Homebrew Game expansions and modifications

[shelly]

How do folks feel about homebrew game modifications and expansions for existing games?

A couple specific follow up questions:

Can these serve as interesting learning opportunities? For students of game design? Homebrewers of board games?

As a designer, how do you feel about folks modifying your work?

Legal implications and considerations that come to mind? Are there lines that folks should need aware of crossing?

When does a homebrew expansion cross the line into really becoming a different game in it's own right?

Just thought it might be an interesting topic to chat about.

[JNAProductions]

Considering you're posting in the Homebrew section of the forum... I'd imagine anyone posting here has a pretty positive opinion of it, in concept at least.

Obviously the execution isn't always great (I've made some pretty bad brew for 5E, though I like to think I've not done anything bad LATELY :P ) but modifying your TTRPGs is good fun.

[PhoenixPhyre]

How do folks feel about homebrew game modifications and expansions for existing games?

A couple specific follow up questions:

1. Can these serve as interesting learning opportunities? For students of game design? Homebrewers of board games?

2. As a designer, how do you feel about folks modifying your work?

3. Legal implications and considerations that come to mind? Are there lines that folks should need aware of crossing?

4. When does a homebrew expansion cross the line into really becoming a different game in it's own right?

Just thought it might be an interesting topic to chat about.

1. Absolutely. Getting your hands dirty is one of the prime ways to learn the difference between theory and practice (even though in theory there is no difference...)
2. Absolutely 100% fine. Apathy and no feedback is the worst. Someone caring enough about what you've written to tweak it is great.
3. Follow the license of the game you're modifying, for anything that will be published outside your own play group. Other than that, just don't be a jerk.
4. A fuzzy line, but I'd say that if you're radically altering any of
a) the fundamental resolution mechanics
b) the fundamental "tone" (ie transforming WH40K into a high-flying, bright-fantasy, heroes always win and everyone lives happily ever after game)
c) only using the fundamental resolution mechanics (akin to "playing 5e D&D", but throwing out all the existing classes, spells, items, races, and monsters and instead doing slice-of-life in a real-world, non-magical high school)

you're probably far enough that you should market your games differently due to bait-and-switch concerns. Are you playing a new game? Ship of Theseus says it's not so easy. But are you far enough from the mainstream that people are going to want to know that upfront before they join? Yeah, that's an easier question.

[BerzerkerUnit]

How do folks feel about homebrew game modifications and expansions for existing games?

A couple specific follow up questions:

Can these serve as interesting learning opportunities? For students of game design? Homebrewers of board games?

As a designer, how do you feel about folks modifying your work?

Legal implications and considerations that come to mind? Are there lines that folks should need aware of crossing?

When does a homebrew expansion cross the line into really becoming a different game in it's own right?

Just thought it might be an interesting topic to chat about.

I'm open to homebrew, obviously my own, but I've come across a handful of classes and subclasses here and on DM's guild that meet my standards. I just started a short campaign and with the exception of Artficer and Warlock (two classes no one at my table but me plays) only homebrew from OAP and myself were allowed.

The current party is:
Air Genasi Calligrapher (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mnEgj7GrVVjkCtmGM1Att3FLjj9IP0uW/view?usp=share_link)
Kobold Justiciar
Human Ninja (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?651124-Heroes-Myths-and-Legends-Voting-Thread-5e-Base-Class-Contest-XXI-(21))
Human Emergent

I strongly encourage you to look up Ross Leister's work for OAP on the DM's guild. It's great. And I've left a lot of stuff on this site as well.

[animorte]

1. Absolutely. Getting your hands dirty is one of the prime ways to learn the difference between theory and practice (even though in theory there is no difference...)
2. Absolutely 100% fine. Apathy and no feedback is the worst. Someone caring enough about what you've written to tweak it is great.
3. Follow the license of the game you're modifying, for anything that will be published outside your own play group. Other than that, just don't be a jerk.
These three points are very important.

You need to put the work in. Gain that experience and don’t be afraid to mess up. Any feedback and criticism is going to help because different people have different views and experiences to pull from. There are always improvements to be made. As long as you don’t try to pass somebody else’s work off as your own, modifications are expected. Some call it house rules.