Chaosium Releases Basic Role Playing SRD

Chaosium has released the Basic Roleplaying System Reference Document (SRD).



The Basic Roleplaying SRD is based on Basic Roleplaying, the simple, fast, and elegant skill-based percentile system that is the core of most Chaosium roleplaying games, including Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest, SuperWorld, and others.

Under the provisions of the Basic Roleplaying Open Game License (OGL), designers can create their own roleplaying games using the Basic Roleplaying rules engine, royalty-free and without further permission from Chaosium Inc.

For further details and to download the SRD document, see our Basic Roleplaying SRD information page.

This uses an opening gaming license, but not THE Open Gaming License (the commonly used one published by WotC nearly 20 years ago). It is based on similar concepts, but this uses the BRP Open Game License. A notable difference is that instead of "Product Identity") (which in the original license typically includes trademarks, proper names, a handful of iconic monsters, etc.), this license used "Prohibited Content" which expands that to include mechanics, or "substantially similar" mechanics to some selected features of the rules system. For example, part of the prohibited list includes:

"Augments: The use of one ability — whether skill or characteristic — to augment another ability of the same or a different type, in a manner substantially similar to those of the RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha rules."

Obviously you can make similar mechanics without using this license, but if you use this license you agree not to use mechanics similar to those in the prohibited content list.

The prohibited content list also contains Le Morte D'Arthur, and the Cthulhu Mythos.

 

[TrippyHippy]

You are angry. Why would anyone carry this grudge across multiple forums were it otherwise? One might think Jason shot your dog for all the vitriol you spew.

I don't think anyone who knows the history of these products would claim that CE isn't using the open rules provided by Marc and Matt. Indeed, I just stated it again myself. You're the one who, again here, is implying that doing so is somehow underhanded.

Are you under some impression that using open source rules, made open by the creator of the game, is somehow underhanded?

Are you psychic?!

This discussion has occurred, as far as I am aware, on this forum only at the moment. It may have been discussed on other forums previously, but again, as far as I am aware I haven’t discussed it personally for....years? It was a topic on rpgpub a couple of years ago which is the last time I recall discussing it, and I don’t really post on CotI these days. What other forums are you discussing it on? It hasn’t 'carried over' from other forums as much as other people on this thread brought it up and I responded. If you have come over from another forum, then are we to assume that you are angry? You are certainly coming across that way.

What people, on this thread, have been claiming is that Mongoose have done some underhand dealings to prevent others from making Traveller products and that, somehow what they are producing is not really Traveller.

Mongoose Traveller is, officially, Traveller and Cepheus isn’t, even though it is a clone. Nothing to question about being ‘underhand’ - it is just the reality of the situation.

Again, you seem rather ignorant of what transpired

And you seem to say that a lot without countering against or identifying what I have said that isn’t factually true.

Thank goodness you don't have a problem. One would think that approval of CE by Marc Miller and by Mongoose would be enough but this, oh, this approval will change everything. LOL.

As stated before, I don’t have any problem with it. Good luck with your business.

 

[Independence Games]

Are you psychic?!

This discussion has occurred, as far as I am aware, on this forum only at the moment. It may have been discussed on other forums previously, but again, as far as I am aware I haven’t discussed it personally for....years? It was a topic on rpgpub a couple of years ago which is the last time I recall discussing it, and I don’t really post on CotI these days.

Then perhaps I'm mistaking you for someone else. The arguments and style seem all too familiar. If so, you have my apologies for that.

However, you have been implying rather heavily in this thread that my friend, Jason, and others who use the open source rules are doing something underhanded. They are not. That is what I've found offensive about your posts and what has made me angry.

 

[TrippyHippy]

Then perhaps I'm mistaking you for someone else. The arguments and style seem all too familiar. If so, you have my apologies for that.

However, you have been implying rather heavily in this thread that my friend, Jason, and others who use the open source rules are doing something underhanded. They are not. That is what I've found offensive about your posts and what has made me angry.

So you are angry, then?

It may be worth putting the context of my comments with those others who have been commentating here about Mongoose Traveller, and the licensing arrangement thereof. I didn’t say, for the record, that people using open source rules are doing anything underhand. By the same token, neither are Mongoose.

 

[Independence Games]

I didn’t say, for the record, that people using open source rules are doing anything underhand. By the same token, neither are Mongoose.

I would agree that those using the open source rules are doing nothing wrong. I would also agree that Mongoose is doing nothing wrong by producing their books as licensed to do so.

 

[TrippyHippy]

I would agree that those using the open source rules are doing nothing wrong. I would also agree that Mongoose is doing nothing wrong by producing their books as licensed to do so.

Good. We are in agreement. We can move on.

 

[aramis erak]

You do understand that Marc Miller chooses who he gives his license to, no?

The exclusivity clause in the Mongoose 1E deal was apparently a surprise to Marc. Especialy with how Mongoose dealt with it.

 

[TrippyHippy]

The exclusivity clause in the Mongoose 1E deal was apparently a surprise to Marc. Especialy with how Mongoose dealt with it.

Well he signed it and then, guess what, he signed another contract 8 years later. Who’d have thought that a business paying for a licence on a IP would want to have an exclusivity clause? How dastardly!

And you know, seeing as you can still access and buy every single version of Traveller, including GURPS Traveller, methinks you protest too much.

 

[aramis erak]

Maybe numong can pay reparations for forcing Marc to pull the licenses on GURPS Interstellar Wars, Classic Traveller TNE2 1248, and Hero Games; all gamers lost those settings and rules sets because of mongoose. With the GURPS Interstellar Wars (Earth vs the Imperium), being considered one of the best written for Traveller ever; which in replacement we get numong's goofy tone like a 50 year old teenager:

while they're "dead lines" Marc has made 1248 available on CD, and HT as well. That said, SJG opted not to renew, according to a couple posts from SJG staffers. (Phil and Kromm)

@TrippyHippy The later one had a lot more vetting by Marc's counsel, and a number of clauses deleted, and a few more inserted by Marc. (Source: email with GP Lee, Marc's counsel.)
It wasn't just a straight renewal. And it apparently deleted the exclusivity clause, as evidenced by Marc licensing GP Lee, and permitting continued sale of GT after the technical end of the SJG license.

 

[dragoner]

while they're "dead lines" Marc has made 1248 available on CD ...

I have it, for a while now; own most of mgt too, and was playing up until recently, also just finished a T5 game. Mostly what I would be interested is ISW stuff, maybe rp the Imperium wargame.

 

[TrippyHippy]

The later one had a lot more vetting by Marc's counsel, and a number of clauses deleted, and a few more inserted by Marc. (Source: email with GP Lee, Marc's counsel.)
It wasn't just a straight renewal. And it apparently deleted the exclusivity clause, as evidenced by Marc licensing GP Lee, and permitting continued sale of GT after the technical end of the SJG license.

Greg Lee’s work was Cirque for T5 wasn’t it? Well, T5 was always exempt, because it was Marc Miller’s personal work. SJGames were given dispensation after MGT1’s licence to make Interstellar Wars as their last publication for Traveller, and the entire line has been available in PDF form for a while.

No negotiation for a license ever amounts to a 'straight renewal'. Both parties had things they wanted from the deal. Presumably, both parties got what they wanted from it. From what I can see, Mongoose Traveller 2 has been a well received success, that continues to produce great products and has attracted new audiences.