Jump to content

Is there room for another d100 rule system and setting?


Aini

Recommended Posts

Hello,

 

I have been a reader and member of this forum for some time, i am a tabletop gamer who loves the d100 systems, i have played from Runequest 2nd edition, to 3rd edition and eventually BRP and have been keenly interested in all the different evolutions of the system that we have now,

in my gaming groups however we never actually found one of these that fit us 'perfectly' we often used some rules from one, some from another since most of these systems are quite similar enough to do that so that it would fit the campaign setting we play in.

 

I decided some time ago to begin writing up my campaign setting as a d100 supplement professionally to sell on drivethru rpg, however i was unable to decide on what rules system to 'attach' it to and eventually decided that i would write the system that 'i' wanted and integrate it with my campaign world which would avoid any potential issues with copyright.

So i guess this is an open letter to the d100 community on whether a new self-contained rules system and integrated fantasy setting would be of interest?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Aini,

 

My honest opinion is NO. Irrespectively of how good the system is.

 

We now have BRP, Magic World, Call of Cthulhu 7th edition, which makes 3 systems from Chaosium  (BRP and MW are very similar but not identical, the new CoC is significantly different). Then we have Open Quest and the Renaissance System derived from it, with First Age, which is also based on OQ.  Last but nost least there is Rune Quest 6 and RQ2/Legend that is still supported by Mongoose. GORE from Goblinoid Games is still available in pdf and pod. It's a generic d100, with a touch of horror.

 

This makes 9 in print d100 systems: 2 generic, 1 geared towards horror, 6 are fantasy oriented. When "RQ Classic Fantasy" will be out, it will be another fantasy variant.

Not to speak of the many out of print d100 games that people are still playing.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You mention selling it on drivethru. One important thing to bear in mind is that not all d100 games are open content. You can't take anything from the closed content games without violating their copyright. And that won't endear you to the d100 fans.

 

This is actually the reason why i am making my own d100 system as opposed to making my campaign setting a supplement for an existing one (which is what i originally wanted to do), my own rules are so that i do not violate copyright on the existing ones.

The rules themselves are 'similar' enough for me to still call it d100 but i am trying to differentiate myself from the others in how i approach it and how it ties in to the setting itself.

 

I probably gave the wrong impression in my initial post given that our gaming group used to homebrew bits from different games for my setting. Those rules are not what i am printing, i am actually writing my own rules from scratch, though keeping the magic systems i had been using since i had written those myself already.

 

I also appreciate your response Smiorgan. I am aware of all those systems you mentioned, plus most of the older ones (and own copies of all except magic world i think) and though it is already a crowded market, there are many other systems out there such as GURPS, D&D and such that have multiple settings of the same genre. I only hope mine will differentiate itself from the other d100 settings enough to warrant interest. I do appreciate your honest answer though a little disheartening.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be honest, I do not need another D100 rule system. I already have RuneQuest (multiple versions) , Legend, OpenQuest and BRP. I have put off buying Magic World for that very reason. I wouldn't buy Call of Cthulhu for similar reasons, but also because the Mythos bores the pants off me,

 

I have bought the above as PDFs, but mostly to take the good bits and use them in my RuneQuest game. I would probably never run a straight RQ6 or Legend or BRP game, except at a convention.

 

So, no, I personally would not be interested in another D100 game. I might buy the rules as a PDF, to steal from, as above, but that's about it.

 

However, settings are another thing entirely.

 

If you produced an Alternate Earth setting for a D100 game, even if it was for your own D100 game, then I would probably buy it. The setting should be easy enough to convert to the game that I play and should give me ideas. That is why I have bought PDFs for Dark Ages Cthulhu, Roman Cthulhu and OpenQuest.

  • Like 2

Simon Phipp - Caldmore Chameleon - Wallowing in my elitism since 1982. Many Systems, One Family. Just a fanboy. 

www.soltakss.com/index.html

Jonstown Compendium author. Find my contributions here

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

So i guess this is an open letter to the d100 community on whether a new self-contained rules system and integrated fantasy setting would be of interest?

 

Probably not for me. As others have already mentioned, there are a lot of d100 system options already out there - many different flavors of simplicity and complexity. Your variant would need to be so exemplary that it really stood out from the rest of the pack, and I don't think that'd be an easy task (because a lot of the existing variants are really good).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

If you produced an Alternate Earth setting for a D100 game, even if it was for your own D100 game, then I would probably buy it. The setting should be easy enough to convert to the game that I play and should give me ideas. That is why I have bought PDFs for Dark Ages Cthulhu, Roman Cthulhu and OpenQuest.

 

Thank you for the response, my book is primarily about the setting, the fact i am writing a set of core rules with it is due to copyright mainly, writing a setting supplement for BRP for example requires permission from Chaosium to reference their core rulebook and i am not a legal expert on these kinds of things, so i felt it easiest to just write my own rules that are different enough to avoid copyright issues and hopefully similar enough that my setting (plus its unique magic systems) could be easily adapted to BRP, OQ or any other d100 system if desired.

The setting itself is actually based on my own interpretation of a low fantasy alternate earth. Integrating fantasy elements into cultures inspired by the ancient greeks, romans, vikings, egyptians, mongols etc.

 

So far i have been writing this book more for my own enjoyment than anything else. The eventual plan to publish it on DrivethruRPG is mainly a goal i have set to keep myself motivated on my writing. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm another with no real interest in another implementation of D100. The spectrum of D100 games we have now cover all my needs and more.

But I WOULD be interested in new settings using any of the existing variants...

 

The setting itself is actually based on my own interpretation of a low fantasy alternate earth. Integrating fantasy elements into cultures inspired by the ancient greeks, romans, vikings, egyptians, mongols etc.

but probably not THAT one... at least not from that description, waaaay too vanilla for my tastes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really don't like having all these different core rules for BRP, I would have preferred one current core system with a lot of bells and whistles for each genre or setting. Kinda like GURPS makes much more sense to me.
Having said that, there is no reason why you could not present a preexisting system, and change one or two components to suit your setting, such as presenting a new Magic or Powers system, for instance.

Given the proliferation of current games, I would either just stick with BRP or perhaps go with OpenQuest - the later is an easy enough source to hack for either BRP or RQ6 GMs, it's a nice simple middle ground.

Of course, Call of Cthulhu 7E may potentially render the BRP BGG obsolete to an extent, as it will not make sense for Chaosium to have their flagship setting with markedly different core mechanics from their core system. I would actually be surprised if any future attempts at a BRP Core Rulebook is inconsistent with the core mechanics from Call of Cthulhu 7E.

Also remember if you are making up an ancient flavoured fantasy world setting, then although it is likely to appeal to a wide range of people, this may not actually translate into market terms.

 

RQ6 already has Iron Simulculm/Korantia; its own setting of Meeros; and is returning to the iconic setting of Glorantha. The market for ancient-fantasy settings for RQ6 is already quite full, and many BRP GMs who want to have an ancient setting will probably tend to buy the RQ6 supplements as they are easy enough to port over.

 

Chaosium already has The Realm as its fantasy-medieval setting for MagicWorld.

There are also the mythic-historical Earth settings available for BRP from Alephetar Games as well, such as ROME, Celestial Kingdom, Merrie England, Amber Coast, Wind On The Steppes, etc. Some titles cover the ancient setting, whereas others are set later

Plus a few good fantasy or sci fi monographs already out there, ie The Green, etc

 

And its still easy enough to find a wealth of previous publications of Michael Moorcock's Young Kingdoms setting, whether it is from the Elric line for MRQ2 or the earlier Stormbringer line for BRP.

 

This goes as well for earlier Gloranthan material published for RQ2 and RQ3. Not to mention current Gloranthan material published from Moon Design; granted that it is for the HeroQuest system, however 90% of the resources are content only, making it very portable for GMs of any system, and BRP/RQ GMs are probably the biggest market for doing that.

 

I don't want to dampen any creativity, but from a market point of view, it doesn't look like too much standing room for an ancient or medieval setting for the BRP rpg family

However, like anything, if it is different enough from what is already out there then it will always catch someone's eye.

Look at Monte Cook's Numenera setting. The mechanics are so-so, but the background is great. His Ninth World setting somehow manages to capture the influences of Robert Howard and Edgar Rice Burroughs, and mix them with liberal doses of  Frank Hebert and China Mieville, creating something quite interesting and different from anything I have seen published recently.  

That's the only way to stand out, otherwise there is very little point trying to catch people's interests when they are already following other preexisting settings.

  • Like 1

" Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Mankcam,

The fantasy earth settings you listed are great settings of ancient and medieval, though i have not read all of those, the ones i have are more historical than fantasy, i am aiming for a lot more fantasy elements than those have 

 

Your advice in the closing paragraph is spot on and greatly appreciated, i think i will endeavour to set it apart more from ancient earth than i originally intended. Though to be honest the more i work on it the more i have been doing that anyway as i really am trying to make something unique :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Though to be honest the more i work on it the more i have been doing that anyway as i really am trying to make something unique :)

I think taking on some particularly interesting 'what if?' question at a significant point in history... and following wherever that question leads... can often yield interesting and unique aspects to a setting.

Rather than having a buffet of thinly disguised historical cultures maybe take some real moment of history and toss in a monkey wrench that twists it all around... drop a meteor on medieval Spain or let Atilla's empire stick around a lot longer... see where it leads.

It's not medieval fantasy but one of my favorite takes on alternate history of late has been Better Mousetrap's 'Lowell Was Right!' RPG which starts with the simple question of what the world would be like if the scientific assumptions of the late 1800s had turned out to be correct... which leads to a modern era that is very different from our own.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think taking on some particularly interesting 'what if?' question at a significant point in history... and following wherever that question leads... can often yield interesting and unique aspects to a setting.

Rather than having a buffet of thinly disguised historical cultures maybe take some real moment of history and toss in a monkey wrench that twists it all around... drop a meteor on medieval Spain or let Atilla's empire stick around a lot longer... see where it leads.

It's not medieval fantasy but one of my favorite takes on alternate history of late has been Better Mousetrap's 'Lowell Was Right!' RPG which starts with the simple question of what the world would be like if the scientific assumptions of the late 1800s had turned out to be correct... which leads to a modern era that is very different from our own.

 

Most of my differences have been the fantasy elements being added, every time i start writing the details on the cultures of my world, i look at the fantasy elements and how they effect the day to day life of regular people, how real magic effects them, the existence of the ghost rock, the non human sentient races and how they might influence development... and i end up with something very different to what i originally started with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am relatively late to the D100 party, but I love it, and now there is no going back. I have run a number of sessions for my game group, all using Legend.

 

I am not really much of a fan of historical Earth Settings and would actually prefer a Vanilla Fantasy setting for me to steal ideas that I like from. I'd love to see more generic fantasy material, in general, especially stuff I can compare my own material to. When I create cults, as an example I feel lost when comparing these to the incredibly detailed Gloranthan cults. 

 

As mentioned, however, I wouldn't want another D100 rule system, I would recommend using Legend and its OGL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

New settings are Always welcome by me. New Spot Rules as well. But an entirely new system? Be careful not to reinvent the wheel. I worked on my own system for a couple months before someone on another forum said "Um... Yeah...you're inventing BRP. " :)

  • Like 1

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do actually like new d100 game system versions to pilfer for rules. Rules are not protected by copyright, so as long as you use your own words describing them having an overlap with existing systems is not a problem. I wouldn't fully marry the system to the setting though, as everyone uses their own version. My suggestion would be making two pdfs, one for the rules and one for the setting. As long as the rules doesn't differ too much from existing systems, people could then either use the setting with their favorite set of rules, or with your d100 rules made specially for the setting.

Ef plest master, this mighty fine grub!
b1.gif 116/420. High Priest.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My suggestion would be making two pdfs, one for the rules and one for the setting. As long as the rules doesn't differ too much from existing systems, people could then either use the setting with their favorite set of rules, or with your d100 rules made specially for the setting.

 

That was the approach taken by the Age of Shadow Rpg (http://ageofshadow.freehostia.com/), which I thought was a great method.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Vile Traveller

If all you want to do is attach your setting to an existing rule set, it's fairly easy to do using any of the OGL versions (MRQ2, Legend, or my D100II), but the problem is that you can't claim compatibility with those rules unless you have a separate agreement with the publisher.

 

On the other hand, most of them are fairly approachable so you might be able to work out a licence deal with one of them, e.g. the Design Mechanism, which will allow you to create your own, approved setting book for your system of choice. BRP / Chaosium is more of a difficulty as you can gather from these boards. If you're concerned that the system in the RAW is not quite what you want, you can always include setting-specific rules of your own - most supplements do.

 

By the way, speaking from experience I wouldn't make feedback on internet forums a prime factor in deciding whether or not to write your book. Even if such a self-selecting audience could give you a true picture of the market, however good your book turns out to be it's extremely unlikely to be a commercial success or to take over as the preferred system of confirmed RQ/BRP fans, so the main point is whether you get enjoyment out of doing so. If you want to do it, just do it. If it's any good it will speak for itself.   :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Aini,

 

The very best option for a supplement like yours would be making it a RuneQuest Gateway supplement. This option is as simple as sending an email to Loz to show how fantastic your supplement is and sign a simple legal paper (the "gateway license") which states how things are. No fees at all, just a free license you get from The Design Mechanism. You may have been put off by the fact that RuneQuest is "not OGL", but the simple fact is that it is as free to use as the other ones mentioned. The only difference is that you cannot "make the hella you want with RuneQuest without telling the owners", but once you get your FREE license you are go to go. Try it!

RuneQuest is also a great option, among all d100 variants, for historical settings which contain fantasy elements.

  • Like 1

Proud member of the Evil CompetitionTM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm also in the more settings camp. Between OQ, Renaissance, Legend, RuneQuest Gateway, and Gore, there's plenty of publishing options.

More settings, and. GM materials and such, would be cool. The D&D oriented OSR seems to have a lot more traction in such things it seems.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...