD 5.1 CC-BY. Just remove them and add SRD 5.1 in place. Of course, S&W should be rebased to the complete revised edition, that is SRD 5.1 CC-BY.

The problem will be 1, 2 and 7 (Mongoose IP), 3 (because is a "tech" SRD with no new SRD 5) and 6 (QuickLink Interactive IP).

 

[Starglim]

Swords and Wizardry won't use ORC but will have its own license.

It looks as if development of the AELF license should be publicly visible.

 

[Independence Games]

Cepheus SRD is released under OGL. Is it possible to migrate it to the new ORC License? Of course, there seems to be no more danger, even D&D 5.1 is now CC-BY 4.0 (much more open than OGL).

But legally speaking, is it possible?

paizo.com -- ORC License: The Final Version is Here!

That would require Mongoose to move the Traveller SRD1 over to being ORC or CC and they've been quite resistant to doing so.