The OSR and Fantasy Grounds: Where are We?

[Grimm Pickins]

Hello Fellow Grounders,

My last foray into trying to jump into FG was when Classic was still the majority of the content, and I had learned a bit to make a decent game - though life had other ideas, as family health issues and subsequently a nasty little virus changed my work life in a way I didn't expect (Explanation: I was a head chef for a boarding school, with predictable time off - but with the labor shortage in restaurants, I returned to my first culinary love - which actually created a lot more work in my life, and still does...)

I put my campaign development into stasis for awhile - but subsequently Unity was released, and I followed along. I recently even upgraded to 'ultimate' during a Steam sale, something I had waited years to do - as I wasn't sure I wanted to commit to one VTT. Now I have.

I realize there is a lot of OSR content for Fantasy Grounds, in a way. Dungeon Crawl Classics, Old School Essentials, White Box/Swords and Wizardry, 2e AD&D (with 1e mods even), Castles and Crusades...

When I browse the LFP/LFG posts, when I search YouTube, when I'm googling who else is doing this - I don't get a lot. Maybe a tutorial on a ruleset, maybe a few live 2e games using Unity.

I realize that A LOT of the OSR crowd probably gravitate towards 'theater of the mind' on Discord, or 'freedom of the wallet' on Roll20... but there is support here for it.

So, who is playing these games? I want desperately to support these creators, and see new games spin off (I honestly am a big fan of ascending AC for a grognard, and only C&C and DCC seem to have that feature as of now - I know it's automated and is a very low worry, but... but...)

The game I lean towards, perhaps even more than classic editions, is Lamentations of the Flame Princess. I like the progressive B/X nature of it, but it is far from my abilities at current to code it out (I had started with Classic, using C&C as a base).

OSE and White Box (w/Swords and Wizardry) are also favorites of mine.

But, who plays on FGU and does the player base exist 'underground'? I just don't see the recruitment and I keep wondering if it happens on forums or FB or...

Where are we? Who are we?

I'd like to kind of cheerlead for FGU and old school shenanigans, but... other than the obvious culprits (the ones who authored the rulesets) - are we actually a voice on this forum?

Curious grognard(s?) want to know, LOL

Thanks!

[Primo]

There are some people on 2e and on OSE (regarding quantity) but i'm not sure about the rest. I think its because yea, OSR people or are playing irl or prefer TotM. Nevertheless, everyone playing OSR on FGU are super nice and incredible!

[Myrdin Potter]

I am currently running Demon Bone Sarcophagus via the Bayne’s S&W ruleset. Works pretty well.

[bayne7400]

I haven't seen many bugs reports so that's good at least!

[JohnD]

There are a lot of games going on.

Player retention is generally pretty good in my experience and players in my games often run their own games on other nights and I in turn play in them.

You don't see recruiting because the games are already almost full before they start and on the occasion there is an opening, it gets filled immediately so there is no need to post on forum.

If you're on Discord, and looking for a game to join, drop me a PM @JohnD#1818 and we can chat.

[damned]

2E is definitely the older D&D that gets the most games.
It has tonnes of content available for it too.
There are extensions to run it as 1E.

Both OSE and DCC get quite a few games too.
C&C sadly seems to not be getting played as much as it used to.

[Tabarkus]

The DCC RPG ruleset is solidly done. As OSR-VTT-RPGers we are a niche within a niche market population. That said, I run two games a week and have more players interested than I can accommodate. I've recruited players from the two DCC Discord servers (Goodman Games & Dungeon Crawlers); as well as the Warhorn website: https://warhorn.net/; the Goodman Games forums, and Facebook DCC Rocks. So we're just in the back alleys but certainly present.

[esmdev]

That just brought images of a guy in an alley holding out a OSR player guide, "Psst. Hey man, you wanna session of DCC? The table is right through the red door behind me."

[Grimm Pickins]

Thanks everyone for proving that you're out there!

I'm currently in work hell (I'm a chef, running the hotel restaurant at a ski resort in Vermont) - but things will quiet back down reasonably in a week or so. I will definitely reach out, but I'm still torn on which way I'm going. I've been a fan of Necrotic Gnome/Gavin Norman for quite a few years (I'm a Patreon for Dolmenwood) - but I was already running Labyrinth Lord as my default B/X System (including the advanced variant) - so it was a game I felt I 'didn't need'. That's not to say I'm saying no to OSE, but...

If I stay within the confines of 'complete' systems - I'm heavily leaning into Swords and Wizardry as my comfort zone - especially if I'm stuck with THAC0. I want to get something going for LotFP but I'm not as comfortable coding in Fantasy Grounds as I was with Classic - I feel I have missed a lot, and even then I was 'google-fu' for most of it.

DCC is tempting - but my main experiences both running and playing are strictly funnels - and I own the rules in hardcopy (had three, now have two) - so I have read it over rather well... But homebrewing adventures for it is daunting for TTRPG standards, though I suspect it actually might be easier on FGU.

I have considered Hackmaster 4e, but damn... it's hard to referee on the tabletop, let alone trying to get 2e to work seamlessly with the AD&D 1e/House Rules extensions. HM4e is very near to my heart though...

Again, thanks, and I will be reaching out!

Dave