Open Adventure is a community-owned game system. The entire game system, its core rules, and even certain art, logos, and design elements are free for anyone to use. All the community-owned content (COC) was released under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) “No Rights Reserved” distribution license. This means the COC is free to use forever with no restrictions.
DISCLAIMER #
This Appendix offers basic guidance for using the COC and does not constitute legal advice. If you have any questions or concerns, it is always a good idea to consult an attorney.
What is CC0? #
CC0 is a Creative Commons license. Creative Commons (CC) is an international nonprofit organization that empowers people to grow and sustain the thriving commons of shared knowledge and Culture needed to address the world’s most pressing challenges and create a brighter future for all.
You can find details about the CC0 license here: https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/cc0/.
A FAQ for the CC0 license is available here: https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/CC0_FAQ.
What Content is Community Owned? #
All the community owned content (that is, the content released under CC0) for Open Adventure is listed and available for download here: https://www.openadventurerpg.com/coc . Only the content listed there is available under CC0. Each piece of content licensed with CC0 is clearly marked AS such. If new content is created in the future and released under CC0, it will be added to this archive.
It is extremely important to remember that if anyone (including you) uses the COC to create a new product, that product is owned by the creator. Even if someone creates a product that just presents the COC in a unique layout, that creator still owns that particular representation of the COC. You may not use anything others create using the COC unless they give you explicit permission to do so. The only thing you can use without permission or restriction is the indicated original COC content.
If you’d like an example, check out the Open Adventure Masterwork Editions created by Mechanical Muse. These full-color presentations of the COC are owned by Mechanical Muse and may not be used (in part or in whole) without permission from Mechanical Muse. Even though the text is the same AS the COC and the images are just color versions of those shared with the COC, this particular representation of the COC belongs to Mechanical Muse.
Attribution #
There is no requirement under CC0 for you to provide any attribution to anyone who created the COC. In other words, you don’t need to give Marc Tassin, Mechanical Muse, Russell Marks, Shawn T. King, or anyone else who helped create the original COC credit when you create something new using the COC.
That said, it would be really nice if you did. The Mechanical Muse team put a ton of work into creating this, and giving a nod to those folks is both a personal and professional courtesy they would really appreciate.
How to Provide Attribution #
There are no requirements about how to provide attribution (since it is completely voluntary), but here are some suggestions:
If you use the COC art, include the following in the credits:
Includes CC0 artwork originally created by Russell Marks.
If you use the COC layout or design elements, include the following in the credits:
Includes CC0 design elements originally created by Shawn T. King.
If you use the COC text and rules, include the following in the credits:
Open Adventure originally created by Marc Tassin and Mechanical Muse.
What Can You Create? #
Anything you want. Roleplaying games, boardgames, computer games, fiction, streaming content, card games, and anything else you can come up with are all okay to create. There are, quite literally, no limits to how you can use Open Adventure. Once you create something, you can share it for free, put it on a website, sell it, or distribute it in any way you like.
FAQ #
Here are a few of the frequently asked questions about using the COC to create new content.
Can I sell the things I make using the COC?
Yes. You can sell anything you create using the COC.
Can I make my own content available to others for free using CC0?
Sure. Since the COC is already available under CC0, you can certainly do that. We do suggest you review the CC0 documentation before doing so and talk to a lawyer, just to be on the safe side.
Can I share the COC myself?
Sure, but please be sure to share it along with the CC0 license information to make sure others know they can use the material AS well.
Can I just copy and paste the text of the COC rules into my creation?
Yes, you can.
Can I alter the text, art, or other COC elements?
Yes. You are welcome to create new content based off those elements, altering them in any way you like. For instance, you might want to expand the rules, change the way they are presented, color the images, or alter the design elements.
Could I release the COC exactly AS it is today and say I made it all?
Sure, but that would be a real jerk move. Also, people would figure it out quickly, and it wouldn’t be a good look for you. We’re kidding around a little here, but the point is that you really can do anything you like with the COC.
Could someone change the license in the future?
No. Releasing the COC under CC0 is permanent and no person or entity can ever alter the license after the fact.
If I use the COC, is my own work released under CC0 automatically?
No. Your creations are completely your own.