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In contrast to the GSL, Ryan Dancey on OGL/D20 in WotC archives
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<blockquote data-quote="Mustrum_Ridcully" data-source="post: 4323757" data-attributes="member: 710"><p>Open Source Code is (usually) documented and commented on. Open Rules (often) not. </p><p></p><p>I loved Monte Cooks design diaries. I like the "Behind the Curtain" stuff in the 3E DMG. I like the "Designer Notes" in the Pathfinder Alpha. </p><p></p><p>An important part of any "Open Gaming" has to be that the designers not just writes down his rules, but the design intent behind them. Why is he doing it this way? How does he believe it accomplishes what it is supposed to accomplish? How does it interact with other rules? </p><p></p><p></p><p>Still, I think it can sometimes be dangerous to compare software and role-playing games. The analogies work sometimes, but not everywhere, and it's important identify the similiarties and the differences. </p><p></p><p>If Open Source software itself does not make money, but the services offered with the software itself do earn money, how does this translate to Open Gaming? Does it translate at all? The closest might be the idea of a publisher taking the open rules and creating a "core rulebook" from it. But to me, that also sounds similar to something like a Linux distribution, which are usually free. Only if you want to get the CD/DVD version (instead of dowloading it) you need to spend some money. </p><p></p><p>Large open source projects like Linux, Open Office or Eclipse usually have a certain organization to ensure quality and define what's in and what's not. Linus Torval might not write a lot of code for Linux itself these days (I am not that familiar with Linux, but the last thing I heard was that he was very busy creating and improving the repository/version management system that handles the various versions of the Linux Kernel), but someone still decides what goes into the Kernel and what not. You can freely "houserule" it, I suppose, but there is still a kind of "official" Kernel. Eclipse is strongly supported and likewise shaped by IBM.</p><p></p><p>What does Open Gaming have as equivalents? Are their multiple projects (Linux, Open office, Eclipse and countless more), or is their actually just a single one (d20 System?). I tend to think it's going in the latter direction (True20, Modern20, Grim Tales and what not), but these are still strongly linked to the individual publishers. Or are True20 & co just the equivalent of Linux distributions, and only other games under OGL (Spirit of the Century?) can count as different projects?</p><p>How are these individual projects organized, how to they improve?</p><p></p><p>A fundamental difference between open software and open gaming is also that it is easy to update software. The computer doesn't half-remember rules from the previous version. He just uses the current one. The computer directly runs the new software. A human being still needs to reference the rules, which often means he needs a print product or something similar. </p><p>Software development cycles can be very fast. An entirely new version of Windows might come around only every few years, but all those little patches are still development improvements. Similar things can be said to Linux, Open Office or Firefox. </p><p>Is it even possible to recreate this effectively in gaming? WotC put out a lot of errata, but is this equivalent to the small patches and .x version updates? And - how useful is this at all?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mustrum_Ridcully, post: 4323757, member: 710"] Open Source Code is (usually) documented and commented on. Open Rules (often) not. I loved Monte Cooks design diaries. I like the "Behind the Curtain" stuff in the 3E DMG. I like the "Designer Notes" in the Pathfinder Alpha. An important part of any "Open Gaming" has to be that the designers not just writes down his rules, but the design intent behind them. Why is he doing it this way? How does he believe it accomplishes what it is supposed to accomplish? How does it interact with other rules? Still, I think it can sometimes be dangerous to compare software and role-playing games. The analogies work sometimes, but not everywhere, and it's important identify the similiarties and the differences. If Open Source software itself does not make money, but the services offered with the software itself do earn money, how does this translate to Open Gaming? Does it translate at all? The closest might be the idea of a publisher taking the open rules and creating a "core rulebook" from it. But to me, that also sounds similar to something like a Linux distribution, which are usually free. Only if you want to get the CD/DVD version (instead of dowloading it) you need to spend some money. Large open source projects like Linux, Open Office or Eclipse usually have a certain organization to ensure quality and define what's in and what's not. Linus Torval might not write a lot of code for Linux itself these days (I am not that familiar with Linux, but the last thing I heard was that he was very busy creating and improving the repository/version management system that handles the various versions of the Linux Kernel), but someone still decides what goes into the Kernel and what not. You can freely "houserule" it, I suppose, but there is still a kind of "official" Kernel. Eclipse is strongly supported and likewise shaped by IBM. What does Open Gaming have as equivalents? Are their multiple projects (Linux, Open office, Eclipse and countless more), or is their actually just a single one (d20 System?). I tend to think it's going in the latter direction (True20, Modern20, Grim Tales and what not), but these are still strongly linked to the individual publishers. Or are True20 & co just the equivalent of Linux distributions, and only other games under OGL (Spirit of the Century?) can count as different projects? How are these individual projects organized, how to they improve? A fundamental difference between open software and open gaming is also that it is easy to update software. The computer doesn't half-remember rules from the previous version. He just uses the current one. The computer directly runs the new software. A human being still needs to reference the rules, which often means he needs a print product or something similar. Software development cycles can be very fast. An entirely new version of Windows might come around only every few years, but all those little patches are still development improvements. Similar things can be said to Linux, Open Office or Firefox. Is it even possible to recreate this effectively in gaming? WotC put out a lot of errata, but is this equivalent to the small patches and .x version updates? And - how useful is this at all? [/QUOTE]
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