Old School D&D?

[Xoan]

Lets say I want to play one the older versions of D&D like BX or BECMI? How is that done really?

I am sure I could input data on paper and use this platform as a way to visualize the play, but it would not be the same. I also know that most people don't even know what the early editions were even called so there may not be a product for them.

[Trenloe]

Welcome to the forums!

There's no official products for anything other than D&D 5E - as Wizards of the Coast haven't allowed a license for anything other than 5E.

But, you do have a few options - a commercial ruleset and a couple of community rulsets for AD&D 1E and 2E (not specifically BX/BECMI):
1) Look at the Castles and Crusades OSR RPG systems. There's a great value FG ruleset available: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/store/product.php?id=DGA045 with lots of additional products and active development. It's not *exactly* the same as original D&D (the main differences being ascending AC and siege checks). You can have a look at the free quickstart guide here: https://trolllord.com/downloads/pdfs/TLG%20RC%202017%20Wizards%20Tower%20and%20Basic%20 Rules.pdf
2) For AD&D 1E (needs the C&C ruleset): https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?36009-AD-amp-D-Ruleset It doesn't have too much active development as of now.
3) The actively developed ruleset for AD&D 1E and 2E: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?37777-Project-AD-amp-D-Core-Ruleset

Have a look through these and see if they can work for you. The big issues with community rulesets is that they can't provide the data libraries (unless they are covered by a OGL/CC license - which versions of D&D before 3E were not).

Come back if you have any questions!

[celestian]

Lets say I want to play one the older versions of D&D like BX or BECMI? How is that done really?

I am sure I could input data on paper and use this platform as a way to visualize the play, but it would not be the same. I also know that most people don't even know what the early editions were even called so there may not be a product for them.

If you're comfortable using AD&D system you can try AD&D Core (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?37777-Project-AD-amp-D-Core-Ruleset). The systems are fairly close to the same mechanically tho your spells/monsters/etc would be different and since WoTC doesn't license you'd have to create those anyway.

There are some sample modules for npc/classes/etc for the above. Holler if you have any questions.

I've actually run a red box game using it myself.

[shadzar]

Moldvay and Mentzer would require you to either use the simple CoreRPG and do everything by hand and use FG just for map sharing and simple dice rolling, or you would have to fully code them in if FG will functionally support those editions at all.

to use the hex maps FG does allow you to add a grid and then change it from square to hex, on an image by image case.

so while FG doesnt support D&D, you an still use it to play but without all the automation, and still share the maps and play via the chat with real character sheets, or VOIP using any number of online services.

FG is designed mostly around 5e, because WotC/HASBRO doesn't like competition even from its own brands. they might find more availability of older editions would decrease sales from the current edition.

so it really all depends on if you want the bells and whistle that over-automation includes with FG, or just a good map sharing and dice rolling platform? (some of the other bells and whistles will work without everything being fully automated, like "Story" entries and such for ye olde boxed text.)

[LordEntrails]

Moldvay and Mentzer would require you to either use the simple CoreRPG and do everything by hand and use FG just for map sharing and simple dice rolling, or you would have to fully code them in if FG will functionally support those editions at all.

to use the hex maps FG does allow you to add a grid and then change it from square to hex, on an image by image case.

so while FG doesnt support D&D, you an still use it to play but without all the automation, and still share the maps and play via the chat with real character sheets, or VOIP using any number of online services.
Wrong again Shadzar. FG supports all versions of D&D. It doesn't have official rulesets for all editions, but any edition can easily be played with FG.


FG is designed mostly around 5e, because WotC/HASBRO doesn't like competition even from its own brands. they might find more availability of older editions would decrease sales from the current edition.
Wrong again. FG predates the existence of 5E, therefore it was not designed around 5E. It does have the most content and automation around 5E, since that is the market that spends the most money on RPGs and FG, but it was not designed around 5E.

Xoan, look at what Celestian and Trenloe gave you for info. We're not quite sure why Shadzar hangs around here and is so active, by his own admission, he does not use FG and has no use for it.

[JohnD]

Lets say I want to play one the older versions of D&D like BX or BECMI? How is that done really?

I am sure I could input data on paper and use this platform as a way to visualize the play, but it would not be the same. I also know that most people don't even know what the early editions were even called so there may not be a product for them.

Hi Xoan. Welcome!

Another vote here for the information already given by Trenloe, celestian and LordEntrails. Personally, I really like Castles and Crusades.

If you stick around you will quickly learn to disregard most if not all of what shadzar posts; [MODERATOR - keep it clean and not personally insulting please.]

[shadzar]

Wrong again Shadzar.

please look at the FG manual. 65% of it is a guide to 5e, and the rest explains SOME NOT ALL of how to use FG.

the majority of the FG user manual is about 5e.

anyone attempting to do anything else has to either be really comfortable coding in LUA/XML to just hack apart existing rulesets or attempt to use the grossly outdated refdocs and wiki that are also missing chunks of explanation what anything means.

I have people that code their own modules have to ask me how to decipher the stuff because it is poorly written/documented for laymen. Luckily Damned made the 9 slices video that has helped MANY people understand at least that part, and that video should REALLY be included in the refdocs or linked in the manual to understand those parts it discusses.

if there is a new FG User Manual that isnt 65% about how to use FG to play 5e, then tell me where i can find it, because i would like to see and read it. :)

if many people are going to say "judge AD&D based on a few select adventures such as Tomb of Horrors for its intent and DM practices therein", then i should be allowed to judge FG intent based on its user manual.

but seriously, there is a lot of 5e in the software's user manual for it NOT to be primarily 5e designed. :confused:

[Moon Wizard]

Shadzar,

As the developer on FG, I can guarantee to you that FG is not designed around 5E, and WotC does not have any direct influence on our design decisions. I've worked on FG since 2008 as a community developer, and since 2010 as part of the SmiteWorks team. We didn't have any licensing from WotC until the release of 5E in 2014; well after the original ruleset was written.

However, D&D is the most common RPG played by a vast majority, and 5E is the most common version played by a vast majority. Therefore, the manual is written using 5E as an example, and many features are driven by the needs of D&D, and specifically the 5E version.

Again, please refrain from nitpicking documentation and other posts to make claims about our company.

Regards,
JPG

[Bidmaron]

Shadzar we the community fill in for the gaps in things. I think all of the dedicated fan boys as you call us would rather see the resources dedicated to improvements than trying to perfectly document a continuously evolving product.

I think even you will have to admit that the community fills in the gap quite promptly and completely.

If you go very far in the microsuck office world, you will rapidly find that even with their relatively bottomless resource world, there are conspicuous documentation voids.

[Ampersandrew]

FG is designed mostly around 5e, because WotC/HASBRO doesn't like competition even from its own brands. they might find more availability of older editions would decrease sales from the current edition.

This is nonsense, 5e is barely 5 years old. Fantasy Grounds is at least 15 years old.

If anything Fantasy Grounds is designed around 4th edition. It is however usable for just about any edition.

[Bidmaron]

I am going to guess that he is here only because he has been voted off every other islan he was ever on

[Myrdin Potter]

As a special request from an active forums member, can we not pile onto erroneous posts or the user like the one in this thread? We have a capable moderation staff and the Smiteworks team is relentlessly friendly even to posters like this. If we all pile on, the thread count expands and it just gives fuel to the "fan boy" claims fire.

Just let the mods handle it.

The fact that Doug was able to convince WoTC to allow VTT licensing shows the benefit of the very friendly and professional default mode they operate in.

[Bidmaron]

You truly are a saint myrdin as your moniker suggests. You are right of course

[GavinRuneblade]

Lets say I want to play one the older versions of D&D like BX or BECMI? How is that done really?

I am sure I could input data on paper and use this platform as a way to visualize the play, but it would not be the same. I also know that most people don't even know what the early editions were even called so there may not be a product for them.

What Trenloe said is really spot on. You should have clear sailing all the way through to the I in BECMI. Then you might have a challenge, it is significantly different from other D&D flavors.

Hopefully you're comfortable enough with the system that you can handle it. And the people here will help if you're not, so you should be covered either way.

[Xoan]

Well thanks for all of the response. I am probably going to do a few of those things. I hope to be posting more here as I get into this side of things more.

[damned]

BECMI is something Id love to code... one day...!