Talk:Fuzion

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Regarding: "...the first generic game system to be released for free over the internet." Was Fuzion released for free before FUDGE? - Pwbrooks 21:05, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

The FUDGE page says it was developed in 1992 and then officially released to the OGL in 2004. So, I'd imagine Grey Ghost put it online then. The first FUZION game I ever saw was Bubble Gum Crisis, in 1997, but I have no idea when it the system was given freely on the internet. The $8 core rule book whihc is the printed version of the PDF (with artwork) was released in 2002 I think. Judging by Talsorian's website (which looks damn old) I'd say it would have to come out not to long after BCG was released or when the core book came out, but I'm not certain. I contributed to most of this article, but I didn't write the part of it being the "first" for free online. Cyberia23 22:05, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

Hmm. I remember FUDGE being free before the OGL existed. From the FUDGE page: "One of the earliest stipulations of O'Sullivan was that the basic system would always remain free to the public over the internet, and the PDF of the 1995 version still is." The 1992 version, which I guess could be considered a release, was posted on a public USENET group and was therefore available for free. - Pwbrooks 15:15, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

Even if the 1992 version doesn't qualify, the 1995 version of Fudge certainly counts as a release. Fuzion, on the other hand, wasn't announced until 1996. Ergative rlt 05:22, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

A related thought: the free version of Fuzion is not the same as the $8 printed version. The skills system in the printed version is slightly revised and expanded, and the printed version includes mechanics for magic and psionics that are entirely missing in the free version. It's almost like the free version is a "shareware iteration" of the printed version, to give you a good taste of the full product but with features disabled/missing. In this sense, FUDGE would be first, since its online release was of the entire product, not just a portion of a larger set of rules. Or is my analogy way off base? Canonblack 21:22, 4 October 2006 (UTC)