Okay, so I'm rambling, so what :)
So, isn't it a little late in the game to spout off about these perceived flaws in
the entire OGL/SRD model?
I mean It's happening now, non-productive (which is to say, comments that deride the
system without activly suggesting a better alternaitive) rants are a little moot.
And I find it funny that most of this is based on Disagreement over the buisness
model. Look, If you think that the Model the industry has previously followed (in
essence better content generates higher profits and more material dervied from that
content will produce more profit) then you would obviously disagree with OGL. IF
however you believe in Network Externalities then OGL and D20 offers both an
oppertunity and competitve advantage.
If some sort of logo is created for OGL material (independent of the D20 logo) then
potential opens even wider.
In the most recent debates, it seems that many have lost sight of some of the little
things you can do.
John's big book of D20 alternate rules for instance. A catalogue of house rules and
alternate rules repackaged from a number of Open sources is a very producable
product and is the kind of rules modification that I see happening.
Imagine for example That D20 drives a large number of supplements John Games writes
a number of Adventures for D&D using the D20SRD and the D20STL. John Games makes
some quality product, so sales are decent and word spreads. Then, the company makes
there own Core Rulebook for a game completely non-D20. It however OGLs a SRD.
Players who buy the D20 product are more likely to take a look at the non-d20
product based on name recognition. Now imagine what could happen if a recognizable
universal OGL logo were created. The OGL community would do even better (Hint to the
OGF)
As for why I would use D20 for a non-Fantasy setting, The answer is quite simple.
Fact: More Roleplayers know how to play D&D (and this will hopefully translate to
3e) then any other system. Therefore, if I creat a Wild West game based on that
system, those same people will know how to play my game. IF an average consumer
walks into a bookstore or gameshop and sees a wild west game using an unknown system
and one using a well known system, which do you think he is more likely to buy?
The goals of any reasonable buisness should be to make profit. the OGL and D20 give
opertunities for making profit.
I see lots of concern over stifling the small independents who want to make semi
obscure games with systems vastly different from what's out now. I personally don't
see how OGL will make those people's lives any harder since it seems like a bit of a
fools choice in the first place. Creating for the shear joy of it is one thing and
OGL won't effect you. If your trying to make a profit from it, then you've already
proceeded from a bad buisness model.
-------------
For more information, please link to www.opengamingfoundation.org
