True 20 revised

Aos · January 14, 2008, 04:48:02 PM

Green Ronin is going to release a revised True20 book witch fixes some of the problems with the first book, and ditches the setting material. The empty space will be filled by the complete text of the companion.

IMO. this is the way the book should have been done in the first place. However, I already have all the new stuff, so it's hard to say if I'll be willing to buy it again. Probably not.
in other news they're going to open up the license and allow people to produce true20 material for free under the rules of the OGL.

Anyway, for the 1.7 of you that are interested, the whole story is here.
http://true20.com/

Kaz · January 14, 2008, 04:51:38 PM

I'm excited about this. And I agree, this is what it should have been from the beginning.

Although, other than a clearer explanation of the damage rules and such, there's not a lot awful wrong with it, is there?

Zachary The First · January 14, 2008, 04:53:11 PM

Excellent moves on their part! Throwing it open as OGL, especially with 4e looming, might help in making it a continuously popular, viable system and design of choice for some.

Aos · January 14, 2008, 05:00:26 PM

Quote from: KazI'm excited about this. And I agree, this is what it should have been from the beginning.

Although, other than a clearer explanation of the damage rules and such, there's not a lot awful wrong with it, is there?

No, not really. I'm happy to see the settings go, because they sucked.
The only thing really wrong with the book besides the not so great explanation of the damage system is the anemic beastary.

Kaz · January 14, 2008, 05:37:47 PM

The only True20 setting that I thought was truly original was the uh.. "Razor in the Apple" one. (Is that right? I may have made up the name. Kids, horror, rules for different stereotypes of parents, etc.)

This new book would be damn near perfect if they jettison the fantasy archetype bit. The system is pretty seriously predicated on the idea slimming things down, especially in character creation, and the Companion adds this weird subset of rules for characters filling common fantasy cliches. It's so weird and out of place.

Drew · January 14, 2008, 05:43:21 PM

Quote from: Zachary The FirstExcellent moves on their part! Throwing it open as OGL, especially with 4e looming, might help in making it a continuously popular, viable system and design of choice for some.

We can but hope.

True 20 has been my generic system of choice for a while now, and I'm hoping this shift in licensing policy will open the gates for more experimental products by other publishers.

The corebook changes sound cool, too. Although I own both the component publications I'll probably buy it anyway. Hopefully they'll spruce up the presentation a little-- I'm thinking of something along the lines of M&M's glossy, full colour layout.

Regardless, it's great to see that GR are still taking the game seriously.

Drew · January 14, 2008, 05:44:20 PM

Quote from: KazThis new book would be damn near perfect if they jettison the fantasy archetype bit. The system is pretty seriously predicated on the idea slimming things down, especially in character creation, and the Companion adds this weird subset of rules for characters filling common fantasy cliches. It's so weird and out of place.

Agreed. I'd rather see a decent point-buy alternative for character creation.

walkerp · January 14, 2008, 05:56:20 PM

Great news! D6, True20 what's going OGL next? My plans for systemless settings and system-specific stat pdf's grow ever closer to fruition.

Zachary The First · January 14, 2008, 06:08:25 PM

Quote from: walkerpGreat news! D6, True20 what's going OGL next? My plans for systemless settings and system-specific stat pdf's grow ever closer to fruition.

Well, under CC or OGL, we have FATE, True20 (coming soon), d6 (coming soon), Action!, TSOY, FUDGE, Iridium, YAGS, and Mongoose RQ, to name a few. Others?

Haffrung · January 14, 2008, 06:21:08 PM

Quote from: AosIMO. this is the way the book should have been done in the first place. However, I already have all the new stuff, so it's hard to say if I'll be willing to buy it again.

I found the only thing I needed to learn (and hopefully someday run) True20 was the softcover Player's Guide. Hard to say at this point if the new edition will make that redundant.

Aos · January 14, 2008, 06:29:44 PM

Quote from: HaffrungI found the only thing I needed to learn (and hopefully someday run) True20 was the softcover Player's Guide. Hard to say at this point if the new edition will make that redundant.

I ran it for over a year with just the core book (same as players guide +useless settings and pitiful, mostly useless beastary) before the companion came out and did just fine. However the companion has some pretty nfty stuff in it, and has proven to be pretty useful to us.

One Horse Town · January 14, 2008, 06:44:17 PM

If i get the time and i can find someone with the inclination to publish it, i might just see if i can get some stuff done myself once May comes round.

joewolz · January 14, 2008, 06:50:54 PM

Quote from: Zachary The FirstWell, under CC or OGL, we have FATE, True20 (coming soon), d6 (coming soon), Action!, TSOY, FUDGE, Iridium, YAGS, and Mongoose RQ, to name a few. Others?

I can only hope one of them takes off, it'd be nice not to have to play D&D when I move.

I might pick up the new True20.

RPGPundit · January 14, 2008, 09:07:37 PM

Well, this seems to be an improvement from what they originally released; the settings they included were all ass, and worked badly against the system.

I also hope they roll back some of the changes to the system from the True20 PDF to the True20 print book, especially the "special class powers" which are completely inappropriate to many settings.

RPGPundit

Aos · January 14, 2008, 09:10:58 PM

Quote from: RPGPunditWell, this seems to be an improvement from what they originally released; the settings they included were all ass, and worked badly against the system.

I also hope they roll back some of the changes to the system from the True20 PDF to the True20 print book, especially the "special class powers" which are completely inappropriate to many settings.

RPGPundit

I don't have the old pdf, do you mean the core abilities for the roles, or something else?

FWIW, they said that there will be no major rule changes, just a clean up.