For example, if someone creates an open species, and I made a character of that species, does the species creator have the right to say “You can only have a suit/sculpture/plushie made by this certain maker”?
What if the maker they’ve selected is someone I don’t want to commission, for whatever reason? Can I then get another maker to create my suit/sculpture/plushie, or do I need permission of the person who created the species to begin with?
Basically, what are the "rules" of an open species? Does the creator retain any sort of control over the outcome of people using said species or do they just have to accept that people are going to do what they wish with their characters?
My understanding is that the species creator retains the copyright of the species itself, but when it comes to individual characters, they don’t have much say. The owner of the *character* is not obliged to adhere to the rules the species creator laid out, at least when it comes to commissioning physical items. If I’m spending the money on a commission, I don't want to spend it on a product I'll ultimately be unhappy with, simply because whomever created the species decided I had to use a certain maker.
Help me,A_B Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope!