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  1. #11
    Thank you to Zhern and vodokar for your explanations!

    And I thought OSR and retroclone were the same thing. I don't recall there being OSR/retroclone talk back in the '90s when last I played D&D (before 5e).

    Thanks again!

  2. #12
    The OSR and retroclones didn't spawn until the 2000s when the OGL (open gaming license) was introduced with D&D 3e. A lot of great games have come out of that time period that are part of the OSR and honestly, right now is a great time to be a table top gamer.
    Patrick

    Ultimate License Holder
    Currently Running (rotating home campaigns): Hobgoblins, Orcs, and Kobolds, Oh My! (5E), The Enemy Within (WFRP)
    Currently Playing: Castle Zagyg (Labyrinth Lord), The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun (AD&D)

  3. #13
    That does explain it. I have looked into Labyrinth Lord, I wouldn't mind running/playing a bit of that in the future. I did play some Basic D&D once--just one session--and really liked how simple it was. Reminds me of the video games Golden Axe and Dragon's Crown where each character fits a role and that's all you get. Good times!

    Thanks again!

  4. #14
    You bet. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask them. I do have to recommend Swords & Wizardry if you want to try a truly excellent retroclone. It is based on the 0e rules from 1974! Also, you can get the Complete Rules PDF free from the Frog God Games website.
    Patrick

    Ultimate License Holder
    Currently Running (rotating home campaigns): Hobgoblins, Orcs, and Kobolds, Oh My! (5E), The Enemy Within (WFRP)
    Currently Playing: Castle Zagyg (Labyrinth Lord), The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun (AD&D)

  5. #15
    I have downloaded that one but thought LL sounded more my style. I don't know much about 0e other than watching the videos by Matt Colville and a wee bit of reading, but thought that Basic and similar sounded more my style. Having said that I do want to read over the S&W rules and give it a go some day too!

  6. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Zhern View Post
    The OSR and retroclones didn't spawn until the 2000s when the OGL (open gaming license) was introduced with D&D 3e. A lot of great games have come out of that time period that are part of the OSR and honestly, right now is a great time to be a table top gamer.
    You got that right. It's like having your pie and eating it too. Old School, New School. Just play it all. And I don't recall us having Fantasy Grounds back in the 70's.

    @NotRussellCrowe I know OSR topics can get a little confusing, but the gist of it is that there have been at least two and arguably three distinct waves of OSR products.

    It started with the retro-clones, naturally, because a) a lot of people in modern times hadn't actually played the original games b) the original games, at the time at least, were out of print c) even old guys like me who had played the original games didn't necessarily still have a copy of the original games or their books were falling apart after 40 years and d) provide reference manuals for adventure writers so they could produce new material.

    After that, came experimentation to tinker with old school rules to make new games from them; either new settings that had never been explored, with corresponding rules to match the setting and even new genre's.

    A perfect example of both is Swords and Wizardry.

    It is a retro-clone of original edition D&D, but, it comes in 3 varieties: from "white box" on one end, which is nothing but the original OD&D as it was introduced in 1974 to "Complete" rules Swords and Wizardry on the other end, which is essentially almost full blown first edition AD&D, because it represents the game as it existed when the first AD&D hardbacks were being released and after having had several years of development in supplements, dragon articles etc.

    However, Swords and Wizardry is also a perfect example of a game where rules have been tinkered with to produce new games. You see, a) if you start from "white box" as a base, it is a very light weight set of rules which can serve as a framework for pretty much being able to bolt on whatever extra rules you wish without having to first gut the game b) S & W is free of charge and c) the developers of S & W allow people to make any modifications to their rules as they wish and then republish it, as long as it follows the proper licencing procedures. Thus, it is the perfect platform to start producing your own game. You would be amazed what people have done with it. For example, there are a couple of good sci-fi games based on the S & W whitebox engine and just in the last week, someone released a WWII game, of all things.

    The third wave would be games like DCC, which strike out in a completely different direction, marching to their own beat, and giving us something really new. Even MCC will give us something completely new, because Gamma World was never compatible with D&D or AD&D, whereas, MCC is completely compatible with DCC.
    Ultimate License Holder GM

    Games currently Playing: AD&D, DCC RPG and D&D 5e

    Finished Projects: AD&D Ruleset
    New School NPC Maker 5E
    New School NPC Maker PFRPG - 3.5E
    Old School NPC Maker

    Current Projects:

    1) Adventure Module.
    2) Maintaining and improving released projects.
    3) C.O.O.L. Beasts
    4) Basic Fantasy Ruleset
    5) Metamorphosis Alpha Ruleset

  7. #17
    I quite enjoyed this discussion. Always like learning more about the history of this hobby, not like you can turn on Discovery and learn more.

  8. #18
    Updated Post #6 with even more resources.
    Ultimate License Holder GM

    Games currently Playing: AD&D, DCC RPG and D&D 5e

    Finished Projects: AD&D Ruleset
    New School NPC Maker 5E
    New School NPC Maker PFRPG - 3.5E
    Old School NPC Maker

    Current Projects:

    1) Adventure Module.
    2) Maintaining and improving released projects.
    3) C.O.O.L. Beasts
    4) Basic Fantasy Ruleset
    5) Metamorphosis Alpha Ruleset

  9. #19
    Speaking of MCC, the backer survey was sent out today. I'm doubly anxious to get it now!
    Patrick

    Ultimate License Holder
    Currently Running (rotating home campaigns): Hobgoblins, Orcs, and Kobolds, Oh My! (5E), The Enemy Within (WFRP)
    Currently Playing: Castle Zagyg (Labyrinth Lord), The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun (AD&D)

  10. #20
    I missed the kickstarter. Rub it in. Rub it in. You can make it up to me by judging a campaign next summer .
    Ultimate License Holder GM

    Games currently Playing: AD&D, DCC RPG and D&D 5e

    Finished Projects: AD&D Ruleset
    New School NPC Maker 5E
    New School NPC Maker PFRPG - 3.5E
    Old School NPC Maker

    Current Projects:

    1) Adventure Module.
    2) Maintaining and improving released projects.
    3) C.O.O.L. Beasts
    4) Basic Fantasy Ruleset
    5) Metamorphosis Alpha Ruleset

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