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Alternative name needed for d100 games?


Jae

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There seems to be confusion about the definition of a d100 game. For many (like here at BRP Central), it means that the game is derived from the Runequest/BRP family of games. For others, it means that the system uses percentile dice, which would also include Warhammer, Rolemaster (& MERP), Eclipse Phase, Star Frontiers etc. on these boards its pretty clear that d100 is the former, but as soon as one explores other rpg sites, it appears that the d100 family has a brand and identity issue and that d100 can mean many things.

 

As an example of the confusion, check out this discussion over at rpg.net:

 

http://rpggeek.com/thread/888047/d100-and-brp

 

I can't shake the feeling that the d100 family needs to have a name that distinguishes it from other percentile dice games. Especially, as the pedigree of games within the d100 family are so strong and it deserves some recognition. Here are some possibilities:

  • Using BRP as a distinctive name, especially as Chaosium claims that their games are part of the BRP system. Also, games in the d100 family are assigned BRP as their system on rpg.net. However, there are potential problems with using the BRP name. Firstly, how does Chaosium feel about that? I believe they have copyright over Basic Role Playing and possibly even the usage of BRP. Also, how do d100 manufactures feel about using BRP?
  • Refer to the games as being d100 SRD or d100II SRD, but that also comes with some challenges. Firstly, its a mouthful and secondly it doesn't distinguish the d100 family from other percentile based games very well. Moreover, I can't see Chaosium saying that their games are part of the d100 SRD family. Can you imagine?
  • Refer to the games as being Runequest based. This is probably out, because the Runequest name is licensed and is also strongly associated with Glorantha.
  • Have BRP refer to Chaosium games. And have BRP/d100 (or something more catchy) as a separate name for licensed and SRD based games.

 

Another possibility is that a generic term for all BRP/d100 family games already exists. That it is supported by a recognisable logo and website and that I have somehow been a dithering idiot and missed it. Now, I am also going to look a complete muppet if it turns out that Chaosium has no issues with d100 SRD and other games in the same family (Openquest, GORE etc) marketing themselves as part of the BRP family. However, certain comments and the recent debate on this site over having a separate d100 forum (so as to allow BRP / Big Gold Book discussions to remain separate from d100 family discussions), has lead me to believe that this is not the case.

 

So, is it important? Well, maybe. Depends. I think so. After all, clearly delineating between D&D 3rd Edition and D20 OGL, helped wotc sales massively (well, until the whole Pathfinder/4th edition cock-up occurred). It also helped many d20 publishers get established and helped the fans get some amazing games and licenses (even with that inferior class based, AC using system). What do you think?

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Eh... I'm not sure it's all that necessary.

It's like a vehicle. Is it a car? OK. Is it a 4 door or sedan? 4 cylinder or 6? Still a car.

Is the game system d100? OK. Is it Rolemaster? FASA?(LOL) , BRP?

BRP? Cool. Is it Corum? Magic World? Classic Fantasy? Rune Quest I-XX?(LOL)

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In my head and my PDF hoard I call it the "Chaosium System", since that's where it started.

 

Really, though, I don't think there's a point in drawing lines and inventing brand names.  Everything outside the D&D sphere is nigh-invisible to those in the D&D sphere and the world at large.  It's probably more practical to lure people in with specific titles -- RuneQuest, Call of Cthulhu, Magic World(?) -- and then point out that there's a whole family of extraordinarily similar games one can borrow from.

Frank

"Welcome to the hottest and fastest-growing hobby of, er, 1977." -- The Laundry RPG
 
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Chaosium System is what I knew it as before the BRP BGB came out.

Most people I knew referred to the system as this, but more often than not, people tended to refer to the individual game names like RQ or CoC

I think now people think of the BRP family of games as being BRP, not just the BRP BGB, or the games that Chaosium owns.

I would like a unifying title beyond Basic Role Playing, as the system is certainly not Basic by today's rules-lite standards. However it probably doesn't make much difference all the same

" 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!"

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Chances are that such a name will never be taken up by the publishers, so it would only be used by fans.

 

Licensing issues would almost certainly stop RuneQuest or BRP supplements from having multiple logos, I would think. I am not sure about Legend supplements, as the licence does not specifically preclude other logos - the Legend Compatible licence might, though.

 

In any case, getting them to all agree on a name/logo would be ... difficult.

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

www.soltakss.com/index.html

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I categorize Runequest, BRP, CoC as d100 family games because they have similar enough rules that you can mix and match them in the same/similar way you can the d20 OGL based games. The systems that use percentile dice but aren't part of the d100 family of games I would refer to them by name as you can't really mix and match Rolemaster and Star Frontiers mechanics as easily. Just like Talislanta is a game that uses a d20, but is not a "d20" game.

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The other part of the confusion is that the BRP descendents share more than just a d100 (or d%) mechanic.  Plenty of games use percentiles for the skill system or some other aspect, but if they're also class & level based, or don't have mechanics like SIZ, they're probably not BRP related, or so altered as to be VERY distant cousins.  If you want to make a list of who's in the BRP family, we could do that, but it has been hashed out pretty well before.

44/420

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Yes, I feared as much. I guess we might be able to come up with some suitable name that might catch on in the industry (like the BGB did), that would help distinguish BRP / d100 family games from distant cousins (Pendragon, Eclipse Phase) and other percentile based games. However, I suspect that what is needed is a bold move on the part of Chaosium to embrace the opportunity and create a "BRP100" logo or some such, with a set of clear, qualifying guidelines.

 

Sadly, I think there are 2 hopes of that and one of them is Bob.

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Guest Vile Traveller

I think the term d100* is a lot more recognisable now than it was in the past, because at some point d20 became a thing. I don't really have a problem with sticking the d100 logo on things to give them a kind of family identity, but that's really up to individual publishers. Doesn't mean we can't bug them about it, though.   ;)

 

* Actually I prefer D100 because I'm of that vintage.

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