Thanks to the new GSL, Goodman Games has reposted the three Judge Guild Modules at RPGNow. I wrote the first one, Badabaskor, and did the maps and layout for all three.
Note: These are still using the D20 SRD. They have not been redone for 4e.
Would you mind commenting or writing about creation under the GSL? I was under the impression that there were a great many hoops and restrictions - did you have to write for 4E? What were your thoughts?
(Sorry for the delete - forgot to add...)
I'm curious, if you did write for 4E, how the module translated?
So the GSL still lets you write for the D20 system? Interesting, I didn't know that. What's the drawbacks for writing under the GSL? What's the advantages?
Yes the second version of the GSL removed the poison pill that prevented publishers from supporting OGL products and GSL products.
The GSL does not allow you to copy anything from the 4th edition rule books. Instead you have a choice of either referring to the books using a approved list. Or you can create all new material using the same format as the 4th edition rules. The idea is that Wizards wants you to extend the range of 4th edition not compete with them by reusing material they already created.
So if I wrote a book supporting the Majestic Wilderlands I may have Warriors, Priests, Mages, and Thieves with a different set of powers than what is found in the PHB.
In practice this is turning into where everybody have a slightly different varient of the core monsters, class, powers, & races. For example a Goodman Games module may have a Blood Orc that has one or two difference in stats and changes the damage slighlty. Because of the way 4e stat blocks work this doesn't require a whole lot of addition rules. You can write everything the referee needs in the statblock. This is unlike D20 where if you added the Feat, Powerful Strike you needed to define that feat somewhere else.
So while the no copying stuff is a bit of pain, the 4e statblocks are cleaner and more useful. Just about everything outside of actual encounter can be written in a rule lite manner like original D&D. Just look at how Netheril (sp?) Vale and Fallcrest is written up.
5 comments:
Would you mind commenting or writing about creation under the GSL? I was under the impression that there were a great many hoops and restrictions - did you have to write for 4E? What were your thoughts?
(Sorry for the delete - forgot to add...)
I'm curious, if you did write for 4E, how the module translated?
I apologize for not being clear. These are still the D20 modules with all the logos and legal verbiage remove.
I modified the report accordingly
I wish can comment on writing for 4e but I haven't done so yet.
My opinion about D20 is still that the system is very flexible but the stat block format sucks big time.
So the GSL still lets you write for the D20 system? Interesting, I didn't know that. What's the drawbacks for writing under the GSL? What's the advantages?
Yes the second version of the GSL removed the poison pill that prevented publishers from supporting OGL products and GSL products.
The GSL does not allow you to copy anything from the 4th edition rule books. Instead you have a choice of either referring to the books using a approved list. Or you can create all new material using the same format as the 4th edition rules. The idea is that Wizards wants you to extend the range of 4th edition not compete with them by reusing material they already created.
So if I wrote a book supporting the Majestic Wilderlands I may have Warriors, Priests, Mages, and Thieves with a different set of powers than what is found in the PHB.
In practice this is turning into where everybody have a slightly different varient of the core monsters, class, powers, & races. For example a Goodman Games module may have a Blood Orc that has one or two difference in stats and changes the damage slighlty. Because of the way 4e stat blocks work this doesn't require a whole lot of addition rules. You can write everything the referee needs in the statblock. This is unlike D20 where if you added the Feat, Powerful Strike you needed to define that feat somewhere else.
So while the no copying stuff is a bit of pain, the 4e statblocks are cleaner and more useful. Just about everything outside of actual encounter can be written in a rule lite manner like original D&D. Just look at how Netheril (sp?) Vale and Fallcrest is written up.
I bought Thieves of Fortress Badabaskor in the end; haven't had a chance to read it yet, though!
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