Looking for a free game system

[Orleron]

Can anyone here recommend a free game system that is simple to use and would translate well into a computer game?

I would not be able to use d20 or any other proprietary system in a project I am putting together (unless I got a free license for it).

 

[Piratecat]

I suspect your two criteria are diametrically opposed. "Simple to use" generally means "not very many rules," which often translates to more input from the GM. That's hard to do in a computer game. All the fun, free, simple games I can think of have rulesets that wouldn't translate well to a computer game.

 

[Jeph]

Also note, "free" does not equal "anyone can use it without the author's permission." There are quite literally several hundred free game systems downloaded off the net on my hard drive... Off the top of my head, only three of those are open license.

d20 SRD
The Solar System (Shadow of Yesterday)
FATE 3e (Spirit of the Century)

Of those three, only d20 is remotely suited for adaptation to a computer game.

 

[Zoatebix]

Then there are the crazy complicated free game like JAGS.
http://www.jagsrpg.org/

Anyone know if Thrash is still hosted anywhere? Runequest Slayers is over 200 pages, too...
-George Austin
Edit: Oh yeah, and what Jeph said.

 

[Orleron]

Good points.

Let me ask you this... Can anyone make a computer game off of the d20 rules? I thought that d20 licenses only applied to pnp/tabletop?

Moreover, could someone legally make a d20-based online game system that made a profit?

I mean ultimately I would choose d20 for this project, but my impression was that's not doable if the intent is to sell the product.

 

[Clueless]

You may also want to consider making your own system. There's a thread around here that Rel started on a d52 system (aka, uses a pack of cards) that might be a start for your own.

 

[Asmor]

Could be he meant free as in "free speech," not free as in "free beer." Though I suspect he wants both...

If I may make a suggestion, as someone noted, a "simple" system is not that great for a computer game... However a complicated system, on the other hand, is absolutely perfect for a computer game. It doesn't matter how inconsistent or hard to memorize/learn the rules are, the important thing is that the rules are thorough in coverage and adjudication.

 

[Orleron]

Ok, great, thanks. If you have any more links to complicated systems that are free, as in beer, feel free to post.

 

[Slife]

Well, I'm fairly certain there are free versions of Rogue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_(computer_game)).

 

[shouit]

Also another one, which FATE, aka Spirit of the Century, is based on is FUDGE.

www.fudgerpg.com