True20 and Freeport

[memorax]

I was wondering if GR plans to give more True2o support for Freeport? I plan to buy the PGTF and the Cults of Freeport soon. I know there is a True20 companion to the PGTF. Will there be one for the Cults of Freeport?

[Pramas]

We will be providing True20 stats for Cults and Buccaneers of Freeport. Someone is working on it right now.

[DigitalMage]

We will be providing True20 stats for Cults and Buccaneers of Freeport. Someone is working on it right now.

Is this likely to be a True20 only thing, or might we also see a Savage Worlds, d20 (under plain OGL label) and even an M&M conversion?

[Pramas]

We will be providing True20 stats for Cults and Buccaneers of Freeport. Someone is working on it right now.

Is this likely to be a True20 only thing, or might we also see a Savage Worlds, d20 (under plain OGL label) and even an M&M conversion?

We've also got 3.5 d20 stats under way. The others may happen at some point, but that would be down the road a ways.

[memorax]

We've also got 3.5 d20 stats under way. The others may happen at some point, but that would be down the road a ways.

I was under the impression you could no longer publish 3.5 books. Or am I wrong?

[DigitalMage]

I was under the impression you could no longer publish 3.5 books. Or am I wrong?

You won't be able to produce or distribute existing products under the d20 Licence (not exactly sure as to when the cut off date is) but you can continue to produce 3.5 compatible stuff under the Open Game Licence.

So the question is, will the d20 Freeport Companion be renamed, and if so to what? OGL Freeport Companion would be a possible name, though it is strictly a misnomer as OGL is the licence and not the system (and in fact a RuneQuest Freeport Companion would use the OGL (despite being a completely different system to d20.

TBH as long as the d20 logo was gone and it did not refer to the "d20 System" I wonder whether "d20" could remain (not I have no clue as to what WOTC registered as a Trademark etc).

[Zapp]

Hey DigitalMage, have you seen this?

http://www.chrispramas.com/2008/07/inte ... stion.html

[DigitalMage]

Hey DigitalMage, have you seen this?

http://www.chrispramas.com/2008/07/inte ... stion.html

No I hadn't seen that, very interesting.

Just for gods sake don't brand them Pathfinder if they really are 3.5 - Pathfinder is another edition just not as big a leap as 4e, it has condensced skills, different class abilities, different hit dice etc - there are enough tweaks that it is not 3.5 and I would be put off anything branded Pathfinder (if I am going to spend the time to learn a new ruleset I may as well go with 4e).

[Pramas]

We've also got 3.5 d20 stats under way. The others may happen at some point, but that would be down the road a ways.

I was under the impression you could no longer publish 3.5 books. Or am I wrong?

We can't publish using the d20 logo but we can continue to use the OGL to do 3.5 material. The stats for Buccaneers and Cults of Freeport are more likely to be web enhancements than new books though.

[DigitalMage]

The stats for Buccaneers and Cults of Freeport are more likely to be web enhancements than new books though.

Great! Would it be too much to ask for them to be made available in PDF format for easy printing?

[Pramas]

The stats for Buccaneers and Cults of Freeport are more likely to be web enhancements than new books though.

Great! Would it be too much to ask for them to be made available in PDF format for easy printing?

Not at all. That's how we usually do web enhancements.

[memorax]

We can't publish using the d20 logo but we can continue to use the OGL to do 3.5 material. The stats for Buccaneers and Cults of Freeport are more likely to be web enhancements than new books though.

I'm really enjoying 4E and probably not playing 3.5 anymore. So if I finally decide to buy more Freeport bboks it will be True20 and not 3.5.

[~hanzo~]

Im looking forward to more True20 freeport goodness. Although the only mention of it on the boards here was a negative one against it, will there be a Pathfinder version?

Since 90% of pathfinder is 3.5. im not sure Why it would matter if it said OGL or Pathfinder. Other than to have the pathfinder name on it. And right now pathfinder beta is selling out!! The support for it is growing all the time. While most people see OGL as a reference to an older game, The pathfinder name is synonymous with a new one. Having it pathfinder would not hurt its playability with 3.5 but might help its sales.

[DigitalMage]

Since 90% of pathfinder is 3.5. im not sure Why it would matter if it said OGL or Pathfinder. [...] Having it pathfinder would not hurt its playability with 3.5 but might help its sales.

I disagree, I am currently playing Pathfinder and will likely order a hardcopy of the beta version, however if I ever run Freeport I will use D&D3.5 as it is what I am used to (as I will also use it for Eberron).

Given that I play both, even I would be annoyed if I bought a book implying 3.5 compatibility and instead found Pathfinder compatibility. One of my disappointments with Pathfinder is how much they changed so that IMHO it is not as backward compatible as I hoped.

Nearly half the skills have been merged, dropped or renamed, classes have been considerably changed, feats are awarded more frequently and the rules for some combat maneuvers have been changed to such a degree that they become more or less attractive.

I am all for a Pathfinder Freeport Companion - but if one is produced label it as such. And also keep available (in PDF at least) the d20 Freeport Companion.

[~hanzo~]

Since 90% of pathfinder is 3.5. im not sure Why it would matter if it said OGL or Pathfinder. [...] Having it pathfinder would not hurt its playability with 3.5 but might help its sales.

I disagree, I am currently playing Pathfinder and will likely order a hardcopy of the beta version, however if I ever run Freeport I will use D&D3.5 as it is what I am used to (as I will also use it for Eberron).

Given that I play both, even I would be annoyed if I bought a book implying 3.5 compatibility and instead found Pathfinder compatibility. One of my disappointments with Pathfinder is how much they changed so that IMHO it is not as backward compatible as I hoped.

Nearly half the skills have been merged, dropped or renamed, classes have been considerably changed, feats are awarded more frequently and the rules for some combat maneuvers have been changed to such a degree that they become more or less attractive.

I am all for a Pathfinder Freeport Companion - but if one is produced label it as such. And also keep available (in PDF at least) the d20 Freeport Companion.

I dont see how that stuff would effect your game to much if the companion was pathfinder companion. And you use the 3.5 players handbook with it. If for example an NPC had cleave you would use it as written in your 3.5 not the pathfinder version. You would only know of the change if you were using the pathfinder book and read the difference in description. The companion would just say "Cleave".

Well it cant be d20 any more. license is ending. So I guess it would be the OGL Freeport version.

[DigitalMage]

I dont see how that stuff would effect your game to much if the companion was pathfinder companion. And you use the 3.5 players handbook with it. If for example an NPC had cleave you would use it as written in your 3.5 not the pathfinder version. You would only know of the change if you were using the pathfinder book and read the difference in description. The companion would just say "Cleave".

But when I look up the stats for a Journeyman Thief NPC because they need to make an Open Lock check and I see that the write up doesn't list the skill I assume they can't do it, not realising that in Pathfinder Open Lock has been rolled into Disable Device!

The problems aren't insurmountable, but if I buy a book labelled one thing, I would expect it to be that. If GR drop the d20 Companion completely and release a Pathfinder Companion, then I just want them to label it Pathfinder so that those people wanting to use D&D3.5 can make the appropriate decision (which may be to forego the purchase of the Pathfinder Companion and hunt down a copy of the d20 Companion on ebay).

Well it cant be d20 any more. license is ending. So I guess it would be the OGL Freeport version.

Agree that a name change would probably be needed (although I am unsure on that or whether you simply need to remove the actual d20 logo).

[~hanzo~]

Agree that a name change would probably be needed (although I am unsure on that or whether you simply need to remove the actual d20 logo).

how i understand it yes. just the logo has to go.