Warscale RPG System
Some years ago, while programming a computer game, I learned that there are three problems which are most time consuming:
The first problem is to develop a gaming system that is balanced, well tested and, most important, that maintains the pen and paper RPG feeling. Of course there are lots of systems everywhere; since Gary Gygax created the first D&D, roleplaying games or variants have become mainstream and are now ubiquitous. There are thousands of table, board, card and computer games based on the concepts of the original D&D but most of those I reviewed didn’t translated well to a computer library leading to a convoluted structure and dirty code. On the other hand, the most polished and elegant systems were already registered and required exorbitant fees to license.
The second problem is to create a living world with history, culture, personalities and politics. An exciting place where races had a reason to love or hate each other, to make wars or forge alliances. A detailed world becomes a three-dimensional place and adventures in such place become more believable. The more detailed and deep the world, the more mysterious and attractive it becomes to players.
Even if there are tried and tested pen and pencil rules, they don't translate easilly into a computer library.
This project attempts to solve:
- Define a game system that is simple enough to play using paper and pencil, while keeping it elegant enough to be coded into a clean, simple and reusable game library.
- Author and present a believable world that I hope the reader finds engaging and may use as a base for his own adventures, characters and situations which in turn will become part of the greater mythology of the world.
- Create a Java library that implements all the game rules and can be used in any computer based game.
The final objective it to build a platform to create characters, maps, RPG tools, even campaigns for the GM all based in a common open system.
The only thing asked in return from the reader is: (a) any work based in the rules and game world presented in this document should reference this document or its latest official version and (b) any code, character, place or situation should become available for other people to use in their own derivative works.
This is what is called a creative commons license. You are free to create derivative works from this setting and profit from them. You can create game expansions, computer games or write a novel using the Warscale RPG setting and rules and you can sell and profit from it. However the characters, situations and places you create should be available for other people to use in their work or, who knows, it may become part of the official history of Warscale. So if you create the story of a hero called Belgar then other people may use this hero for his own stories within the Warscale world.
Of course there are some limitations. You are not allowed to just take this document, print it, slap a price sticker and sell it. You must add some significative contribution and that applies to any derivative work from any other author using this book. Also, while free to use, this document originally belongs to Spritekin Entertainment so you can’t just change a couple names, expand it and claim it is the new official guide. There is only one official version of Warscale and it is found on the official Github repository.
So I guess that is all. If you have any doubts on your rights and limitations on the use of this documents then read the creative commons license available in the website at http://www.spritekin.com/warscale Good luck and have fun!