Dias Ex Machina Games

As some of you've figured out by reading Amethyst's facebook page or reading the articles on LivingDice.com, we recently made a relatively big announcement.

Ultramodern4, our universal 4th Edition science fiction / modern game system will be offered as an OGL. Anyone can download the bare files for free. Any publisher under the GSL can use them in their own game. We will not be distributing the final production for free, just the raw rules. So if you want the layout and the art, we hope you'll pick up the final product.

Call it an act of faith, so that people can download the rules, see if they like them, and purchase the game based on that opinion. Not only that, but we would do OUR part to help the GSL community…as much as we can actually do. The OGL files will be released a week or two after the release of the final production PDF / POD. As for the release of the actual book, I'm still hoping for a winter 2011 release. It will still depend on men who are not me, namely my layout guy, my editor guy, and my artist guy. Once all those come together, the final product will be released.

It all came about because of forum that was found distributing 3rd party D&D games. After talking with the men and women of the site, I began to consider a new business model, effective for those without the advertising budget of WOTC. Is it a risk? Sure it is; WOTC has privately disclosed that they thought the OGL for 3rd edition was a mistake. It might have been for them, but we are willing to give it a shot. Whether or not it succeeds will depend on many conditions, it not sucking being a pretty big one, the condition of the D&D 3rd party market being another. And finally there is the fan variable, whether or not after having acquire the free product a fan will still pay for it.

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“I despise stallions. I ride them as I ride an ugly noble women--smiles for appearances and politics only. Stallions. All personality with no depth. They prance like ponies and trot with arrogance. I always say, respect your mules most of all. A stallion may lead with the king and gather the eyes, but a mule will follow behind…and carry your kingdom.”
Tsarevick Kazaan
Amethyst D20

http://www.diasexmachina.com

Now, by "actual book", do you mean a physical book, or a PDF?

Was this plan discarded? There was a preview, more like a summary or overview of the book, along with a page of weapon information.

Hell no, it's not been cancelled. The preview has been out for while.

The OGL is being released; the plan was to wait a week or two and then release the OGL. It IS coming...

...It is a risk, I know. Let's hope it works.

_________________
“I despise stallions. I ride them as I ride an ugly noble women--smiles for appearances and politics only. Stallions. All personality with no depth. They prance like ponies and trot with arrogance. I always say, respect your mules most of all. A stallion may lead with the king and gather the eyes, but a mule will follow behind…and carry your kingdom.”
Tsarevick Kazaan
Amethyst D20

http://www.diasexmachina.com

Not sure what kind of tone is meant in that response. Thanks for the update though.

Light-hearted.

We're waiting for the updated PDF and POD before the release of the OGL files.

_________________
“I despise stallions. I ride them as I ride an ugly noble women--smiles for appearances and politics only. Stallions. All personality with no depth. They prance like ponies and trot with arrogance. I always say, respect your mules most of all. A stallion may lead with the king and gather the eyes, but a mule will follow behind…and carry your kingdom.”
Tsarevick Kazaan
Amethyst D20

http://www.diasexmachina.com

Ok. I'm looking forward to it!

Good call on releasing the free PDF, I was able to check it and decide I needed a hardcopy. I just placed my order at RPGnow. Thanks.

Thank you. Tell others.

_________________
“I despise stallions. I ride them as I ride an ugly noble women--smiles for appearances and politics only. Stallions. All personality with no depth. They prance like ponies and trot with arrogance. I always say, respect your mules most of all. A stallion may lead with the king and gather the eyes, but a mule will follow behind…and carry your kingdom.”
Tsarevick Kazaan
Amethyst D20

http://www.diasexmachina.com

Your ploy is working.

I stopped reading at One Ridiculously Handsome Person and decided I needed the hardcover on the spot. Maybe you've heard a certain group of littoral spell-casters has been doing a playtest thing? Yeah; they should have been looking at U4 instead their own back catalog. This is what advancement of the state of the art looks like.

U4 OGL also reminded me that I never picked up Amethyst: Evolution and that I should fix that as soon as possible.

I shall spread the Good Word of U4 and DEM. I shall preach in the clubs and conventions. I shall give sermon in the hobby shops. I shall proselytize and pontificate at length wheresoever those who would be benefited to hear this Good Word congregate. I also know the bar where the WotC designers hang out, and I might mention it there too.

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Artillery lends dignity to what might otherwise be a vulgar brawl.