In recent history, Onyx Path Publishing has been showing off previews of upcoming games that use their new Storypath Ultra system. Currently on Backerkit, there is a crowdfunding campaign active for the Storypath Ultra Core Manual, which looks like a great tool whether you’re running a game from one of their settings, or some kind of homebrew game. However, one of the latest stretch goals is what really makes it interesting.
Storypath Ultra
In case you haven’t been keeping up, the new Storypath Ultra system is an updated version of the Storypath system that was released in 2017. Onyx Path is discouraging fans from thinking of Storypath Ultra as a new edition, instead presenting it as a refined version of the same rules. Some terminology has changed, and some bloated rules have been streamlined, but it’s overall the same system. There’s even a handy conversion guide in the preview document for players who can’t wait to test it out.
Storypath Ultra is truly a great system for telling character-driven stories of epic proportions while keeping the action moving. The game gives players the narrative freedom to determine what failing a roll actually means because of how it assumes characters are competent at their specialties. Combat is trimmed down to work with abstracted ideas rather than fiddling with a grid, and the idea of scale handles interaction between beings of entirely different power levels. As evidence that the system is truly character-focused, progression is tied in part to the pursuit of individual goals.
The Stretch Goal
Onyx Path will be developing a license that will enable indie publishers to create material for Storypath Ultra. Those who know might be wondering what the big deal is, since the Storypath Nexus has existed for as long as the Storypath system has, and that has been a great way for people to put out community content. This is all true, but the Storypath Nexus is limiting. Instead, we’d be looking at something more akin to the OGL or ORC license.
This new license for Storypath Ultra would allow independent developers a chance to create new worlds within the system. Unlike Storypath Nexus, which not only explicitly prohibits this, but also limits the games for which people are able to develop, this new license would grant a great amount of freedom. Content published under the Storypath Ultra license would be subject to review prior to approval, but this is actually a good thing since it means anything released under it will be vetted for quality before it reaches the hands of the community.
The Road Ahead
If Storypath Ultra wasn’t exciting enough, this new license sure is. The opportunities that it will open up will be without numbers. Industrious individuals or small teams will have the chance to publish completely original material under possibly their favorite system, or at least otherwise one that’s not d20-based. This could lead to amazing new worlds to explore and stories to tell, beyond what Onyx Path already has planned for us.
Not only has the Backerkit campaign completely blown its original funding goal out of the water, but the stretch goal for the new Storypath Ultra license has already been reached with over a week left to go. The Core Manual is definitely worth the buy if you’re interested in the system, but there’s a much bigger win here for the community.
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