[RogueAngelSeven]

Honestly, I have no idea where would be the best place to post this question, so if this isn't it, please let me know where to post it or who I need to contact. 

First let me say I have been playing shadowrun for as long as it has been out.  every edition, every book, even the weird wizkids stuff.  I know pretty much every edition up to at least 3 like the back of my hand, and it is bar none my favorite table top RPG of all time. 

My question is this:  I have been tossing around this idea for a while, mostly because my gaming group won't leave me alone about continuing to GM for them.  I have been programming for as long as  I have been able to reach a computer, and I have done a fair amount of game programming and network application programming in my time.  I want to create a network based application including VOIP and possibly even video connectivity that would allow a GM to create an adventure, upload and manage his players characters, have all the functionality of at least the base game (but include the ability to expand rules as new rule modifying books come out) and all the extensibility of required for a table top game, including combat maps, in game handouts, etc,), and make the mechanics as transparent as possible to the end user and also make the campaign or adventure management as painless as possible for the GM.

Its soul purpose would be for a GM to run a client/server application for the purpose of 'tabletop' gaming shadowrun over the internet for those of us who' have players that  are not centrally located.

 It would be no charge for development or distribution (at least from my end),  assuming that the people currently controlling the shadowrun rights would allow that to happen.  obviously I couldn't create something that would cut in to the profit margin of the writers, developers, publishers, etc of the shadowrun game and book sales in general.

what would be the stance on making such an application. before I go through any effort of moving past a basic outline of said application. is there anyway I can get permission to make such a program?

Sincerely,
Richard J Roussin

[Ryo]

I have no idea what the legal implications of such a platform would be, but I have also considered doing something similar. I imagine you would need some kind of licensing agreement from Catalyst if you planned to make any money off of it, like selling it as a game ala Shadowrun Returns. But if you don't plan to make any money off it, and its use cannot be construed as harming the sale of other Catalyst products, you can probably go right ahead and do it.

If you do get the go ahead to make such a program, I'm willing to volunteer my time to your project. I have 3D animation, modeling, rigging, lighting, texturing, etc. experience, as well as programming experience in Java, Python and C++. Something that completely replicates the tabletop experience of Shadowrun would be a hell of a project to do with one person.

[RogueAngelSeven]

For me it isn’t about the money, it is about making it easier for the Shadowrun table top gaming community to organize game groups and campaigns for what has probably been my favorite table top RPG ever.

I just want to create a platform by with which Shadowrun players and game masters can come together across any distance via their computer and still experience all, or at least most of the things that made table top gaming a blast, and while we are at it, take advantage of this technology out there to make the game flow smoother than ever by handling mundane mechanics transparently in order to let the story flourish.

I just need to know who to get the proper permission from before I procede.

[Backgammon]

You mean you want to replicate iTabletop, Roll20 and OpenRPG?

[RogueAngelSeven]

sort of, yes. I just want actual permission to create a shadowrun specific one.

[PeterSmith]

jason@catalystgamelabs.com would be a good place to start. Please keep in mind that it's convention week (Origins) and responses will be delayed.

[RogueAngelSeven]

Thanks man.

[Malkleth]

In terms of a much simpler and entirely non-proprietary solution, my gaming group has had good luck with using roll20.net, a VOIP application like mumble or vent, and mediawiki. Google docs is also an excellent place to store character sheets.