canon versus non-canon in a non-supported game

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Originally Posted by Olefin

...but I would rather have a vital campaign that uses non-canon material to flesh out the world of Twilight 2000 than one that runs out of material or wont go certain places because canon was either silent or because canon is exhausted

Ultimately, this is the responsibility of the GM and to some extent the Players, if a campaign runs out of steam because the GM slavishly followed published material and didn't bother to do anything more, then the GM is going to run out of stories to tell real quick for some game systems.

Originally Posted by Webstral

However, the blowout over the DC Group’s very ambitious scheme for the Operation Omega forces demonstrated conclusively that not everyone who was frequenting this forum wanted to work together to expand on the existing body of material—emphasis being on the phrase “working together”.

Much of that debate wasn't over what they wanted to do or who contributed what and when, it was when some people declared that it would be canon material and a lot of the debate was over what the meaning of "canon" actually is and no matter how well intentioned, anybody not given authority by the licence holder cannot actually make 'canon' material.

[Rainbow Six]

Originally Posted by StainlessSteelCynic

anybody not given authority by the licence holder cannot actually make 'canon' material.

Absolutely agree with that statement. No matter how well intentioned we are, no matter how good the material we produce is, even if other people use it, it is not canon and never can be.

Even if someone produced something about an area more or less untouched by canon (South Africa for example) and even if that material won plaudits from the entire community, it could not be considered canon in my opinion.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Originally Posted by Rainbow Six

...Even if someone produced something about an area more or less untouched by canon (South Africa for example) and even if that material won plaudits from the entire community, it could not be considered canon in my opinion.

And nor would it be considered 'canon' in any legal, ethical or moral sense.

[Olefin]

Actually it can be considered canon but as a fan canon - things like the Czechoslovak, Polish and Mexican field guides which support canon fully - are very useful for all fans without ever being officially issued by GDW or FarFuture

[Rainbow Six]

Originally Posted by Olefin

Actually it can be considered canon but as a fan canon - things like the Czechoslovak, Polish and Mexican field guides which support canon fully - are very useful for all fans without ever being officially issued by GDW or FarFuture

I think we'll need to amicably agree to disagree on this one...

[Olefin]

thats fine Rainbow - and by the way your UK survivor guide is a great fan canon guide - and it can even work with the regular canon as to expanding some of the info in it - i.e. you can pick and choose some of your stuff to fill in areas of the UK but without contradicting the canon in any way

same with other fan canon areas - i.e. you can take some of their details and work them into canon modules but as added details that just make the module come alive more but in no way change that module otherwise

(i.e. use the Mexican Army fan sourcebook to correct the equipment in the City of Angels to match what they would have had instaed of the Soviet equipment - but on a one for one basis so its the same number of tanks or APC's, just more realistic equipment)