An old cave filled with thoughts on old school fantasy RPGS and their simulacrum like Dungeons and Dragons and Labyrinth Lord.
What is OSR?
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23 May 2010 08:23:06
Category: RPGs
I think some one should elect a govermental body to police the OSR (Old School Renaissance) movement to the end that a qualifying list of established OSR games can be created. For some reason folks seem bent on establishing one.
Please ...
In general terms, I'll try to outline what I think us ol' codgers or "grognards" enjoy in a game. I am an authority because 1) I'm old, 2) I like old RPGs, 3) I have an opinion.
OSR is not a game or a list of games, but rather a style of play. While I detest 4e, I can conceive that someone out there might be able to pull off an OSR style game using it. If you've done this, you have my vote for sainthood. Truly, you have performed a miracle.
The just outright dislike for 4e and 3.5, and 3.0 is another unifying belief or idea of the OSR movement. I have yet to meet a single person in the OSR movement who likes what has happened to the world's most popular table top RPG.
The defining issue is style of play. To remind the young pups, its called an RPG. That stands for Role Playing Game. If all you do is look up a rule and role some dice, then you might as well be playing an MMORPG; you'll get your results faster and it's easier to level up.
I played 3.5 for over a year. There wasn't much fantasy role play. It was more like fantasy dice rolling. If you're having fun doing that great! But for me, I like my Tuesday night Labyrinth Lord game. I look at my character sheet very little because it doesn't tell me what I can or should do. I just decide what to do and look to the referee to make judgements.
That in its essence is OSR. There's no need to establish a list of games or discuss whether game x is or isn't OSR. It's about educating people about a style of play that we in the OSR movement enjoy.
Like all things that are worth doing, playing in this style requires effort of both player and judge. There's a skill set that's required. But maybe that'll be tomorrow's post.
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