Out of the 197 pages, 190 are the book. It was added here on August 15, 2005 (9 years ago!). Since then, no updates, or any support, etc. I've checked their site (Battlefieldpress.com): nothing there.

After reading the other reviews, I have to agree with certain parts: Tri-stat d20 power/traits, STR, copy/paste, etc. It could have been better, but seems either rushed, or half done in some ways.

I'm hoping they'll add some sort of update to improve and clarify some parts; it would certainly help.

It was looking good, until I read the STR chart. How the hell did they derive those numbers from the STR stat? It looks like they pulled numbers out of their ass for levels 1-10. I was hoping to use it for superhuman characters, where I knew how much the character could lift. Their chart maxes out at a dead lift of 880 pounds: how do I extend the STR table for someone of say, a hundred times normal human STR? There is no clear formula for higher STR. Hell, this isn't a drawback just for 'superhero' games. What if I want to stat out a giant in a Fantasy game? Or a demigod? Would it have really been that hard to come up with an equation?

Open Core is based on the OGL but differs quite a bit from it. It is designed to allow the GM to create his/her own game with the tools provided. It uses basic roll system; 3d6 + Attribute + Skill. (or even 1d20 + Attribute + skill). The system is modular, so you can take or leave what you like.

Like a number of games, OC uses a point buy system for attributes and skills. The number of points granted is based on the game's power level. You have six attributes, three physical and three mental, that map nicely to d20 or even Unisystem. These abilities then can be used for derived abilities, like initiative or health or even variant ones like SAN.

Skills are covered and use the same point buy system. And there are a lot of skills, though given the modular nature of the game and maybe the your own games focus, you might need to use all of them.

There are also a number of effects-based abilities which look very similar to BESM d20/SAS d20 or other open Super's games. Though the "hows" of these effects may not be defined. For example a "Fire" effect could be magic (fireball), tech (flame thrower), advanced science (heat ray) or anything really. The aim is to describe what is happening and then GM/Players decide how it happened.

Also included are a list of Disabilities, things that can affect your character. This is very similar to other games, in particular GURPS. These grant a certain level of Character Points back to you. Finally we also get Action Points, which work like Drama Points in Unisystem.

The next part of the book are the rules of play, which is heavy on the combat and things like chases and mental battles. The rules are simple really, using the same basic rolls, just applied in different situations. There is a section on adventures and a quick overview of character creation.

The Appendices cover different play modes. So for example Sorcery which adds "D&D/d20 Arcana" like spells to your game. Another is an expanded wealth system.

The art is sparse, and most of it is other Open art, but it is appropriate to the sections so for me it works.

Overall a solid game system to play or to mine for ideas.

Well first off this isn't a bad system, i rather like the set up. Especially the Attributes and Derived Attributes, this alone gets a thumbs up because i am so tired of the usual d20 OGL rip off. And this introduces a albeitly simular scores, the ability range can vary from 1-6 for a more mundane game, to 1-10 in a more extraordinary game. But there is no limit to the actual score itself. Perhaps the biggest bog down was when you had to develope your skills, i tried using the detailed skill system and found myself going way over in points. Im sure this system works alot better if you use the broad grouped skills variation of the system. Now i love playing Super Heroes, and i always try to test the system when it comes to this. And this is where i was let down. It looks like they borrowed the power/trait system from the Tri-Stat system. And the values of some of the powers and traits were simply borrowd over without taking them into account with the points the game gives you. I tried using a Very High Level game setting, to recreate an important character from my own super hero setting. And found myself 99 points over before i even got to determining drawbacks.

I give this game 3 stars over all, it has a great retake on the attribute system and skill levels. But i found the powers section, less than desirable and perhaps not thought well enough through when pricing them.

I felt that this was an easy and painless prosses that I would repeat anytime I wish to purchase books.

Open Core takes all the best and juciest bits of OGC and brings them together, actually successfully melds them seamlessly, and writes an entirely new rules mechanic around them that makes the whole thing work extremely well. It isn't D20. It is, in fact, the newest Linux system upgrade for D20 - all the best things of what's come out so far wrapped into one package that looks somewhat different from the original but is far superior and retains all the best aspects.

Before I go into all the things I liked about it, I will mention all the things I didn't like about it. First of all, I have sundry personal style issues with the game (for instance, I would work the Ability of Special Attacks differently). Most of the issues I have of personal style I will omit, save to say that I am less "rules light" than most people.

There are also numerous sometimes-confusing editing mistakes (such as the CP to Skill points conversion: first of all, it's 1:5, not 5:1, and secondly is it 1:5 or 1:10? ...I'm pretty sure it's 1:5). This also includes a number of copy/paste errors (references to Saves, or to traits that are not part of the main Open Core system).

Now, on to the likeable parts, which is most of it. The system is modular; adding and taking away parts are easy. There are even descriptions of ways to add new traits, a genericized Skill list, and descirptions of how "everyman skills" should work (my term, not theirs). Feats and Special Attacks/Qualities are all brought together into one heading, Abilities (pulled from BESM D20 Attributes). There is also a long list of optional elements that can be added, just to show a few examples.

If you're particularly prolific in purchasing OGC material, you will recognize half of what you see. While sometimes a bit startling, I do not find this to be a fault. This system is not designed to be innovative - it's designed to be the best of what has worked in the past. In this, it is a good purchase, well worth the money, and better than many other "alternate D20" or "alternative to D20" games on the market now.