BRPG Open Source?

[joela]

I'm a little confused here. Is the Basic Roleplaying Game system Open Source like the d20 SRD for the 3.x version of the World's Oldest RPG? I ask because I see OpenQuest, D100, etc.

[NickMiddleton]

I'm a little confused here. Is the Basic Roleplaying Game system Open Source like the d20 SRD for the 3.x version of the World's Oldest RPG?

No. BRP is a trademark, owned by Chaosium. The text they publish under that trademark is copyright by Chaosium.

I ask because I see OpenQuest, D100, etc.

Mongoose licensed the trademark RuneQuest from Greg Stafford and created a new game to publish using it that was closely modeled on the old game (Greg Stafford described it at RPGNet as "the same system but not the same copyright words" - the first edition at least of MRQ fell somewhat short of that). MGP chose to make the core text of this game available as a System Reference Document under the OGL, and made a trademark license for using the RuneQUest trademark available (this they have now withdrawn, and they have not updated the MRQ SRD to reflect the changes made in MRQ2). All the OGL d100 "BRP-like" games are therefore derived from the MRQ SRD, NOT BRP directly.

Cheers,

Nick

[joela]

Thank, Nick. So if we wanted to write up a monograph, we'd just reference BRP to the appropriate rules, not repeat them wholesale in it.

[rust]

So if we wanted to write up a monograph, we'd just reference BRP to the appropriate rules, not repeat them wholesale in it.

As always in such cases, if you intend to publish anything that might touch upon the rights of

Chaosium, it would be prudent to ask them whether they would have any problems with it -

this is much better, and usually easier, than having some misunderstanding causing real pro-

blems later on.

Besides, if you want to publish something connected with BRP, a good relationship with Cha-

osium might well help later on during the distribution.

[NickMiddleton]

Thank, Nick. So if we wanted to write up a monograph, we'd just reference BRP to the appropriate rules, not repeat them wholesale in it.

It seems a weird thing to do when you could:

• approach Chaosoium directly about them publishing it.
  
• approach Chaosium about letting you publish it yourself under some sort of license agreement.
  
• approach one of the other BRP licensors (Alephtar and Cubicle 7).
  
• approach Chaosium about publishing it as a fan / not-for-profit venture yourself#
  
• or even use one of the OGL alternatives (OpenQuest, MRQ1) if getting Chaosium's agreement is too much of an obstacle.
  

I just can't imagine circumstances that make sense of doing a project that is explicitly BRP but NOT communicating with Chaosium...

Cheers,

Nick

# Chaosium were entirely amenable to me charging for Uncounted Worlds to cover my costs - it was my choice to NOT charge for it.

Edited July 22, 2010 by NickMiddleton
layout

[joela]

I just can't imagine circumstances that make sense of doing a project that is explicitly BRP but NOT communicating with Chaosium...

Cheers,

Nick

# Chaosium were entirely amenable to me charging for Uncounted Worlds to cover my costs - it was my choice to NOT charge for it.

Oh, no! Just wanted clarification about OpenQuest, D100, etc., which I see on the web. Thanks, though, for all the suggestions.

[Atgxtg]

OpenQuest and the other "open" RPGs are a bit different. Legaqlly, anyone can write a set of rules, and can amke them very much like another set of rules, just as long as they don'7t use any trademakred terms or copy text verbvatim. Where or not, morally, it is right to do so, is another matter.

THere are a lot of advantages to contacting Chasoium. An actually BRP product is probably going to get more interest than a BRP realted product for PenQuest or GORE.At rthe very least, a BRP product doesn't need to be adjusted to make it compatable with BRP the way a BRP related product might need to be. Less work for a GM means a greater chance of making a sale.

[joela]

THere are a lot of advantages to contacting Chasoium. An actually BRP product is probably going to get more interest than a BRP realted product for PenQuest or GORE.At rthe very least, a BRP product doesn't need to be adjusted to make it compatable with BRP the way a BRP related product might need to be. Less work for a GM means a greater chance of making a sale.

How does one go about proposing for a monograph?

[Thalaba]

How does one go about proposing for a monograph?

Send Dustin Wright an enthusiastic e-mail.

dustin@chaosium.com

[joela]

Send Dustin Wright an enthusiastic e-mail.

dustin@chaosium.com

Thanks!