Which RPG games depend on the OGL 1.0a?


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Every game that uses D&D concepts like Fighters, Clerics, Wizards, levels, classes, Elves, Orcs, are in the danger zone.

Don't kid yourself you're fine just because you think you will be able to use legalese to weasel yourself out of any formal definitions.

You are only safe* if your game demonstrably uses a different game engine than that of D&D. Or in other words, your game has never had the appeal of being similar to or like D&D (any version). Games like BRP/RQ, GURPS Fantasy or MERP/RoleMaster.

*) and no, contrary to what you might think, I am not a lawyer :)
Rifts and TORG (and I know there are others) both predate the OGL by a decade or more and use roll D20 and add modifier to hit target number. Both are more then different enough not to matter.

THis is important... as you said
You are only safe* if your game demonstrably uses a different game engine than that of D&D.
and I hope that is not lost on all the companies trying to push forward.
 


Rifts and TORG (and I know there are others) both predate the OGL by a decade or more and use roll D20 and add modifier to hit target number. Both are more then different enough not to matter.
More to the point, there's no money in those games. So they're safe because Hasbro won't care, not because they're using their d20's differently...

that is not lost on all the companies trying to push forward.
Personally though I am of the opinion there are already more than enough (fantasy) rulesets to go around.

I realize we're in front of a wave of new game systems because it's much easier to sell complete new game systems, but I would have loved it if at least some of the current 3PPs would look around for existing fantasy rulesets and base their not-D&D products around them...
 




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