Tenkar's Tavern: Thinking About Restarting the OSR for the Lapsed Gamer Series of Posts

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Thinking About Restarting the OSR for the Lapsed Gamer Series of Posts

Last year I was working on a series of posts called OSR for the Lapsed Gamer. That got derailed back in December.

I'm thinking of picking it up from where it left, which is covering the free OSR ruleset options:

Delving Deeper

LotFP Weird Fantasy

Dark Dungeons

Labyrinth Lord

Swords & Wizardry

Basic Fantasy RPG

OSRIC

Those are the systems already covered. I'll try and cover the rest of the free OSR RPGs before moving on to the ones that have a cost.

So, is there interest in me picking this back up? Are there systems you'd want to see covered sooner that later? I'm probably going to lose the timeline and just post as it comes to me. I'm guessing a post or two in these series a week. Probably the most I can do with the new work hours.

9 comments:

Will ArnoldJuly 19, 2015 at 10:13 AM
Yes, although I pretty much have my choice nailed down.
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UnknownJuly 19, 2015 at 10:53 AM
Definitely interested! Bring it on!
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Doc SavageJuly 19, 2015 at 12:33 PM
Sure. I'd like to hear what sets various games apart from each other. There must be some justification for the existence of so many clones, I hope.
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Smokestack JonesJuly 19, 2015 at 7:09 PM
Sure, go for it. Like to see Mazes and Perils get the Tavern Treatment.
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The Vulture GMJuly 19, 2015 at 7:42 PM
Fantastic Heroes and Witchery deserves a review. I've enjoyed your other posts so far. Thanks!!!
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JonathanJuly 20, 2015 at 1:01 AM
I'd like to see comparisons between them all.
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JonathanJuly 20, 2015 at 1:02 AM
I'd like to see comparisons between them all.
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Timothy S. BrannanJuly 20, 2015 at 11:47 AM
Yeah. I would like to see more.
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Brett SlocumJuly 20, 2015 at 12:26 PM
"Please, sir, I want some more." -- Oliver Twist
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Add comment

Why "Swords & Wizardry?"

Believe me when I say I have them all in dead tree format. I have OSRIC in full size, trade paperback and the Player's Guide. I have LL and the AEC (and somewhere OEC, but I can't find it at the moment). Obviously I have Basic Fantasy RPG. Actually, I have the whole available line in print. Way too much Castles & Crusades. We all know my love for the DCC RPG. I even have Dark Dungeons in print, the Delving Deeper boxed set, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. BOTH editions of LotFP's Weird Fantasy and some dead tree copies of the Greyhawk Grognards Adventures Dark & Deep

I am so deep in the OSR when I come up for breath it's for the OSR's cousin, Tunnels & Trolls

So, out of all that, why Swords & Wizardry? Why, when I have been running a AD&D 1e / OSRIC campaign in Rappan Athuk am I using Swords & Wizardry and it's variant, Crypts & Things, for the second campaign? (Actually, now running a S&W Complete campaign, soon to be with multiple groups)

Because the shit works.

It's easy for lapsed gamers to pick up and feel like they haven't lost a step. I can house rule it and it doesn't break. It plays so close to the AD&D of my youth and college years (S&W Complete especially) that it continually surprises me. Just much less rules hopping than I remember. (my God but I can run it nearly without the book)

I grab and pick and steal from just about all OSR and Original resources. They seem to fit into S&W with little fuss. It may be the same with LL and the rest, but for me the ease of use fit's my expectations with S&W.

Even the single saving throw. That took me longer to adjust to, but even that seems like a natural to me now. Don't ask me why, it just does. Maybe it's the simplicity of it. At 45 52, simplicity and flexibility while remaining true to the feel of the original is an OSR hat trick for me ;)

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Sunday, July 19, 2015

Thinking About Restarting the OSR for the Lapsed Gamer Series of Posts

9 comments:

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