D20 System
- The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. The correct title is d20 System.
- d20 is also a kind of polyhedral die.
The d20 System is a system of game mechanics for role-playing games introduced by Wizards of the Coast in conjunction with the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons in 2000. The system is so called because the mechanics rely heavily on rolling a 20-sided die.
Much of the d20 System was released using the Open Game Licence, which allows commercial and non-commercial publishers to release modifications or supplements to the system without paying for the use of the system's associated intellectual property, which is owned by Wizards of the Coast. While game systems themselves cannot be copyrighted (though they may be patented), copyright and trademark laws do apply to content that possesses a distinct identity. The Open Game License (OGL) refers to this as Product Identity. Third party publishers may designate their own protected Product Identity, so that a book may include both open and closed content. Regardless, all material remains the property of its respective creators. The license gives permission to use the material free of charge. Designation of open content apparently cannot be rescinded, but this hasn't yet been tested through litigation.
The d20 System is credited with developing the idea of open gaming, though there was at least one precursor in the efforts of Dominion Games' Dominion Rules. The Open Game License is based on similar licenses in other fields, such as the GPL. Its purpose differs from many other licenses because it is intended to support sales of the core game books for Dungeons and Dragons and D20 Modern. To this end, the system's open content does not include rules for character creation and advancement, encouraging gamers to purchase the above books.
Because Dungeons and Dragons is the most popular role-playing game in the world, many third party publishers produce products designed to be compatible with that game and its cousin, d20 Modern. Wizards of the Coast provides a separate license allowing publishers to use some of its trademarked terms and a distinctive logo to help consumers identify these products. This is known as the d20 System License. The d20 System Licence (D20STL) requires publishers to exclude character creation and advancement rules, apply certain notices and adhere to an acceptable content policy. Games that only use the OGL are not bound by these restrictions, and several have included character creation and advancement rules, allowing them to be used as standalone products. D20STL products require a core book from Wizards of the Coast and must clearly state this. As the D20STL has changed, some companies have chosen to use the OGL by itself. All D20STL products must also use the OGL to make use of d20 open content, but publishers may use the OGL without using the D20STL.
D20 System products using one or both licenses have taken a significant marketshare of the role-playing games industry. They have especially promoted the rise of electronic publishing, since small companies can tap the huge market potential of Dungeons and Dragons at no cost to themselves. According to past Wizards of the Coast Brand Manager Ryan Dancey, this phenomenon is an example of the marketing theory of network externality, where supplements encourage the gaming community to purchase more of the essential core books of the game, but opinions about the reason d20- products are successful vary.
Mechanically speaking, the d20 system is similar to older proprietary game systems such as the d10-based Interlock system used by semi-defunct publisher R. Talsorian Games, and d20 System designer Jonothan Tweet credits his work on Ars Magica as one of the inspirations for the system. The basic mechanics involve adding a skill modifier to an ability modifier and rolling a die to compare to a target number (called a Difficulty Class).
The d20 System is not the first system attempting to be universal (supporting all kinds of game settings), but it is the most popular. GURPS from Steve Jackson Games had been the most popular universal role-playing system since its creation in 1986.
The rules for the d20 System are defined in the System Reference Document (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/20040121a) (currently version 3.5), which may be copied freely or even sold (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/srdfaq/20040123c). The System Reference Document is essentially the Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition Player's Handbook stripped of description and flavour-text.
External links
- Official website of the d20 Game System and the Open Gaming License (http://www.wizards.com/D20/)
- http://dmoz.org/Games/Roleplaying/Genres/Universal/d20_System/
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