OGL: Kobold Press 'Raising Our Flag' For New Open RPG

Kobold Press has announced its plans regarding the upcoming new OGL v1.1, which involves a new, open game codenamed Project Black Flag.

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Kobold Press has been and always will be committed to open gaming and the tabletop community. Our goal is to continue creating the best materials for players and game masters alike.

This means Kobold Press will release its current Kickstarter projects as planned, including Campaign Builder: Cities & Towns (already printed and on its way to backers this winter).

In particular, Deep Magic Volume 2 will remain fully compatible with the 5E rules. We are working with our VTT partners to maintain support for digital platforms.

As we look ahead, it becomes even more important for our actions to represent our values. While we wait to see what the future holds, we are moving forward with clear-eyed work on a new Core Fantasy tabletop ruleset: available, open, and subscription-free for those who love it—Code Name: Project Black Flag.

All Kobolds look forward to the continued evolution of tabletop gaming. We aim to play our part in making the game better for everyone. Rest assured, Kobold Press intends to maintain a strong presence in the tabletop RPG community. We are not going anywhere.

Raising Our Flag - Kobold Press

Kobold Press is committed to open gaming. We are moving forward with clear-eyed work on a new Core Fantasy tabletop ruleset: available, open, and subscription-free for those who love it—Code Name: Project Black Flag.

koboldpress.com

 

[tetrasodium]

Yes, exactly what I said. Understand that for me "it will just be 5E" is a selling point: I'm interested in a Kobold Press product that works with my WotC material.

For others like me "it's just like 5e" reduces interest. As a gm
I'm more hopeful for meaningful mechanical changes than interested in mere class differences

 

[Zaukrie]

Or…you know…you could just not rely on the VTT to do all the fancy stuff. You could just run the game and handle the mechanics yourself and let the VTT be a VTT.

Or, I can run my game the way my players want, given we all have other hobbies and things going on. I don't use it for any fancy stuff.....

 

[Jer]

Or…you know…you could just not rely on the VTT to do all the fancy stuff. You could just run the game and handle the mechanics yourself and let the VTT be a VTT.

Honestly these days what I want is a game where the mechanics are simple enough that I run it online the same way I run it at the table. If I can't run it using what's available using just Owlbear Rodeo I'm probably not going to run it. (I generally use Roll20 - but I also don't use Roll20 for anything but the same things I'd use Owlbear Rodeo for. I just started using Roll20 before OR existed and have gotten used to its quirks).

 

[overgeeked]

Honestly these days what I want is a game where the mechanics are simple enough that I run it online the same way I run it at the table. If I can't run it using what's available using just Owlbear Rodeo I'm probably not going to run it. (I generally use Roll20 - but I also don't use Roll20 for anything but the same things I'd use Owlbear Rodeo for. I just started using Roll20 before OR existed and have gotten used to its quirks).

Yeah, exactly. It the game’s mechanics are so heavy you feel the need to push handling that onto a computer, then it’s an overly-designed game.

 

[Jer]

Yeah, exactly. It the game’s mechanics are so heavy you feel the need to push handling that onto a computer, then it’s a badly designed game.

I don't think that's necessarily true - I think you can have a game that is expressly designed to be run with a computer and it could be a fine game.

It's just probably not a game I'm personally interested in playing. Kind of like how even though I'm impressed by the existence of games like Phoenix Command I'm not actually ever interested in ever playing games like Phoenix Command.

 

[overgeeked]

I don't think that's necessarily true - I think you can have a game that is expressly designed to be run with a computer and it could be a fine game.

Yep. They’re called video games. A lot of them are great.

It's just probably not a game I'm personally interested in playing. Kind of like how even though I'm impressed by the existence of games like Phoenix Command I'm not actually ever interested in ever playing games like Phoenix Command.

Right. Because the rules are so complex you’d have to use a computer. Wondering if you can vs if you should and all that.

 

[jerryrice4949]

Yes, exactly what I said. Understand that for me "it will just be 5E" is a selling point: I'm interested in a Kobold Press product that works with my WotC material.

I guess I don’t understand the point. Either it is 5E or it is not. I know that is pretty black and white thinking but I don’t really understand how it is supposed to be different and the same so it works seamlessly but is unique. Huh? Why not just be 5E then? Confusing me even more is the new Kickstarter where one of the stretch goals is Black Flag spells? How would that be different from the other spells. I have backed every one of their 5e kickstarters and bought other material from them but I am getting a little turned off at this point.

 

[Jer]

Yep. They’re called video games. A lot of them are great.

No, that's not what I mean. I mean an actual regular old RPG that has a GM but that is meant to be played with a computer instead of a rule book.

Right. Because the rules are so complex you’d have to use a computer. Wondering if you can vs if you should and all that.

But there are people who played and enjoyed Phoenix Command back in the day. There probably still are. It's not for me, but that doesn't mean there isn't a market for it among people who aren't me.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

EDIT: Actually, DiceMaiden has been a bit flaky the last couple of weeks, but hopefully they will get that fixed soon!

Thank god, I thought it was just us screwing it up somehow. I can't lose both DivaBot and DiceMaiden back to back!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I guess I don’t understand the point. Either it is 5E or it is not. I know that is pretty black and white thinking but I don’t really understand how it is supposed to be different and the same so it works seamlessly but is unique. Huh? Why not just be 5E then?

Better organized? Fixed some of the weird corner case rules? New core classes, subclasses, spells and monsters integrated into the core book?

Lots of potential reasons.

I think it's too early to decide you don't want them without knowing what they offer yet. Black Flag should be debuting this month, so we'll start to get a better picture soon.