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Message: <blockquote data-quote="LurkMonkey" data-source="post: 5272006" data-attributes="member: 68949">I would say that a lot of companies do quite well using shared content in MS-DOS even if they haven't created their own language. I'd say Paizo isn't working a 'shared world' analogy. What the OGL covers is rules mechanics and a few stat sets for monsters after all. Instead of a 'shared world', think of it as a shared language. They are just using open source gaming code to underlie their quite original storylines.    I think  they aren't sitting on 3e's laurels. They took the gaming rules covered by the OGL, adjusted them to eradicate a few of the worst 'bugs', and published them as an underlying technical manual to play their game. Now they are expanding on the OGL-derived code set with all new classes and rules, which, although new and unique, are still 'backwards compatable' to OGL material with a few minor tweaks. They also have kept 'their' version open source to encourage 3pp participation. Also, Lisa Stevens has said that she wants Paizo to remain small and nimble. She has been employed by several of the Big Guys and endured their growing pains, and has seen what happens when a company gets too big in this field. Will the market be saturated? Who knows? There's obviously plenty of room for expansion now. I don't think they will ever devise some new 'D13' mechanic just to have their own proprietal system, there's no need. As I mentioned in another post, the OGL is there, and it is a proven robust ruleset. They are doing what they love, making great stories. They are also free to cross-fertilize with the best ideas from 3pps past and present. They often use the monsters and templates from the Tome of Horror series and the Advanced Bestiary in their Adventure Paths. I'm sure as some of the other new publishing houses like Rite Publishing, LPJ Design, Open Design, and others begin to gather steam they will all riff off each other's ideas. Paizo has a lot of veterans working for them. They've seen the pitfalls of too much splat. They've seen corporate bloat. I think they are in a sweet spot where they can craft the stories they want and remain masters of their own destiny.</blockquote>

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