FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. Why is it called OSINT-6? What does the 6 mean?

The 6 refers to E6, the popular Dungeons & Dragons variant that caps character progression at level 6. This keeps characters grounded and the action more realistic, which is perfect for a modern espionage RPG. While not using E6 directly, we were inspired by it and wanted to acknowledge that. It’s also a not-so-subtle nod to MI6, mean to get you into the right head space for a spy game.

The original title was going to be OS6. At the time we began this project, we were unaware for OS-SIX, the open source d6 system project. Not wanting to step on anyone’s toes, we explored alternate titles and didn’t find anything we particularly liked. Our counsel though that expanding it to OSINT-6, along with prominently displaying “5E Compatible”, was legally different enough to not cause confusion.

Q. If it's open source and Creative Commons licensed, why isn't it free?

For $10, you receive the complete OSINT-6 Core Rules in both a printable PDF and an accessible RTF edition. The game is released under a free license, allowing you to use, share, adapt, and build upon it within the terms of that license. We believe that's a fair price for a complete roleplaying game while helping keep the project sustainable for everyone.

If it's meant to be open source and Creative Commons licensed, though, why isn't it free? There are two reasons.

First, every download from out site consumes storage, bandwidth, and web hosting resources. A nominal fee helps cover those ongoing costs so the site can continue providing articles, updates, and downloads.

Second, a purchase creates enough friction to discourage automated bots from scraping and mass-downloading the work. That helps to preserve bandwidth for readers, keeps hosting costs manageable, and protects the project's resources.