Open Pen and Paper games

[hallsofvallhalla]

Need some links to open source pen and paper games or just anywhere I can find some indies who are making their own pen and paper RPG. I am hitting some brick walls with trying to use any published material. Not surprised though. The D20 system is a option but not too interested. Looking to team up with a good open source or Indie P&P game.

Forums dealing with this would be nice too.

I have really been thinking allot about the build your own adventure system.


Thanks

[Torniquet]

I am going to be building a p&p type game soon. (or atleast so goes the plan lol)

ill give you a shout when i come to it n see if your still interested then (just dont hold your breath lol :p)

[KunoNoOni]

I found some information you might find useful Click here


-KunoNoOni

[hallsofvallhalla]

kewl thanks, I have actually drawn the interest of a major Pen and paper game!! One of my favorites too. Will give more details when I have them.

[Callan S.]

I can only think of a few majors - which one?

Are you making a browser game or making a PNP game yourself?

[hallsofvallhalla]

browser game to use a pen and paper ruleset

[Callan S.]

To my mind, with traditional RPG's that doesn't work. Like, take the climb skill for example, almost omni present in many games. When do you make a climb skill roll? Well pretty much that's left to the GM anddddd....in the end as a game coder, it's left up to you. You wouldn't be getting anything that helps you. And what goes for the climb skill practically goes for every other skill, and often combat abilities. Traditional RPG systems really don't give you anything - you end up making the whole game yourself, often while trying to accomidate the peculularities of the game that is giving you nothing. Every single skill - you end up doing all the real implementation.

It's actually one of my biggest peeves with traditional games - whats the point of listing a million skills if in the end I have to do all the implementation?

That said some newer RPG's like capes (http://www.museoffire.com/Games/downloads.html)capes or 3:16 (http://boxninja.com/) have actual rulesets to them where you don't have to fill out any blanks in the system.

[Jackolantern]

I think it is in the eye of the beholder what is best. I like pen'n'paper RPGs where the rules are very basic and you implement them yourself, because I would always use an extremely basic form of them. I always thought rules got in the way of the game, instead of augmenting it. Some obviously feel the opposite, considering how popular some rule-heavy games have become in the last few years.

[Callan S.]

In terms of this thread, I think the idea was using a pre existing game in order to reduce the work involved, not increase the amount of work involved (I think halls said that in the post he left at www.indie-rpgs.com as well). So it's not really an eye of the beholder thing - if it's measurably more work, it's no good. My post was just estimating the amount. The two games I linked to might reduce it though. There are probably more, but that's what lept to mind.

In terms of rules getting in the way of 'the game', I've seen a few implimentations - one is that every single tiny task involves rules use. Even if your climbing over a small fence, with no risk of damage, oh, it involves a roll and all the difficulty rating determining and math. I'm thinking this is maybe what your refering to in a negative way, as rules are designed not with any grander story shaping in mind, but just making you roll if there's a fence there.

I think that's what you mean by getting in the way. It's like having to stop and consult the book to tie your shoelaces and brush your teeth...it gets in the way of something which is actually engaging.

But I think you can have story like rules, like destiny points in the riddle of steel RPG. The rules for these points are arranged more around the story of someone meeting their destiny, rather than being designed around simulating climbing a fence.

Rules have a great deal more potential than simply being used to simulate climbing a fence/brushing ones teeth/mundane crap.