Hi.. im currently playing around with a little MUD code.. not a codebase but my own custom game.. I am thinking about implementing the AD&D 3rd edition ruleset.. for combat, lvling etc because im to lazy to design my own.. Is this illegal? Commercial games like Baldurs gate does this, do they pay some some kind of license?.. many MUDS also does it and I don''t expect they could find the money paying a license fee because they are free to play.

The 3rd edition rules are based on the D20 system, which is owned by Wizards of the Coast. Anyone can use the D20 system, provided they follow the terms of the WotC Open Gaming license.

Actual game content such as D&D specific creatures, characters and places are NOT covered in the D20 license, so you''d need a different license to use the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, for example.

There''s more info about the d20 system, what it covers and what it doesn''t here.

I''ve been down this road a few times. Basically do what you want, but understand that using soemone elses property means that if your Mud ever ammounts to anything or you claim it uses a certain copyrighted ruleset they will request money from you or sue you if you get successful.

I''ve been a D&D fan for almost 20 years now but when I write game code I write my own. However similar it may appear at times to other comabt engines, making your own damage system and ToHit system really doesnt take more than a few days. Balance and tweaking take a bit but in the end you have your own copyrightable gaming system.

Check out the Link above because there is nothing wrong with using the system as long as you stay within the lines. I''m jsut a bit of a freak and never could follow rules very well heh.

Mark

Thank you very much :-) both of you.. I don''t want to steal anyones property.. and I am not using the rules for anything commercial.

Slyxsith: well designing my own could be fun.. but until five hours ago I knew nothing about any of these systems (only from the CRPG players view) and designing one seemed pretty difficult.. I wanted a well balanced and tested system and besides I like the D&D system :-)

Smokes: Sounds like the D20 system is for you then. If you dont have a firm grasp of combat systems definitely use one that exists. As long as you stay within the rules you will do fine.

I always think I can improve on something and Im usually wrong heh.

Good luck

Let''s make something clear: just because WotC claims exclusive rights over the D20 system doesn''t mean they actually have such rights. You might get into trouble if you use certain D&D terms such as D20 and THAC0, but I doubt that the rules which define the AD&D system are themselves protected by copyright.

Section 102 of the copyright act says "In no case does copyright protection for an original work of authorship extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in such work".

chronos: I''ve read all of their faq''s and it seems like everybody can just use the D20 system (which basically is the D&D players handbook without names like elminster and stuff).. Their faq also mentions that in the US, you cannot copyright gamerules but it is often up to some judge to decide what''s rules and what is not, that is why they created the OpenGame license and made the D20 system available under that license. But if I situated my game in the forgotten realms.. I could, of course, get in trouble :-)

I am working on an online RPG of sorts at the moment. I have used both GURPS and AD&D as refrences for ideas, but I have made up my systems that fit more to a computer game.

For instance, I originaly had the equlivents of Str, Dex, Int, Wis, Con, Cha from AD&D, but then took out Wis (I have no need for a "cleric" class) and Cha (there will be no reaction checks, etc). Of course later I find out that is basicly what GURPS has but with diffrent names again (Str, Dex, IQ, Health).

It may indeed be better to make up your own rulsed based on these systems, as there are some things in role playing that can''t really be transfered to a multi player computer simulated environment.

I can''t get at that D20 page, but it sounds intresting.
BTW, you can get GURPS lite of the internet in PDF.

Anyway, have fun.

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