Ok, the site's (d20openrpg.com) been up for a while and development continues. This blog is intended to be an easier place to discuss design and development subjects than where it was happening before, via Facebook posts.
So, what is this about? Have you checked out d20openrpg.com yet? Well we're hard at work developing what we like to call a "next generation d20" game system. Most of the elements already exist as Open Game Content via the d20 Modern System Reference Document, and the Pathfinder Reference Document. You see, this game system is intended to take the best elements of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and merge them with some of the more interesting elements of the d20 Modern ruleset, as well as merge in a few other elements inspired by the Star Wars Saga Edition rule set.
This is the first post, simply letting everyone know what the purpose of this blog is. Successive posts will be more detailed discussing various rules elements currently being developed. This system is meant to be a fully community built game system, so it can only accomplish that if you, the community get involved. You can do that by commenting on the various rules elements discussed in each post giving your feedback pro or con on the area being discussed, and if you like, even join the team so you can help shape this.
Ok, that's enough for the kick-off post. The next post will get right into the system.
In case you haven't checked it out yet, head on over to d20openrpg.com and poke around a bit. See what you think!
Looking forward to hearing your feedback!
--john
This is an ambitious project ... but I think you should be making clear right now what kind of point buy you will use. Will it be a GURPS type game which allows most character design freedom but at the cost of more DM intervention? Or will it be a slightly more guided affair with rules which enforce at least a semblance of balance.
ReplyDeleteThere is a large amount of polarization on this issue. The GURPS crowd tend to not like the types of mechanics necessary to enforce balance without DM intervention, and the D&D players tend to not like DM intervention in character design. So this should be clear up front.
I'm part of the second group so I would suggest these additions to the talent point system :
- Level based caps on augmentation of talents.
- Use a separate point pool for skills talents, or allow X number of points per level to count double for skills or something similar.
- Give people who take an archetype a greater number of points, but restrict what a number of those points can be spent on. Or alternatively use something like the GURPS lens system and restrict lenses by archetype.