Would you do this..?

[Bendris Noulg]

Hmmm... Need an image icon for SRD issues...

At any rate, there is talk amongst some of the publishers (been going on for a while, but Ryan got involved and so now it's a hot topic) of maintaining an OGC repository. That is, not just having the WotC SRDs or the Action! System Documents, but of collecting the OG Content of various d20 and OGL releases and compiling the information in sub-SRD documents.

So what's the question? If this were done as a volunteer effort, would you be willing to transcribe/PI-Scrub OGC material from various releases to build up this project?

 

[Crothian]

I'm not sure how good of an idea that would be. Obviously, the publishers know more on the subject then
I do, but having it all together just seems like it would actually be more overwelming then 100's of books.

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

I might be interesting in lending an infrequent hand if this was an initiative with some strong commitment and longevity.

Like Crothian says, this would be a tremendously huge undertaking - BUT - it doesn't have to cover EVERYTHING.

Support of participating publishers would be essential too...

 

[Nifft]

I think that PC-Gen has something like this, but in machine-readable format, which you can filter by source.

It'd be nice if your repository and theirs inter-operated.

-- N

 

[Bendris Noulg]

It'd be nice if your repository and theirs inter-operated.

Note: Not my repository.

There are a few already out there, and Ryan Dancey has recently brought up the issue (sparking some degree of interest from folks formerly not interested). However, in the discussion, there is some degree of speculation regarding who would be willing to make the extractions. So, rather than watch publishers debate it, I figured I'd ask folks here directly to see how much manpower could be mustered on a regular, part-time, or temporary basis.

Ideally, the theory goes that the SRD documents could be catalogued in a database. You could then go through it and pick all the rules that would relate specifically to your game. Hit "Compile" (or other suitable command), and you get a single pdf, doc or other file type that contains all of the rules, ready to have changes and flavor/PI added.

Another boon would be to allow OGC re-use to become simplified between publishers by clearing out any declaration issues involved, reducing the "re-invent the wheel" syndrom that is occuring due to the extensive amount of material available. Sure, Company X may have made rules for A, but Company Y didn't know that so they made rules for A as well. With this, Company Y could quickly find that rules for A already exist and determine whether those rules are adequate for their specific project or if re-invention is a better option (sometimes, for balance or flavor, it really is better).

 

[Kesh]

I've been doing this on my own, off and on. Pulling OGC material from various books I've got to integrate into my own homebrew setting. When Unearthed Arcana comes out, that'll really rock.

But, yeah, I'm looking at putting my homebrew together from all these rules and possibly creating a PDF rulebook/campaign setting on the web. It'd be more like what White Wolf has done, fitting as much as possible into a single volume, instead of spreading it out over 4 books (PHB/DMG/MM/Setting).

Of course, given my restrictions, I couldn't really charge for it nor support the setting beyond the first book. And it probably won't have much in the way of artwork... ah well.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

I've been doing this on my own, off and on. Pulling OGC material from various books I've got to integrate into my own homebrew setting. When Unearthed Arcana comes out, that'll really rock.

Ditto in all counts.

 

[MerakSpielman]

I'd be willing to do a section, but I don't really have much OGC stuff to transcribe from.

HOWEVER

I am a professional technical editor. Perhaps I could offer some services in that regard? I can tell right away we'll need standardized formatting for monsters, items, classes, spells, etc... so when people bring up a new document from the database it's consistant with the other documents. Makes it more comprehendable.

If you get this off the ground, email me and I'll see what I can do.

 

[diaglo]

is this similar to what green ronin did with their pocket spellbook guides...divine and arcane?

 

[Bendris Noulg]

is this similar to what green ronin did with their pocket spellbook guides...divine and arcane?

Yes, except the material would be seperated by source (i.e., the Quintessential Fighter's SRD+ Document, the Shaman's Handbook SRD+ Document, etc.) rather than topic, to ensure that an item's Section 15 only contained relevant information (imagine using the material from the main SRD and additional material from 3 sources, but then having a Section 15 listing every source contributing to the archive... Yikes.).