Gemini is a long-brewing passion project combining the mechanical and conceptual elements of Hero Games’ Hero System with the Open Gaming License (OGL) OpenD6 system. Given Gemini’s dual nature, there are many things to consider, including game licenses. The rise of alternative licenses like Creative Commons (CC) and the Open RPG Creative license (ORC) means the question of what license makes sense for Gemini warranted discussion.
With the bumpy trail the OGL has been on, Gemini is adopting the ORC license because it aligns more with the spirit of openness and sharing we value. Hero Games has been instrumental in pushing this forward, so kudos to Jason Walters and the rest of the team. As the author of the book and a professional software developer who uses open-source daily, I am thrilled to be able to release Gemini under the ORC license.
“Gemini is adopting the ORC license because it aligns more with the spirit of openness and sharing we value.”
OGL Critical Fumbles
For background on what I meant when I said the OGL has been contentious, I recommend you watch this LegalEagle video. Our friendly lawyer does a great job breaking down some complex issues for us. Bonus: There’s a Matt Colville interview where he sheds some light on the original intent of the OGL.
Forward
The future looks bright for open gaming content with ORC and Gemini. We want to enable and empower people to use Gemini in sensible ways, and opening up the ruleset is a natural fit for that goal.
