Preferred game system that isn't built on the OGL

Jan 10, 2023 3:53 pm
Hello,

With all the hubbub about the OGL, and publishers look for a plan "B" if Hasbro/WotC truly does go nuclear with the new 1.1 agreement, what are some games people like that aren't OGL?

Let's remove D&D, Pathfinder, Old School Essentials, and many others. I think the hobby is sufficiently large that even if every OGL game dropped into the abyss tomorrow, we could all still carry on gaming quite happily.

Personally, if I was forced to step away from d20 based games spawned by the OGL, I'd probably start running Savage Worlds (pretty sure that isn't OGL, but I could be wrong) games more often. It's a neat, tidy "generic game" that can handle all of the pulp action people look for in fantasy rpgs like D&D.

What about all of you? What are your preferred systems/games to play that are NOT tied to the OGL? Players that might not know the gaming landscape might appreciate the opinions of all the people on the knowledgeable veterans on GP.
Jan 10, 2023 4:27 pm
GURPS & BRP are amongst my favorite games with more generic rules.

Ars Magica is my go-to for fantasy.
Jan 10, 2023 4:30 pm
witchdoctor says:
Ars Magica is my go-to for fantasy.
That is a game on my bucketlist. I have heard so much good about it
Jan 10, 2023 4:49 pm
runekyndig says:
witchdoctor says:
Ars Magica is my go-to for fantasy.
That is a game on my bucketlist. I have heard so much good about it
I've ran it via PbP a few times & it's on my list of games to run on GP. First up for me tho is ShadowRun via Chronicles of Darkness.
Jan 10, 2023 5:07 pm
witchdoctor says:
runekyndig says:
witchdoctor says:
Ars Magica is my go-to for fantasy.
That is a game on my bucketlist. I have heard so much good about it
I've ran it via PbP a few times & it's on my list of games to run on GP. First up for me tho is ShadowRun via Chronicles of Darkness.
Yes, we did try that didn't we? Any chance of a resurrection?
Jan 10, 2023 5:08 pm
I would assume that the entire gaming world is moving away from the damned OGL, sheeeet it should be called the CLOSED Gaming License now.

I have (re)discovered Dungeon World- someone run a game here?
Jan 10, 2023 5:11 pm
I think I joined two DW games in my time on GP and neither got out of character creation...

As for the original question, I do like Savage Worlds a lot. That's definitely up there. Aside from that, I usually just get my attention caught by random indie games
Jan 10, 2023 5:15 pm
Here's a running list of everything that's been named so far in alphabetical order for anyone interested:

Ars Magica - fantasy
Basic Role-Playing - generic
Chronicles of Darkness - horror
Dungeon World - fantasy
Dragonbane - fantasy
GURPS - generic
Savage Worlds - generic
Shadowrun - cyberpunk

I'll add to this as people contribute. I didn't add "indie" because it's too broad a category, but there are loads of good games that fall under that umbrella.
Jan 10, 2023 5:50 pm
It was really hard to name just one that is not released under the OGL (PtbA Stuff, Blades Stuff, everything von Chaosium, The Dark Eye which is super popular where I live).

I will go with West End Games Star Wars d6 since I played it so much and never seam to tire of it (with Apocalypse World coming close behind).

I was going to name Fate as well but shockingly it uses the OGL, which I still don't know why :D
Last edited January 10, 2023 5:50 pm
Jan 10, 2023 6:22 pm
Yunera says:
... shockingly it uses the OGL, which I still don't know why
The OGL 1.0a was a well-vetted license many people used over the decades, even if their prodict had nothing to do with DnD. It is doubtful that WotC can have any affect on these unrelated games. (but IANAL)
Jan 10, 2023 7:16 pm
Looker here:

Even the Bundle has an opinion.
Last edited January 10, 2023 7:17 pm
Jan 10, 2023 9:15 pm
World of Dungeons
Tiny D6
Maze Rats
Knave
2400

- all can support one shot or long term gaming in a variety of settings; all work for fantasy or for various sci-fi / cyberpunk / magepunk settings.

For games less concerned with "leveling up":
Risus
ATRIM
Tricube Tales
Jan 10, 2023 9:42 pm
I am having a good time with the resistance toolbox thus far.
Its under my favourite license (creative commons)
Jan 11, 2023 4:19 am
I'm not sure that I would even notice if OGL became legal quicksand. I'd greatly prefer even today to play SWADE, Fantasy AGE, Symbaroum, Conan 2d20, or even Zweihander or Rolemaster United than a d20 game (depending on the crunch I crave atm).
Jan 11, 2023 7:24 am
Yunera says:
I was going to name Fate as well but shockingly it uses the OGL, which I still don't know why :D
As of Fate Core, Evil Hat dropped the OGL, or at least made it optional -- advice on their website is now to use it only if the designer is referencing WotC material.

Mystifying to me as well why games completely unrelated to Wizards used it (See: early Fate games, a couple of Arc Dream books). It shouldn't hurt them now, but it was pretty naïve to use a license someone else controls when they weren't required to.
Jan 11, 2023 3:30 pm
Qralloq says:
I'm not sure that I would even notice if OGL became legal quicksand. I'd greatly prefer even today to play SWADE, Fantasy AGE, Symbaroum, Conan 2d20, or even Zweihander or Rolemaster United than a d20 game (depending on the crunch I crave atm).
Recently for the first time I saw a quick summary of 2d20 ... and yes, please, that looks like a cool core for a game.

On the other hand, for swords & sorcery Barbarians of Lemuria is close to my heart.
Jan 12, 2023 2:17 am
I think that everyone on here knows that my game of choice is Savage Worlds.
Jan 12, 2023 2:23 am
Raises his hand and points agreeingly to WhtKnt about Savage Worlds...
Jan 12, 2023 3:37 am
No one’s mentioned Torg which has a serious amount of option/Inspiration. Straight up Pondsmith cyberpunk is always great! Runequest and pendragon (which 6e should be released any time now). Old Stormbringer is readily available in pdf for anyone wanting that sweet Moorcock pulp fantasy glory. Fantasy trip, House of the blooded, Orc world, LOTFR, etc.

This list could go on forever! They don’t own our game. The originator of the first OGL has already gone on record saying that "in his opinion" wizards has no power to revoke the previous OGL. In the original wording of the OGL, once a game was open under the license it would remain open. Pretty sure this is all just smoke and mirrors. Our very own satanic panic playing out.

As a student of anthropology I am always curious about when people will realize that culture cannot be owned. This is a myth of capitalism, Intellectual Property rights are for artists and creatives. Once things pass into broad multigenerational use the rules change, whether or not our laws want to recognize it. Dungeons and dragons is apart of our history, are they going to tell Luke Gygax he cannot publish things for Gary Con next?
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