Posted by canadrian on September 6, 2007 at 4:15pm
How would one go about creating an online version of GURPS with the RPG or Game modules? Is it very difficult? Does it require a lot of knowledge of PHP programming, or is it mostly adding/changing variables? This is something I'd be very interested in doing.
Comments
You don't. SJG will hunt you
You don't. SJG will hunt you down and ask you to stop. I've already asked months ago ;)
Ahhh, from SJ Games'
Ahhh, from SJ Games' FAQ:
2.18 Can I use GURPS rules to build a computer game, online game, MOO/MUSH/MUCK/MUD/etc. ?
No . . . it's not legal to take the GURPS rules and base a game on them without formal permission. SJ Games is open to licensing inquiries from professional developers - contact licensing@sjgames.com - but, to preserve system integrity and protect the possibility of a professional computer implementation, the company does not grant permission for "homebrew" games or M*s to use the GURPS name and rules.
"Being tired is like playing mind games with some of the pieces missing."
- Canadrian
I am a proud member of the ElectricTeaParty.net online community.
"Being tired is like playing mind games with some of the pieces missing."
- Canadrian
I am a proud member of the ElectricTeaParty.net online community.
Umm
RPG module, which will soon be ready
Wrong ruleset
The RPG module uses DRUDGE, which is based on FUDGE. I'm talking about using GURPS.
BTW, I wrote a childish finger-waving letter to SJ Games' licensing department, and to my surprise, I got a response from Steve Jackson! I can't say he was entirely sympathetic with the open-source cause, and he's not a fan of the OGL. I've written back to him, but I'm still awaiting a second response. If he says anything to clarify why SJ Games doesn't want to let GURPS players play the game they want to (instead of limiting them to physical pen, paper, and kitchen tables), I'll mention it here.
"Being tired is like playing mind games with some of the pieces missing."
- Canadrian
I am a proud member of the ElectricTeaParty.net online community.
"Being tired is like playing mind games with some of the pieces missing."
- Canadrian
I am a proud member of the ElectricTeaParty.net online community.
GURPS vs. FUDGE
I played GURPS for years, but because of that very issue, and because of my own evolving beliefs about such things as open source, I ultimately switched to FUDGE. That's why I'm using that as a basis for the basic ruleset shipped with the RPG module. However, due to the nature of the project, there's nothing to stop someone from adopting it to whatever game system they want (short of a team of lawyers).
Aaron Winborn
Advomatic, Web Design for Progressive Advocacy, Grassroots Movements, and Really Cool Causes
Drupal RPG, home of the RPG Module
Spindowners, an upcoming web-based sci-fi RPG written with that module
Aaron Winborn
Drupal Multimedia (my book, available now!)
AaronWinborn.com
Advomatic
So what did SJ write? There
So what did SJ write?
There are other rule systems out there which might be available, Tri-Stat for example since Guardians of Order went belly up. Whoever acquires their intellectual property might have an open mind towards open source.
Jakob Persson
Webbredaktören - www.webbredaktoren.se
Jakob Persson – Leancept – Results-only digital and marketing consultants – Personal blog
Email long gone...
I'm afraid the sent message is long gone from my sent box and the received message is gone from my trash. If I remember correctly, he basically stated that they have looked at open licenses many times, and he is not at all convinced that open gaming licenses or open-source software are in any way good for business - in fact he believes the opposite is true. His tone implied he didn't think I knew what I was talking about, and had no understanding of business - reminded me of one of my old bosses, in fact. :) I sent him some links to Drupal and some other open-source whatnot, trying to drum up enthusiasm, but he basically said it was all a load of rubbish that he had never heard of. Meh. This is all from memory, but regardless I got the impression we won't be seeing anything open in relation to GURPS until the company is sold or SJ has departed for the great beyond.
How hard would it be for a person of limited programming knowledge to set up the RPG module with the GURPS ruleset on a private website for their own use? I'd be willing to do it for my own purposes if I don't have to get a degree in PHP.
"Being tired is like playing mind games with some of the pieces missing."
- Canadrian
I am a proud member of the ElectricTeaParty.net online community.
"Being tired is like playing mind games with some of the pieces missing."
- Canadrian
I am a proud member of the ElectricTeaParty.net online community.
You'd need to understand how
You'd need to understand how to set up a ruleset, and to use the rpg_get/rpg_set functions.
Rulesets are set up something like this:
<?php
function my_module_rpg_ruleset() {
return array(
'#name' => t('My Ruleset),
'#shortdesc' => t('Short desc (on overview page)'),
'#longdesc' => t('Long desc (on import page)'),
'#types' => array(
'new_type' => 'new_type',
),
);
}
function my_module_rpg_type_new_type() {
$type = array();
$type['#type'] = 'new_type';
$type['#name'] = t('New Type');
$type['#shortdesc'] = t('I am displayed on the types overview page.');
$type['#longdesc'] = t('I am displayed in other places.');
$type['#parents'] = array('tangible');
$type['#attributes'] = array();
$type['#attributes']['my_stat'] = array(
'#name' => t('My Stat'),
'#class' => 'figured',
'#description' => t('Displayed on stat admin forms, object creation, and other places.'),
'#get' => 'my_module_function_with_any_name',
);
$type['#actions'] = array(); // set up in a similar fashion
$type['#events'] = array(); // again, look at existing code
return $type;
}
function my_module_function_with_any_name($object, $actor = NULL) {
return rpg_get('may_attack', $object, $actor) && rpg_get('another_attribute', $object);
}
?>
Aaron Winborn
Advomatic, Web Design for Progressive Advocacy, Grassroots Movements, and Really Cool Causes
Aaron Winborn
Drupal Multimedia (my book, available now!)
AaronWinborn.com
Advomatic