Writing Software

[bjjones37]

Is there any edition of Traveller or Traveller-like game that I could code into computer software that I could freely give away without having to worry about copyrights or licensing issues?

I have been converting Mongoose 2nd edtn rules into algorithms and importing the tables into Excel, but that is their intellectual property that I cannot share.

What it intend to produce will be just a primitive turn-based console app to create characters and test them against various scenarios that I compile from the abundant resources out there. Gameplay would be somewhat linear and turn-based with a few branching decision trees and multiple solutions to each task using either keyword entry or multiple choice selections with standard 2D6 +DM resolution against predefined DC's. Play would be randomized against D66 (or comparable) interaction tables for encounters and antagonists. It should be easily extensible as long as I come up with a good standardized adventure module interface.

It all seems very straight forward, just very time consuming and time is something I have in abundance. Talking maybe a couple of years, I'm not in a hurry.

I am actually rather surprised that I have not come across something like it already. I already started a bare beginning in quickbasic. Porting to C would be pretty easy.

Seems a shame to go to all the trouble and not be able to share it.

 

[aramis]

Is there any edition of Traveller or Traveller-like game that I could code into computer software that I could freely give away without having to worry about copyrights or licensing issues?

I have been converting Mongoose 2nd edtn rules into algorithms and importing the tables into Excel, but that is their intellectual property that I cannot share.

What it intend to produce will be just a primitive turn-based console app to create characters and test them against various scenarios that I compile from the abundant resources out there. Gameplay would be somewhat linear and turn-based with a few branching decision trees and multiple solutions to each task using either keyword entry or multiple choice selections with standard 2D6 +DM resolution against predefined DC's. Play would be randomized against D66 (or comparable) interaction tables for encounters and antagonists. It should be easily extensible as long as I come up with a good standardized adventure module interface.

It all seems very straight forward, just very time consuming and time is something I have in abundance. Talking maybe a couple of years, I'm not in a hurry.

I am actually rather surprised that I have come across something like it already. I already started a bare beginning in quickbasic. Porting to C would be pretty easy.

Seems a shame to go to all the trouble and not be able to share it.

Mongoose has separate licensing;
All the others except GT and HT are allowed under the Fair Use license at FFE Fair Use

GT and HT are special cases - the underlying mechanics of the game belong to SJG and Hero Games, respectively, and they have much more restriction on their mechanics than Marc/FFE does.

 

[bjjones37]

Apparently the answer according to the Fair Use Policy is no there is not. I have to incorporate the rules in the software and import the tables. That does not seem to be an option. I would be using a lot more than just one page.

 

[mike wightman]

Use Cepheus Engine?

 

[bjjones37]

What are it's licensing and copyright requirements (assuming they are written in English like the FFE policy and not legalese)?

 

[mike wightman]

It's based on the Mongoose Traveller 1e OGL and as such it is free from restrictions as far as I know.

 

[bjjones37]

Is there any way to contact the person who wrote Cepheus Engine and ask what the limitations on it would be?

Can I even use it with the published Traveller universe like the Spinward Marches? My financial investment in Traveller has been fairly extensive.

Could I use the materials in the fanzines with CE like "Freelance Traveller" or would that be imposing on the FFE license?

And is CE a D20 product? When I browse for it D20 always seem to pop up.

The Traveller Universe of products looms as a very large and somewhat blurry expanse to me, must be a planetary nebula between it and my optics (myoptic?).

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Is there any edition of Traveller or Traveller-like game that I could code into computer software that I could freely give away without having to worry about copyrights or licensing issues?

I have been converting Mongoose 2nd edtn rules into algorithms and importing the tables into Excel, but that is their intellectual property that I cannot share.

What it intend to produce will be just a primitive turn-based console app to create characters and test them against various scenarios that I compile from the abundant resources out there. Gameplay would be somewhat linear and turn-based with a few branching decision trees and multiple solutions to each task using either keyword entry or multiple choice selections with standard 2D6 +DM resolution against predefined DC's. Play would be randomized against D66 (or comparable) interaction tables for encounters and antagonists. It should be easily extensible as long as I come up with a good standardized adventure module interface.

It all seems very straight forward, just very time consuming and time is something I have in abundance. Talking maybe a couple of years, I'm not in a hurry.

I am actually rather surprised that I have not come across something like it already. I already started a bare beginning in quickbasic. Porting to C would be pretty easy.

Seems a shame to go to all the trouble and not be able to share it.

Ha! Tell me about it. I have a Referee simulator that generates quests for 3-4 hour-long game sessions, based on what's happening at the time place in my Imperium simulator, which I can step forward or backward through using 1105 as a starting point.

None of it is shareable. Just for my own use.

 

[bjjones37]

Ha! Tell me about it. I have a Referee simulator that generates quests for 3-4 hour-long game sessions, based on what's happening at the time place in my Imperium simulator, which I can step forward or backward through using 1105 as a starting point.

None of it is shareable. Just for my own use.

I ... am ... sooo ... jealous!!! That sounds Fabulous! My effort will be considerably more primitive, but at least it will be mine.

Referee Simulator, that is exactly what I had in mind. Which version did you make it for?

 

[flykiller]

I have a Referee simulator that generates quests for 3-4 hour-long game sessions, based on what's happening at the time place in my Imperium simulator, which I can step forward or backward through using 1105 as a starting point.

can't make heads or tails of that. could you post a sample output to illustrate what you mean?

 

[vegas]

@flykiller

No soup for you.

Hint: he was being sarcastic

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I ... am ... sooo ... jealous!!! That sounds Fabulous! My effort will be considerably more primitive, but at least it will be mine.

Referee Simulator, that is exactly what I had in mind. Which version did you make it for?

I have a MgT1 and a MgT2 version. Technically, they use different game mechanics. Everything else about Refereeing is the same though. So a D100 mechanic wouldn't be too hard to swap in. The software assumes a skill-based mechanic is involved.

can't make heads or tails of that. could you post a sample output to illustrate what you mean?

When I get some time, I can do a demo on my YouTube channel, if I don't have one already on there. Been awhile.

 

[agorski]

Is there any edition of Traveller or Traveller-like game that I could code into computer software that I could freely give away without having to worry about copyrights or licensing issues?

I've been writing Mac and iOS apps for years for CT and T5 by following the FFE Fair Use Policy. No problem at all if they're free. I always let Marc know when I release one.

 

[aramis]

Apparently the answer according to the Fair Use Policy is no there is not. I have to incorporate the rules in the software and import the tables. That does not seem to be an option. I would be using a lot more than just one page.

Contact Marc - if it's freeware, he's usually going to be cooperative.

 

[bjjones37]

Contact Marc - if it's freeware, he's usually going to be cooperative.

Does that apply to the Mongoose Traveller 2nd edtn also? Or only CT thru T5?

 

[aramis]

Does that apply to the Mongoose Traveller 2nd edtn also? Or only CT thru T5?

Only CT to T5.
Mongoose you need to contact mongoose.

 

[bjjones37]

Only CT to T5.
Mongoose you need to contact mongoose.

Sorry but one last question. Would Cepheus Engine fall under FFE in this regard or Mongoose?

 

[aramis]

Sorry but one last question. Would Cepheus Engine fall under FFE in this regard or Mongoose?

Neither. Technically, the Wizards OGL 1.0a doesn't cover software, so technically you'd need Jason Kemp's permission.

I would expect Jason won't say no, but I can't speak for him. (If he wishes, and writes one, I'll happily put the Cephus fair use in the FAQ, too.)

 

[Leitz]

I'll offer my beginner opinion since I've mentally debated a few of the same things.

Interactions with Marc need time. I'm not sure what his schedule is but sometimes he gets busy. When we have interacted he's always been pleasent and easy to work with. He has a few basic guidelines so I'd give him time to respond.

Decide if you want to share the app or the interface. Programming for a desktop app, to me, seems more difficult since you have to work out things for various operating systems, versions, and end user technical ability to install libraries, etc. You mentioned C, which is portable but needs work to compile across various OSs. My thinking it to write a web based "thing" so I can focus on the server platform. Still share the code so others can improve it. You might want to look at the Travellermap API, really good stuff.

Write easy framework tools. I've been working out the idea of character careers as lists of skills, benefits, and a few other odds and ends. By putting those lists in easily digestable text files that get slurped by the code, almost anyone can add career paths or change existing ones. For example, on Line 8 the "Merchant" career uses a basic skill list from a text file. You could add to or subtract skills as you see fit.

Seperate story from code. My gaming style is more story based, and that's very difficult to do in code. I write fiction and use the game mechanics to help things along. So my "big project", totally vaporware at the moment, is a merchant based system where the player goes from planet to planet buying and selling. They have a ship and crew and the financials are taken care of by the code. However, the story is up to the player. I'll point to Traveller and Solo to suggest ways to add depth to the game, but won't code around it. Too many variables.

Don't be a robot. Games are games, code is code. Your interpretation of the game into code is artwork. Change what you like and drop what you don't. Robots change text output into computer code. People, creators, take disparate units and combine them into art. Be an artist, not a robot.

 

[estar]

Is there any way to contact the person who wrote Cepheus Engine and ask what the limitations on it would be?

The text of the product is open content under the open game license. The primary two conditions are that you can't cite compatibility with any trademark and anything based on the open content has to be open content itself. For software this means the data files have to be open content. For good measure I would open source the source code as well. For example of software and the Open Game License see PC Gen which uses the D20 System Reference Document as well as the Pathfinder Reference Document.

http://pcgen.org/

Again the data your software use need to be open content. Don't lock up it inside the software as binary code. if you are unable to do that then the best course to open source the code and declare it open content under the Open Game License.

Can I even use it with the published Traveller universe like the Spinward Marches? My financial investment in Traveller has been fairly extensive.

No

Could I use the materials in the fanzines with CE like "Freelance Traveller" or would that be imposing on the FFE license?

Ask the editor of Freelance Traveller about who the contact for the articles you want to incorporate.

And is CE a D20 product? When I browse for it D20 always seem to pop up.

No, it is based on the the Mongoose Traveller 1e System Reference Document. But it incorporates some bits from the open content of Traveller20 and other bits of open content from the products listed in Section 15 of the Open Game License on the last page (208).

The Traveller Universe of products looms as a very large and somewhat blurry expanse to me, must be a planetary nebula between it and my optics (myoptic?).

Remember the Cepheus Engine is meant to be used to publish original settings and material that are compatible with rules that are close to Traveller editions using the 2d6 dice resolution system. Not stuff for the Third Imperium setting. If you have stuff that is not software you want to publish for the Third Imperium you need to use the Community Content program call the Traveller Aid Society and Mongoose 2nd edition rules. The TAS program doesn't allow for software to be posted.