The Forge Archives

So many great systems out there! You kids are amazing! The space setting I was working on ("SpacerPunk": gotta better name?) would work great for any one of them, and I really want to help promote a lot of indie RPG work...

But what's the best way of publishing a single settingbook for multiple settings? My best thought now is including two PDFs: one being the actual worldbook, with words and small texty descriptions of NPCs and ships and such; and a second "Appendix" book that would include introductory comments on a few systems (my recommendations on how each would fit) and crunchier stats for all the NPCs and ships previously mentioned.

Or even, selling both worldbook/single systems (for the one or two I like most) and for an extra dollar sell the book with the extra big appendix.

Also, what kind of upper limit should their be on the number of systems I support? Is there some number at which I'll scare off potential users of it?

I think this is a great idea in general.  I'd suggest using one, two, or zero systems in the "main product" (with two, you can do a split page thing on pages that have system specific details), and doing the rest as an appendix, as you suggest.

This has the additional potential value as, in so doing, you may end up suggesting ways that folks can "convert" something from one system to another -- which an exercise that gets a lot of gamers their jollies, unless I miss my guess.

I don't think there's really an upper bound on how many systems you can introduce.  And you'll get lots of free marketing, I imagine, from folks who are jazzed you're using their system in your product, so go for it!  (I'd probably suggest the "dressed down" zero-one-or-two system doc, and the buck-extra three-plus doc strategy, in terms of making the product.)

Once Fate goes off Fudge and onto OGL, I submit it for your approval.  The statblocks are pretty managable, so it shouldn't kill you on real estate. :)

If you've got a handful of systems in mind, approach all of them and see if any want to help with the stat conversions to their system. Personally, I'm willing to go out of my way to get more third-party EABA support material out there, and I imagine others feel the same way.

If you have some sort of standardized layout and the blocks for equipment and character stats are sized right, it could be a matter of cut and paste to insert material for various systems, provided the fundamental mechanics are similar.

Since I'm guessing that your source material is going to be more appropriate to one type of system than another, this might work.

Greg Porter
BTRC guy

Quote from: iagoI think this is a great idea in general.  I'd suggest using one, two, or zero systems in the "main product" (with two, you can do a split page thing on pages that have system specific details), and doing the rest as an appendix, as you suggest.

I'd probably stick to one rules set in the main book, and free PDF downloads for the other game systems supported. I'd make it free rather than paid for, who wants to pay twice to get what they need to use the product? If it's at all worth doing, it should pay for itself anyway through extra sales of the main book. Giving away a bit for free establishes good will with the cutomer too.


Simon Hibbs