This forum is so cool.

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The only possible reviewing that could be done it to ensure the piece is consistent with existing materials (a long and labourious process; I've seen both CGI and NRC doing it). This is what I term "continuity". It means getting all the names, dates, locations and other references correct. Nothing gets nitpicked better than a piece referring to "Lord Throg of Barf Manor in Soggson Hundred, who was born in 621TR", where a dozen people write in and say it was really "Lord Throgrod, and he was born in 622TR...oh, and BTW Barf Manor is in Blatson Hundred, not Soggson Hundred".

This is really something the author should be doing anyway. Besides, if a fanon author screws up, someone will call him on it, and he can change it pretty easily. It's not like the article appears in a hard copy or anything......

If the piece was licensed (assuming such a thing could be agreed upon by the principles), that's a different kettle of fish. The licencee should be required to submit the piece to the licensor for approval before publishing. This is standard industry practice. All this is for is to make certain the piece meets certain standards of authorship, and doesn't introduce something outside the boundaries of the setting, like a race of dragon-riding half-elf, half-orc humanoids living in a floating city deep in the Felsha Mountains, or something equally silly.

Bottom line, I don't see the need for a CoE for fan material.

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Perhaps a suitable alternative would be to review the Harnic/Lythian/Kelestian body of material and make older stuff open source, to build interest in the best fantasy rpg environment every devised. This would help create a market for new stuff from both CG and NRC (plus any other licensed parties). Surely that would increase sales and encourage more consistent and regular release of new material. Perhaps a time frame of five or ten years could be implemented, with material released before that time made available as open source. Of course, if a gaming group wants to use Harnmaster or HM Gold for their game, the systems should still be for sale and not open source.

Actually, I'd recommend the opposite. If anything that should be open source, it should be HarnMaster. The value is in the setting, and the system can help draw in new customers. I came to harn by way of CGI's free HM3 pdf offer that was made available in January of 2004. Since then I've purchased alot more, but if it wasn't for the free pdf, I probably wouldn't be here today and I'd probably be in the middle of failing to design my own system (or using d20), and not getting very far with my own setting (not that anything has changed in regards to that... as I added a third setting to my list of projects).

WotC didn't make their campaign settings open for a reason, they made the game rules open, because their value is in the network they create. Atleast when it generally comes to D&D, settings and system are usually presented as being fairly intertwined (it's one of the reasons I like Harn because HM and HW are fairly independent of each other). While there are some who might use the online SRD, many eventually purchased their own set of books. Open source HM1/2/3/G would in the long run pay for itself and sell the system, and also sell the setting.

The main concern alot of people have is that an Open Source HarnWorld would threaten the quality of the setting. I haven't heard anyone claim canon violations when it comes to someone's houserules

If CGI/NRC were to experiment with Open Source Harn, I recommend that the rulesets be the first part of that experiment. From there, other materials can be made available to the Open source community.

Say - y'all to realise I am expecting royalties for suggesting this idea? I did hear someone mention $25k being peanuts - so even given the hideous low value of the dollar I'll settle for that.

Somebody get me a laywer something wicked - I need to copyright my idea!

Oh, alright then - I'll let you run with it if you behave.

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I can give this person my bank account number...

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Með kveðju, Thorvald
http://www.last.fm/user/hrafnsbjarg

Actually, you would have to patent your idea, as copyright doesn't protect ideas, just the expression of those ideas. Patents on the other hand protect ideas, products and processes

It occured to me that you wouldn't need any council for adventures, material, or campaign arcs that are set after 720. In other words, Open Harn means you are allowed to develope material in post Harn 720. This would satisfy me and many others in a variety of ways.

Open Source Harn is a brilliant idea. How open seems to be the issue now. My proposal would be:

Make HarnMaster (and Harn Gold) open for additional development and free to download. This could include HarnMagic, Religion and Bestiary (and the Kelestia Production equivalents).
Give licenses to fans, game producing companies, authors, publishers, etc. The licenses are given to develop material for a specific geographic place. The material produced must not go beyond 720 TR. The license is to be renewed yearly. The license specifies the minimum amount of work to be produces within a 12 month period. If this production is not met, CGI or NRC can veto a renewal. Otherwise the license is automatically renewed.
CGI has a permanent license to Harn
NRC has a permanent license to Ivinia and Chelemby
CGI and NRC can choose- if they both agree to this – to issue a license without payment.
Licenses could be given for an annual fee, that would depend on the size and estimated commercial value of the area. Places as small as Goris and as large as Kamerand and Merlat could be licenses. The fee is to be divided equally between CGI and NRC.

Having divided the development of Kelestia this way would give the world a realistic variation from place to place. The work of individual and dedicated authors would surely give this community the blood transfusion we have needed for so long.

Regards,
Peter Bruhn Andersen

I think post 720 development would be acceptable as long as it was never stamped as canon. I'd thoroughly enjoy the presumed quantity and healthy competition of p-Harn timelines and adventures. . .

Neither do I. What I was suggesting was a CoE for any commercially produced Harn items not sold by CGI or NRC. If a fanon author wanted to submit their item for this approval, cool! But they don't really have to because of the reasons you stated. One of the main reasons I support a CoE is because with an increased product base, neither CGI nor NRC will have the time to be able to review all HarnWorld products for consistency. The CoE would be able to split up the work a bit and be able to have a wide enough variety of member opinions that neutrality wouldn't bee too much of an issue.

Of course, if the only item Open are the rules systems, then there is MUCH less need for a CoE approval board.

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Hawk

Harn Website: http://www.boiseharn.us/

"Oh bother," said the Borg, "We've assimilated Pooh."

I must say that although I have a large amount of Harn material that I have produced myself it is the perceived COE that prevents me from ever sharing it at large.
I just dont want it to be torn to shreds as the fan made quality is already so high and that I must honestly admit I dont have the mapping and design skills to compete.
The COE already goes a long way in quality control by producing work that is hard to match.

just my expirience in fanon

The CoE I was proposing would be mostly a fact-checking body. Does this work adhere to the spirit and facts of Harn Canon? Yes? Ok - stamp it approved.

As to quality of a person's work - I would be the last person to say anything about that! I can't map/draw worth a hoot! I would hate for anyone's wonderful ideas to be unshared just because the maps aren't up to the quality of some of the fanon out there. Heck, I created a Harn Price List spreadsheet a long while back and sent it out. It was done in ClarisWorks - later translated to Exel and AppleWorks. Now it is being used by Mikael Hegardt for one of his projects! I am very proud of that work, even though it could never be called 'pretty' or 'wonderful quality'. It was something I did because I found it useful and thought others might as well.

Chet, I would personally LOVE to see anything you have come up with. Woodcut pictures and fancy maps be d*mned! Heck, my wife is a skilled Manga artist and yet I would love for her to draw stuff up for Harn. It may have elements of Manga art to it, and may not look quite like what CGI or NRC can put out, but who cares?

Fanon is expected, at least by me, to not be up to the standards set by CGI, NRC and some of the "great ones" out there that are producing the amazing Harn Fanon. If it looks that great, cool! If not, that's fine too! I don't want any CoE to *suppress* creativity, just to insure consistancy.

Maybe I am hoping for too much.

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Hawk

Harn Website: http://www.boiseharn.us/

"Oh bother," said the Borg, "We've assimilated Pooh."

That is not a small matter - fortunately most of the major writers of Harn Fanon I have seen are very dedecated in their production.

Anyway what is the reality here? Anyone really thinking this open source stuff will fly? (I mean in any way different then fanon ever has)

I don't see CG or NRC getting behind this - at least not as proposed.

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You shouldn't let that stop you. Just because Kerry can afford to buy illustrations from Richard and co. doesn't mean you must do the same. Your stuff is just as valuable as his. It mightn't look as pretty, but who cares? No-one in their right mind. It is the quality of the WORDS that matters, not the glamorous packaging.

Sure, packaging helps, but it's not the substance. Simply draw your maps as clearly as possible, or pick up a mapping utility and learn to use it (Fractal Mapper, Campaign Cartographer, Dundjinni, etc.). But illustrations are a different matter; they can be great to have, but unless you are an artist (or at least competent), or know someone who is willing to work for nothing, they are a lot of expense and hassle for not a lot of return. Far better to download public domain pictures and include those.

So, if you have a bunch of stuff and are willing to share, by gum share it! We're ALL Harniacs, and that means we want stuff...lots of stuff regardless of pretty packaging.

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Leitchy
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