foss

How an Open Source RPG Works

There has never been a well-established open-source, community-driven RPG before. A few small project like this have sprung up, and Evil Hat have amalgamated elements of working with a larger body of writers, but the proverbial pudding has yet to arrive. So without anything resembling evidence, I'm going to conjecture what an open source RPG could be like by assuming it works like operating systems.

A single Debian-like project becomes the norm. 'BIND', (or whichever open-source RPG) becomes synonymous with just that version. Updates and changes happen rarely. The current version is given a number, and just like 'D&D', a new version emerges every few years.

A few enthusiasts, annoyed by the lack of progress, create an Arch-like version. The GM prints off a new rulebook every few sessions, with the latest changes. Formating problems are common, but fixes to 'broken' spells, or knacks come in quickly. Players get quickly used to getting a slightly different character each session. All internet posts about it start with 'BTW'.

Finally, a 'Gentoo-like' RPG arrives. There is no pdf available. Anyone using it is expected to fill in a bunch of 'iftoggle' commands, which will then compile just the kind of RPG they want, custom-made for the campaign.