The heroic Peter Ramos, co-ordinator for the NetEpic project (an open source work-alike of the hugely popular but now all-but-abandoned Epic, Games Workshop's 6mm SF gaming system) has posted to the NetEpic mailing list about NetEpic Gold, a professionally produced version of the NetEpic rules:
I have recently made arrangements with a couple of groups of people who
will make the layout for NetEpic Gold. These are pros in these endeavours
and I am actually paying them out of my own pocket to see this to
completion.
This is the whole deal. A full colored rulebook, templates, counters and
cards. Everything you'd expect from a commercial game you'd buy, but as [is]
our custom, available for free!
We have a tentative date of September for its release. Suffice to say
that this IS the year you all finally get NetEpic Gold in your hands.
I have assembled a crew to edit, modify and proofread the books as they
get to me.
Once a more or less finalized version gets made I will upload them to
the files section for members use and additional feedback.
NetEpic Gold is a goal of more than a decade's evolution. The times is
almost upon us to see it come to reality.
This is an amazing achievement: I can't think of any other community-driven, non-commercial rules system lasting as long, or being as successful as NetEpic has proven. It's a shame that Games Workshop's IP policy means that NetEpic Gold can't be released in print form (although of course I fully support and understand their policy). I am considering making a private donation to Peter to reimburse him for the expense he's gone to, who's with me?