I have had a copy of The Black Hack bouncing around my hard drive for a long time, but I never got the chance to play it before. I have played hacks of The Black Hack, but never the beast itself!
Now I am happy to say that has been remedied. My Tuesday night ‘lite games’ group has been playing The Black Hack and it is great, particularly on Foundry. At first I didn’t even bother reading the rules since Foundry sort of does all that stuff for you, but I finally broke down and dived in. Here is my review!
The Black Hack 2e is a ttrpg designed to be rules-light and easy to learn. It is an updated version of the original Black Hack game which includes a number of new features and improvements.
One of the most notable aspects of the Black Hack 2e is its simplicity. The game uses a very streamlined set of rules, which allows players to focus on storytelling and roleplaying rather than getting bogged down in complex mechanics. This makes it an ideal game for beginners, or for groups who are looking for a more casual, laid-back experience.
Despite its simplicity, the Black Hack 2e still manages to offer a lot of flexibility and customization options. The game uses the same 6 Attributes that we are used to, and offers 4 different character classes, as well as a wide variety of monsters. This allows for a lot of creativity and variety in gameplay, even within the context of the relatively simple ruleset.
Another strength of the Black Hack 2e is how easy it is to pick up and play, with a minimal amount of setup or preparation required. I would think that this makes it an ideal choice for impromptu gaming sessions, or for groups who don’t have a lot of time to devote to gaming.
Overall, the Black Hack 2e is a great choice for anyone who is looking for a simple, flexible, and accessible tabletop RPG. That’s my .02.
T.W.O. RPG with the completion of the SPELLS & MAGIC ITEMS supplements is now done. The goal was to create a non-OGL set of light rules compatible with 3.5 stuff.
It is published under the most open Creative Commons license, so feel free to use it as you see fit. Comments and suggestions are of course welcome!
Pathfinder: Pathfinder is a tabletop RPG that is similar to Dungeons & Dragons in terms of gameplay, but has its own unique ruleset and lore. It is known for its complex character creation system and depth of gameplay options.
Shadowrun: Shadowrun is a tabletop RPG that blends elements of cyberpunk and fantasy genres. Players take on the roles of shadowrunners, freelance operatives who take on jobs in a dystopian future world filled with magic, technology, and intrigue.
Call of Cthulhu: Call of Cthulhu is a horror-themed tabletop RPG based on the works of author H.P. Lovecraft. Players take on the roles of investigators who must confront eldritch horrors and supernatural mysteries in a dark and foreboding world.
Blades in the Dark: Blades in the Dark is a tabletop RPG that puts players in the roles of members of a criminal gang operating in a haunted, industrial city. It is known for its innovative mechanics for resolving heists and other criminal activities.
Starfinder: Starfinder is a tabletop RPG that takes place in a science fiction universe filled with aliens, spaceships, and high-tech gadgets. It is based on the ruleset of Pathfinder, but has been adapted for a spacefaring setting with its own unique lore and gameplay elements.
This set of rules started about the middle of 2022. An odd idea that formed into a completed project. I am rather proud of it. It combines some of my best ideas combined with a growing ability to format the book and come up with appealing art work.
What would you do if you suddenly became 2 cm tall?
In an alternate universe there is a galaxy very similar to our galaxy. In that galaxy there is a star very similar to our Sun. Circling that star is a planet very similar to our Earth. On that planet there are oceans, land masses, plants and animals very similar to what we find on Earth. Among those animals there is a very smart species of hominids very similar to humans.
And those hominids that are so very similar to us are governed in a very similar way.
Only on the other planet, unlike our Earth, the governments are mostly controlled by evil men and women who commit unspeakable crimes against the population of the planet. Yet the people of that planet are lazy, apathetic, and complacent. They are too obsessed with sports, entertainment, and consumerism to pay any attention to what the evil leaders of the planet are doing.
Of course this could never happen here on Earth.
On this similar planet in an alternate universe, the evil leaders hired mad scientists to create a deadly pandemic. Their goal was to kill the majority of the population of the planet so that the abundant resources would be entirely available to the elites and their loyal servants.
This is a game where a tiny percentage of the population in an alternate universe survived a sinister conspiracy aimed at killing 99% of the people living on the planet.
Your Character will be one of the Survivors who was not killed by the conspirators, and now must find a way to live in a harsh environment and then seek revenge against the leaders who betrayed you!
Stargazer is a nice little OSR game that I really liked. It is a very Rules-Lite RPG. I like such games, but sometimes they can be too derivative and so ‘lite’ that they are unplayable as written.
This is not the case for Stargazer!
Stargazer is of course a bit derivative since it is OSR, but it is not slavishly so. The structure is similar but not identical. The mechanics are also not just repetition of prior works, and the classes, or in the rules Archetypes, are very different and interesting. But…
The backstory is awesome!!!! The magic of the game is based upon a Vancian world with a dying sun. I normally don’t like the Vancian magic, but in this case it makes sense. At least to me. The author spends a bit of time explaining it, and I appreciate that. There is a Song of Power that rides upon the wind, and infuses the very nature of the Universe (in a somewhat Tolkienian way?). That is where the magic comes from. What I really like is the work that the author puts into suggesting a ‘source’ to gain access to this Song of Power: precious ‘black sound discs’ dredged up from the underworld of the the ancient world containing the works of Ronnie James Dio! Throughout the short rules of the book there are references to Dio and some appropriate snippets of his lyrics.
I hope I can convince my gaming group to play this with me. People get set in their ways and sometimes it is difficult to get folks to try something different. Luckily my group is pretty open to new things as long as I don’t bully them too much…
My only real complaint is that I don’t think the author went far enough into the ‘Song of Power’ and the ‘black sound discs’ as the link between characters and the magic — the amazing music of Ronnie James Dio! If you are going to put that into the backstory why not put it into the rules? Perhaps the Magician must sing certain lyrics linked to certain magic — each spell has its own Dio lyric inspired Incantation that must be successfully performed to release the POWER!? Perhaps the Magician must listen and (re)learn the music and the lyrics before going off on his or her adventures by playing the ‘black sound discs’ in order to gain inspiration, motivation, and the power of the magic itself!?
A Powerful Magician Preparing and Casting Spells!
All in all very interesting. Give it a try. Let me know how it goes. I will try to update this review if I get a chance to play!
This is an adventure designed to be played with Pulp Kharma.
It is a mash-up inspired by two famous science fiction franchises. One seems a bit like a Western in outer space, and the other seems a bit like a kung fu movie in outer space. When you look at the Character Cards at the end I think you are going to be able to figure it out.
The PCs of this adventure are the crew of a space ship named Tranquility. They are struck by a strange cosmic phenomenon that can at best be described as a “space storm”. The ship is sucked into a strange vortex. The instruments mostly stop working, and some are damaged beyond repair. Luckily the engine, artificial gravity, and the life support are fine.
And everything is quiet. As if nothing had ever happened. There is no sign of any “space storm”. And they are not where they were when the storm pulled them into the vortex.
As the adventure proceeds they discover they are in a very strange place indeed. There is a planet named Bendor inhabited by short hairy humanoids called Ezoks. And there are other familiar characters as well, some not so friendly.
There is a lot of confusion about Wizards of the Coast, Inc. (WotC) and the Open Game License (OGL). Some people seem to think that if you make a game that is in any way similar to products made by WotC, or some other game, you have to have permission, or a license to do so. Unlike the complex task of cutting hair, doing nails, fixing plumbing, etc., you do not need a license or permission to write games. I think that for most projects based upon the OSR or any project with game mechanics similar to other games, there is no need to use any OGL, license, or obtain any permission other than that required by the ‘fair use’ doctrine and common courtesy.
As I suggested in Is it OK to “steal” game rules or mechanics?, game rules generally cannot be protected, only the actual words and images (copyright), trademarks and tradenames, and occasionally patents for really unique processes and game items. So, unless you are just copying another source word-for-word, which is what the WotC OGL 1.0a allows you to do, you do not need to worry about copyright or getting permission or a license to use copyright protected content.
The ‘fair use’ doctrine does allow for the use of copyright protected material under limited circumstances:
Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 17 U.S.C. § 106 and 17 U.S.C. § 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include:
the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
the nature of the copyrighted work;
the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.
17 U.S.C.§ 107
In effect the ‘fair use’ doctrine allows for the word-for-word use of copyright protected material in limited circumstances and properly cited. Including brief properly cited quotes of someone else’s work is fine, including vast amounts of that work without the author’s permission may not be wise.
But remember, only the words are protected by copyright, not the mechanics, formulas, systems, processes, etc. If you take a set of rules and use the exact same mechanics, but you do not copy the text, images, trade name, or trademark then there is no violation of copyright, and you do not need any permission. Nor do you have to provide any attribution at all, but courtesy would suggest you do so.
It is possible that certain unique process ‘tech’ used in a game might be protected under patent law for some ‘process patents’, whether those ‘processes’ are filed or not. However, such ‘process patents’ have a very limited time period for protection (20 years at most) after which they become part of the public domain. Such ‘process patents’ can also be abandoned by the maker if others use the process and the maker does not legally defend it within the statutory period of limitations to bring suit.
The OGL 1.0a created by WotC allowed the user to copy specific protected content word-for-word as long as you followed the terms of the license, which is more strict in some ways than traditional copyright law, trademark and tradename law, patent law, etc.
If you are not copying word-for-word from protected content, using the tradename or trademark of another author, or using mechanics, formulas, or other game systems that are currently protected under patent law (very unlikely), there is no reason to use ANY licensing system.
DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this article is being provided as legal advice or a substitute for legal representation. I am not your lawyer.
I have a problem with rules so bloated that no one can figure out what anything means without a ouija board. I also dislike rules that are so ‘lite’ that they leave out important parts that are required to make the game playable. T.W.O. RPG is intended to be a ‘lite’ yet complete set of rules.
This is just the Rules. I am working on additional sections: Wealth Weapons Equipment, Monsters, and Spells. Coming Soon!
With all the kerfuffle going on about the new WotC OGL 1.1 and the possibility that the old OGL 1.0a will be revoked, rescinded, unauthorized, whatever by WotC, I have been thinking about how to proceed in the future without the OGL 1.0a or anything whatsoever from WotC.
I do not make game modules, adventure settings, or anything else intended to be used with any WotC products. My games are all free standing and already ‘mostly’ non-derivative of anything associated with the OGL 1.*, the SRDs, or anything from WotC… except for the monsters. In all my role playing games (RPGs) I use the Hit Dice Formula from the SRD 3.5.
But let’s backtrack a bit. You may be asking, “What the heck are all these acronyms about; OGL, SRD, WotC, etc.”
Let’s start with OGL. OGL stands for the Open Game License which was introduced in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. (WotC — I killed two birds with one stone there!). So far there have been two authorized versions of the OGL; 1.0 and 1.0a. Both give the licensee the ability to use designated Open Game Content free of any royalty to WotC into perpetuity (Section 4 of the OGL 1.0a) in consideration for extending certain rights to WotC described in the OGL beyond that normally given by copyright laws and other intellectual property laws. The various versions of the OGL were clearly intended to be irrevocable as described in the document itself and in FAQs issued by WotC:
Q: Can’t Wizards of the Coast change the License in a way that I wouldn’t like?
A: Yes, it could. However, the License already defines what will happen to content that has been previously distributed using an earlier version, in Section 9. As a result, even if Wizards made a change you disagreed with, you could continue to use an earlier, acceptable version at your option. In other words, there’s no reason for Wizards to ever make a change that the community of people using the Open Gaming License would object to, because the community would just ignore the change anyway.
The Open Game Content that is referenced in the OGL are the SRDs (man there are a lot acronyms here; SRD refers to System Reference Document). WotC have created three primary SRDs covered by one or more of the OGLs:
System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. (covering the Third Edition),
Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002-2004, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. (covering d20 Modern, and
System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. (covering the Fifth Edition).
Anything from these sources are available under and subject to the OGL 1.0 or OGL 1.0a.
Ok, I think that brings us to the current problem. WotC is supposedly issuing yet another OGL to cover its newest version of D&D; OGL 1.1. From what I have heard this OGL is the very opposite of an ‘open’ license and as such is a gross misnomer. In supposed leaks of OGL 1.1 WotC describes the old OGL as ‘unauthorized’. It is not clear what that means. Is it ‘unauthorized’ for those who accept and use the new OGL 1.1? Or is WotC trying to ‘revoke’ the old OGLs, and if so is this revocation only as to the future or retroactive? I do not know, and if WotC follows through with this I suspect the only way it will be solved is in the courts.
As such, I no longer feel very comfortable using the OGLs, SRDs, or anything else from WotC in the future. I believe my past works are protected by the clear language of the OGL, the written and published interpretation of that language by WotC, and the legal concept of ‘reliance’ which protects those who reasonably rely upon the words, actions, etc. of another.
So I am trying to figure out how to remove any content from future games that could be in any way interpreted as coming from WotC so that I can proceed without the OGL. Since most of my games are not set in the sword and sorcery genre I thought this would be easy. In the past WotC has declared that the Character Creation process, which is excluded from all the SRDs, is proprietary and protected property of WotC. Regardless of whether this claim is legitimate, accepting the OGL 1.* puts the user into the situation that this interpretation should be respected. Another area that WotC has suggested as ‘proprietary’ protected process is the use of the d20 (20 sided dice); which I believe is a ridiculous claim. None of my games use the Character Creation process since I do not particularly like it, so I seem to be good on that one. As for the d20s, just to be ultra cautious, I think I will convert any 1d20 rolls to 2d10 rolls (d10; ten sided die) which has the added benefit of creating a statistical ‘curve’ for results.
Easy Peasy — No more OGL!
Then I realized I have a much bigger problem; the Hit Dice Formula used to create, define, modify monsters in the D&D system. If there is something proprietary, unique, and potentially protected as a unique ‘process’ as intellectual property it is the Hit Dice Formula. How to do without it?
And again, what the heck is the Hit Dice Formula?
Here is the Hit Dice Formula as used in the SRD 3.*:
(X)d(Y)+(Z) X = Number of HD Y = Size of Dice (4, 6, 8, 10, 12 or 20) Z = HD Bonus
From this formula the monster’s level (X), attack bonus (X), and hit points (X * Mean Value of Die + Z) are derived. Replacing it would be a monumental task. Or at least that is what I am thinking right now.
What to do? I think I have a lot more research on this matter.
UPDATE 09 JAN 2023: I think I have sorted out the issue of the Hit Dice Formula to my satisfaction. A mathematical formula cannot get copyright protection. It ‘might’ by covered as a ‘process patent’ but if so the time period has expired. So I don’t think I have anything to worry about there.
