tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post4423547302287451467..comments2023-05-27T11:14:02.426-04:00Comments on Some Space to Think: Open Games NowAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-68164661133685617922010-11-29T16:23:02.356-05:002010-11-29T16:23:02.356-05:00your last point is why I dig Savage Worlds as well...your last point is why I dig Savage Worlds as well.Jonathan Jacobshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06133232985480734844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-31794533626762596272010-11-29T16:07:25.248-05:002010-11-29T16:07:25.248-05:00It felt useless because, frankly, it's so much...It felt useless because, frankly, it's so much more convenient to make a character in DDI that if you can't, then it's easier to just discard the possibility. This is not just about rules support for a class, but things like automatically tracking all the bonuses form magic items. At level 1 I might make a character form scratch, but by level 7 or so? Too much work.<br /><br />Regarding essentials, the classes feel a little bit more focused, and it feels like (though I haven't concretely confirmed this) that one could write less material in terms of powers in the pursuit of this focus. In this case, I view it as a genuine case of less is more, and I dig it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-65158509284923447442010-11-29T14:02:41.799-05:002010-11-29T14:02:41.799-05:00Rob -- care to elaborate? I'm curious why it w...Rob -- care to elaborate? I'm curious why it was essentially useless and why Essentials look like less of a hassle.Jonathan Jacobshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06133232985480734844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-62974122861250833482010-11-29T12:43:09.964-05:002010-11-29T12:43:09.964-05:00It's true, in the absence of DDI I would feel ...It's true, in the absence of DDI I would feel the GSL offered more options, but I'm still burned from the work that went into building a class and realizing it was useless. Essentials reminded me of this because Essentials classes look like so much less of a hassle to design (and fun too!).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-48234743040101528142010-11-29T12:25:16.620-05:002010-11-29T12:25:16.620-05:00Although the GSL is a pain the arse - it still all...Although the GSL is a pain the arse - it still allows for plenty of room for creativity - at least; that's been our (limited) experience with two books for 4E so far. The main issue I have with developing for 4E though is the DDI-addiction factor. There's no way for a 3PP to plug into DDI the same way that WotC does - thus many of the 4E players out there who want to use your custom content are left "kicking it old school" with pen and paper; or trying to houserule your content within the DDI software (which sucks at best). The former is the better option; but still it leaves 3PP outside the clubhouse.Jonathan Jacobshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06133232985480734844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-45399573623610503112010-11-18T09:28:55.432-05:002010-11-18T09:28:55.432-05:00@flit I think you put your finger on it. The DIY e...@flit I think you put your finger on it. The DIY ethos is a big deal to me, and while it should apply equally to all games, some games certainly welcome it more than others.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-19835119807579724892010-11-18T00:24:12.367-05:002010-11-18T00:24:12.367-05:00I find the relative closed nature of D&D 4.0 v...I find the relative closed nature of D&D 4.0 vs. 3.x to be a straight jacket, myself, without even comparing 4.0 to truly open systems. The builder exacerbates it because it can't be edited to taste (not even in ways that ought to make sense, like adding campaign-specific languages and gods.)<br /><br />So while there are a lot of things I completely groove on with 4.x and feel are absolutely an improvement over 3.x, all in all it's become very much a niche interest for me because I can't tinker with it.<br /><br />Interestingly even though HERO for instance isn't an open system, it's such a build-it-yourself system that I have never felt the slightest issues with tinkering with it and even changing base mechanics, because the system itself has an ethos of DIY.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-23277920770803588132010-11-16T16:43:43.488-05:002010-11-16T16:43:43.488-05:00I just don't see the hobby gaming industry as ...I just don't see the hobby gaming industry as large enough to pretend there's some faceless corporation behind any game, even D&D. I know designers, I know writers, and I would feel pretty awful going around their preferred OGL/GSL/Creative Commons method of handling this kind of thing just because I could.Cam_Bankshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16162534181760938499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-52140932602029542532010-11-16T16:19:14.569-05:002010-11-16T16:19:14.569-05:00I suppose, but the other rub is less practical, mo...I suppose, but the other rub is less practical, more emotional - I would rather play with someone's toys if they want me to play with them. If fiddling with 4e was in some way overwhelmingly rewarding (personally or financially) that might offset some of that concern, but when I have the choice, I'm going to go somewhere that I'm wanted. <br /><br />I could probably frame that as respecting the creator's wishes - WOTC has made it clear what they don't want - but that's crap. It's mostly pragmatic and a little bit petulant on my part. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-46693939600655024192010-11-16T15:09:12.166-05:002010-11-16T15:09:12.166-05:00Not really worth worrying about. The case law is...Not really worth worrying about. The case law is firmly established, really -- and, given the scale of things, even in the extremely unlikely event that Hasbro decided to make a stink, it would be simple to simply say "OK" and cease production.Gareth-Michael Skarkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188097972205485799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-75061460916859455412010-11-16T14:26:10.439-05:002010-11-16T14:26:10.439-05:00That's absolutely an option, but I'm never...That's absolutely an option, but I'm never quite comfortable with pushing the boundaries of that too hard. Partly because their fuzzy, but much more because if it becomes a point of contention, WOTC is not a company I want to argue with.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-83380020817027134032010-11-16T13:48:52.716-05:002010-11-16T13:48:52.716-05:00So just use existing copyright law and ignore the ...So just use existing copyright law and ignore the GSL. You can produce 4e-compatible content that way, ya know....Gareth-Michael Skarkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188097972205485799noreply@blogger.com