D6 Project

[The Game Guy]

Many people have been discussing what they would do if they got the D6 License.

I am interested to hear what ideas people have (Good ways to make it work, how to handle the license, etc).

Discuss

[SDF_II]

Well I may not play D6, but I flipped through it enough to know the Attributes and skill names should be consistant across the different D6 games.

That'd be nice.

SDF II

[Grimace]

Sadly I don't have the money available (without taking out a loan) to purchase the system. I'd love to have it, as I have so many ideas for D6. I would create (as I am now) a comprehensive system that would allow for simple, medium, or more complex use of the D6 system. It would utilize one set of attributes and an expanding list of skills that could be used for any type of game you'd want to play with D6. I'd work on cohesive stats for things that wouldn't vary depending on the type of setting you were playing in, and I would offer developed ideas for ways to run D6 in various different settings and genres.

I'd also come up with a dedicated setting that I would release and expand upon, so people could have something they could play in without having to do a bunch of creative "build it from scratch" work beforehand. I've got so much stuff I've created that I could fairly rapidly come up with reasonable products fairly quickly.

But...that won't happen, as there's no way for me to purchase the system. :(

[Lee Torres]

I think I'd stick pretty close to Eric's "Open D6" concept, as far as the modularity goes - uniform attributes might be helpful too.

One notion derived from the modular concept might be going really "Old School" and presenting a Basic D6 set and an Advanced D6 set - Basic being just split 18D6 amongst attributes, 6 or so dice between skills, use wound levels, templates, very much like the old WEG Star Wars (and later Metabarons) rules, and Advanced D6 using the point-buy, more crunchy character builds, advantages and disadvantages, body points, etc. like the D6 Adventure, D6 Space, and D6 Fantasy hardbacks. Or go ultra-lite and use the "Score" variant introduced in the old paperback D6 rulebook, where there are no attributes or skills, just "scores" incorporating both into one package - I recall someone doing a freeware Starship Troopers D6 download that made good use of this variant.

In point of fact, it was that kind of thing that made me like Eric's "Open D6" suggestion so much - it would allow designers to put in what they liked and discard the rest - right down to whether you capped attributes at 4, or 5, or whatever your setting would best be served by...

[Kalzazz]

Hmmm. I would keep the Core stuff as they stand, and then create my interpretation as a bundle of house rules (well, write up my bundle of house rules), and invite others to submit all of there house rules as well into different bundles. That way people could see 'Here is a starting point, and here are different ways people have taken this starting point and turned it into things which only vaguely resemble the starting point'

I would also want to start a vast archive for monsters, items, etc that would hopefully grow to rival DnD and all the Monster Manuals over time (my favorite part of DnD when I used to DM it!)

Id also create a webcomic and sell tshirts and other knickknacks to accompany the system (in the fantasy world where I could afford to buy D6 I could also draw a webcomic)

Id allow people to develop stuff they intended to add for free to the archive for free, or otherwise allow free to not need a license, but if anyone intended to sell stuff for profit I would require either A: they made it allowable to add to the grand archive for free, or B: bought a license

Id solicit donations, sell D6 tshirts and knickknacks, and probably sell advertising space to try and recoup losses

[nerdron]

I would consolidate and add consistency to the rules, and come up with a unified mechanic for special abilities and magic, like Savage worlds, but more flexible.

I have about 15% of a power system done, but it is slow going, because I suck :-)

[Havard]

I have about 15% of a power system done, but it is slow going, because I suck :-)

No you dont :)

Havard

[The Game Guy]

Well it looks like he wants to stick close to the D6 Open idea, and he didn't seem to dig the public domain idea (which I had a feeling he wouldn't).

We will see what he actually does (if anything)

[kellhound]

I would translate it to Spanish, and look for somebody to translate it to German, Portuguese and French.
:D
Not only english-speaking players love D6. ;)

[slink]

I would translate it to Spanish, and look for somebody to translate it to German, Portuguese and French.
:D
Not only english-speaking players love D6. ;)
German translation here. :D
I have some experience and also a friend who was involved in the (never published) translation of the Torg Boxed Set.

[nerdron]

No you dont :)

Havard
Not as writer, I am the best writer ever :-)

I have trouble with focus and follow through on projects. Trying to get better, a little at a time.

[The Game Guy]

Well it looks like the project has taken a much different turn. I am not sure what to think about this one:

http://www.westendgames.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4760

[Grimace]

Considering how sporadic things are at WEG right now, I wouldn't believe anything that comes out of there. To some extent, Eric is sounding a lot like Brett Favre when it comes to what he wants to do with the D6 IP.

Until the rights change hands to someone else, I don't foresee anything concrete coming out of WEG. Sad to say, but that's just what I'm seeing.

[The Game Guy]

Considering how sporadic things are at WEG right now, I wouldn't believe anything that comes out of there. To some extent, Eric is sounding a lot like Brett Favre when it comes to what he wants to do with the D6 IP.

Until the rights change hands to someone else, I don't foresee anything concrete coming out of WEG. Sad to say, but that's just what I'm seeing.

From all of the pain and heartache it has caused him (by simply going on what he has said) he should just get himself out of debt and move on.

At least pay off the pre-orders, get himself some good will

[nerdron]

Eric seems like he is desperately flailing around, trying to save whatever he can. Like Mike said, I think Eric should just get out of it completely, before he makes any more mistakes.

[asmkm22]

I think the D6 systems needs to be tightened up a bit, preferably in conjunction with a specific setting. I think quite a few of the skills need to be re-worked, and Coordination needs to be combined with Dexterity again. Having Technical and Mechanical as two separate skills really only makes sense at a sci-fi level, and even that is dubious in my opinion. Technical can easily wrap up with Knowledge, so I'd probably make the final attribute list something like this: Agility, Physique, Acumen, Intellect, Charisma, and Craft (used for creation specific skills like magic, divine, and mundane crafting or mechanical aptitude).

[Sketchpad]

IMHO, the d6 game needs to own up to the times a bit more, while also retaining past charms. First thing I'd do is make a single rule book. Doesn't have to overly huge like Hero, but more detailed than Savage Worlds. Within, I'd like to see:

Ditch the Ad/Disad system for something more like d20's Feats and M&M's complication system.
Keep Templates as easy access characters, but also encourage template creation and characters from scratch.
Have an ability construction system. Basically something that can be used to construct powers, magic, psionics, weird science, etc. But have them able to make sense within their proper context. For example, Weird Science should still be something that requires construction rather than just a wave over of some special ability.
Have a healthy amount of genre construction rules and include a mix of templates, a bestiary and equipment.
Keep quality design and illustrations throughout. Too many books ignore that.


On the heels of the core book, start coming out with a series of books that follow this formula: Genre Book (contains additional rules, templates, equipment, GM advice, etc), at least 1 Setting (contains setting history, additional templates that are setting specific, NPCs, etc.), Bestiary (genre critters) and PDF Adventures/Adventure Path. Again, good graphic design and illustration.
If possible, I would like to see at least 2 settings a year (maybe one original and one licensed when possible). The first setting I would publish would be d6 Torg ;)

To take another page from WotC and Hero, I would also make an optional tactical system for d6. Nothing over complicated, but something that allows for a good minis system within the game. Maybe taking an extended look at the d6SW Minis rules.

Oh, and I'd like to see a well done character folio that's around 16 pages and free to download. A resource like that should be something that's downloadable and not charged for (as it's really promotional for a system).

But hey, I'm not asking for much ... am I? ;)

[The Game Guy]

Eric seems like he is desperately flailing around, trying to save whatever he can. Like Mike said, I think Eric should just get out of it completely, before he makes any more mistakes.

I am still hopeful that the current person interested in WEG will buy it whole and WEG will live on and grow.

Already had someone on another forum claim WEG was dead and I had to correct them.

Sad, when people talk out of ignorance.

[The Game Guy]

IMHO, the d6 game needs to own up to the times a bit more, while also retaining past charms. First thing I'd do is make a single rule book. Doesn't have to overly huge like Hero, but more detailed than Savage Worlds.

I have to say I can't remember anyone saying that having d6 in 3 seperate books wasn't a mistake.

I think it is also sad, because WEG could have put it in one book, it could have had the D6 license where the license owner would put out the book with genre, vehicles, etc and in order to have the rules they would have to buy the core book (ala what D20 did at the begining).

That would have gotten D6 out to a wider audience and made WEG money by selling core books.

[Sketchpad]

I have to say I can't remember anyone saying that having d6 in 3 seperate books wasn't a mistake.

I think it is also sad, because WEG could have put it in one book, it could have had the D6 license where the license owner would put out the book with genre, vehicles, etc and in order to have the rules they would have to buy the core book (ala what D20 did at the begining).

That would have gotten D6 out to a wider audience and made WEG money by selling core books.

I don't think that was the idea at the time ... many of d20's initial OGL books were horrid. And most smaller publishers wanted to ignore that train wreck. Sure it got the name out there, but a lot of it turned people off the system completely.
Now would it be a good idea for OGd6? Maybe. Depends on what people are planning in the long run, production quality and press quality. It could be that same train ready to run of its tracks again. Personally, I think Green Ronin has the right idea on that philosophy. It's OGL, but it still has to meet an approval. Nothing like seeing a Book of Erotic Fantasy for your favorite system ;)

[paladin3970]

Question - I haven't had the chance to see the D6 system for myself but I am interested in it based on the favorable things I've read (a shame that WEG seems to barely treading water at the moment).

With the uncertain future, what is the viability doing something similar to what Labyrinth Lord and OSRIC did with the D&D and AD&D 1e rules or GORE and the Basic Roleplaying System? Kind of what Linux is to UNIX? I am sure that there are those who have ideas on how to revise the system - why not do it as an variation on the D6 system?

[The Game Guy]

Well Paladin,

As for how to revise it there is a thread already in this forum about that very subject:

http://wegfanforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83

I think the system is a viable one. It needs some cleaning up and some tweaks and I think it could be very usable.

There was talk about an Open D6 at one point but that is on hold, as the current owner of WEG got an offer to buy the entire company.

[Whill]

I re-posted my original post in the appropriate thread Mike has a link to above.

[paladin3970]

Well Paladin,

As for how to revise it there is a thread already in this forum about that very subject:

http://wegfanforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83

I think the system is a viable one. It needs some cleaning up and some tweaks and I think it could be very usable.

There was talk about an Open D6 at one point but that is on hold, as the current owner of WEG got an offer to buy the entire company.

read through the thread on ideas for revision. I guess with Open D6 up in the air, has anyone considered a derivative sytem based on these ideas and release it under the OGL or CC license? I hope that this suggestion doesn't offend since this is a little like holding a funeral for someone who isn't dead (and who knows? the new owners of D6 might be able to breath new life into it) but it is something to consider since from what I'm reading this has been going on for quite sometime.

[skeloric]

There are enough systems out there with an OGL or CC setup already that creating ANOTHER/DERIVATIVE D6 might actually defeat the purpose.
Instead, it'd be easier to grab another system and make the product and come back to D6 to do a conversion when the situation stabilizes.

[The Game Guy]

I personally (and I know I have said this before) think that D6 should be revised but I dont think that a core book is the way to go.

I think revising it, letting companies use the revised rules for their settings is the better way to go.

An Open system will just get lost in the sea of systems already out there.

[Crusis]

Maybe I don't understand what open system means.

I would like to be able to take D6, change it as I see fit for my game, and then release that game with D6 stamped on the side of the rulebook. If I have to use D6 without the ability to change it as I want for my game, then I might as well start learning D20 I guess.

[The Game Guy]

Maybe I don't understand what open system means.

I would like to be able to take D6, change it as I see fit for my game, and then release that game with D6 stamped on the side of the rulebook. If I have to use D6 without the ability to change it as I want for my game, then I might as well start learning D20 I guess.

I mean I guess it depends how much modifiy you want to do. If you want to add skills, make some templates then thats only minor changes. If you want to be able to change the stats and some other things then those are major changes

[Grimace]

I believe it all depends on an individuals point of view. Changing some things here and there, including attributes and skills doesn't change the feel or the way D6 works. Sometimes even changing some things about the mechanics (such as not including the Wild Die) doesn't change the way D6 works as whole. Without changing the way the game runs and feels, is it really that "major" of a change?

I will say, however, that just because you might have to do some changes to D6, be they sublte or obvious, doesn't mean that the better option becomes the one where a person moves to D20. That really seems to me to be cutting off your nose to spite your face.

[Crusis]

I agree, Grimace, but I do want to be able to make a few changes. My partners and I have already altered how we do combat, for example. We like our system, and would like to be able to put it into our game when we get a license someday.

As far as the wild dice thing goes, we intend to make it a GM discretion thing. "Toss in a wild die" the GM said. That way you don't have a 2 in 6 chance of always having something 'wild' happen.

[ngarrang]

Maybe I don't understand what open system means.

I would like to be able to take D6, change it as I see fit for my game, and then release that game with D6 stamped on the side of the rulebook. If I have to use D6 without the ability to change it as I want for my game, then I might as well start learning D20 I guess.

Any game system can be changed to meet your needs. D20, D6, BRP, GURPS, whatever. The rules are just guidelines. Change them as you see fit.

BRP and D6 are my two favorites systems of all time, with Marvel Super Heroes (classic edition) and GURPS coming in next. As much as I may like their rules, I make changes all the time to fit a specific game setting.