Word of Wizards - GSL Update 12/18/08

Scott Rouse recently posted up an update on the status of the GSL in his blog which some of us have been dying to know since a change was announced months ago and there was no word of it ever since.

So as many of you know I had hoped that the revised GSL would be done before I went on Christmas Holiday. My last day of work was scheduled to be on the 19th and it was my hope that we could publish the revision by tomorrow.

On Tuesday of this week I handed off my final revision recommendation of the SRD, GSL, and Statement of Rejection. There were a couple outstanding yes/no decisions/questions to be answered. Specifically: 1)What, if any PHB 2 classes do we include? 2) Do we add the pantheon? 3) Do we add the cosmology? I had included my thoughts (yes on all as well as a few added monsters) in the revised SRD I handed off.

Another solution that I asked for final language on revolves around the imagery clause and specifically derivative artwork.

The outstanding issues represented a day or two of work. The additions to the SRD would likely be another day or two so the 19th was super tight but doable, but then mother nature kicked us in the groin. On Friday night of last week we got a dusting of snow with a few inches falling in some areas. This was followed by clear skies and temperatures in the teens. For many parts of the country weather like this is no big deal but in the Pacific Northwest weather like this is all the news will talk about. The cold and snow set off a weather pattern that is likely to get worse before it gets better. Localized ice meant a few key people were out. Yesterday many areas north and south of Seattle Metro and the WotC office area got up to a foot of snow and today everywhere including at the WotC offices got up to another foot of snow and the metro area including our office shut down. I did venture out to the office area even though we were closed. I would have worked from home if it weren't for a commitment I had made through work to volunteer at the local Salvation Army to distribute toys to families but pretty much everyone stayed home and tomorrow is likely to be another snow day.

So what does this mean? Although great progress was made this week between the snow, personal schedules, and the WotC offices being closed between December 25th and January 4th the revision will likely have to wait until the new year.

Sorry to those of you who were hoping it would happen this week (especially the publishers), we'll get back at it as soon as we get back in the new year.

In the meantime, I hope your holidays are joyous and involve playing at least a little D&D.

So I guess it's Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for the GSL and the 3rd party publishers.