SRD and Flexibility?

[Smokestack]

Hey all. Like many, I have flirted with the idea of publishing a campaign setting based upon my long-standing homebrew. I am not, however, very well - versed in many of the concepts of the Open Gaming License or its derivatives, so I thought I'd ask a question here, as Runequest is one of the systems I'd thought of using as a vehicle for my setting.

The SRD is basically (at least to me) the entire Runequest ruleset without the flavour text. Does this mean that any game setting I publish would have to use the rules as printed, or could I alter some stuff (add or remove skills and attributes, add new critical hit results, etc...) to make it more in tune with the setting?

I know that is a pretty broad question, so to be a little more specific; would I be allowed to change the names and numbers of attributes and skills if the way they actually worked remained the same? Ergo, this would not require the re-printing of anything related to the actual mechanics from the core rules, so no foul, right?

Thanks for any help.

P.S: I did a search of the forums before posting this, just so's ya know, but didn't find nuthin' that answered my questions.

 

[dmccoy1693]

The SRD is basically (at least to me) the entire Runequest ruleset without the flavour text.

Well there are other minor things missing like how to generate the stats on the character sheet. But mostly its all there.

Does this mean that any game setting I publish would have to use the rules as printed, or could I alter some stuff (add or remove skills and attributes, add new critical hit results, etc...) to make it more in tune with the setting?

You can change whatever you little heart desires. Stuff in the SRD is free to copy wholesale, lock, stock and barrel (as long as its properly referenced in the OGL). Don't copy stuff straight out of the MRQ books since nothing in them is open for you to use.

would I be allowed to change the names and numbers of attributes and skills if the way they actually worked remained the same?

Yes.

Well, ... are you planning on using the RuneQuest Logo License? That might be different. The OGL allows for almost anything, but Logo License is different. Best advise I can give you is to find a publisher that has worked with the OGL/various system licenses in the past (most of them would be former d20 publishers) and let them handle the legal work and give you a summary of what you can and cannot do under these licenses.

Also, I'd highly recommend giving the OGL and the RQLL a thorough read. They are very easy to understand and really are not written in legalese. If there's anything in them you don't understand, talking to a laywer is not a bad idea.

(disclaimer: I am not a Lawyer.)

 

[Smokestack]

Sweet, thanks. Basically, The few changes made reflect the setting in a way that I prefer, and includes some minor house-rule tweaks that have come up over much play. Nothing too substantial, but enought to warrant asking about the legalities.

Also, where can I find a copy of the Runequest Logo Lisence? Truth be told, this is the first I've heard of it.