5E and Pathfinder Players: What is your impression of OSR gaming?

[Inash]

Nostalgia - its why I keep applying for palladium games when they come up. Someday one of them will actually start as well.

[Excior]

some folks just like the old rule sets better, its what they know. I have introduced many younger folks to the Hobby through BECMI, AD&D, and some of the newer stuff. They like the game not what rules are used.

[cailano]

4 hours ago, Vladim said:

The thing with nostalgia is... I'm not really convinced that it's a good thing to pursue, though I do get the appeal. I too would like to recreate some early gaming experiences, but even if I were to use a similar system... it's kind of gone now. Everyone's a different person compared to their 20/30-years younger selves, so it's impossible to recreate or relive the thing. Better to spend time trying to create novel experiences. Treasure the memories, for sure, but move on.

Maybe this is too philosophical and veering off topic, but these days those are my thoughts for old school stuff that evoke nostalgia (and other things that evoke nostalgia). It's just... a trap, in a sense. Like a drug, but for old people :)

I'm not ready to give it up, that's for sure. I love thumbing through my old BECMI boxed sets. Takes me right back.

But nostalgia isn't the reason I like OSR. Heck, the only games I'm running here on the Weave are DCC games, and while that system takes some cues from B/X it's as modern a system as 5e. Both are currently in production. Both have active player bases. They're just different playstyles. But DCC is definitely NOT how I used to play "back in the day."

But let's say I were to run something like a BECMI game. I think it is very possible to argue that it's an objectively better system than 5e, at least for some. It's not about which one I played as a kid. I could make a bunch of points about BECMI being fast and playable at both low and high levels, or about the inclusion of realm management and mass combat to the game, or about faster character creation and greater danger. Those features might not be to everyone's preference, but they're certainly to SOME people's preference.

Not having a 600-page rules tome and a dozen splat books is a LOT of people's preference. You could run a campaign for years using the Rules Cyclopedia alone.

And you can see some data to back that up in our poll. For every person who has voted that they prefer modern systems, we've got another who prefers OSR-style play.

Older doesn't mean worse. Newer doesn't mean better.

[Excior]

1 hour ago, cailano said:

I'm not ready to give it up, that's for sure. I love thumbing through my old BECMI boxed sets. Takes me right back.

But nostalgia isn't the reason I like OSR. Heck, the only games I'm running here on the Weave are DCC games, and while that system takes some cues from B/X it's as modern a system as 5e. Both are currently in production. Both have active player bases. They're just different playstyles. But DCC is definitely NOT how I used to play "back in the day."

But let's say I were to run something like a BECMI game. I think it is very possible to argue that it's an objectively better system than 5e, at least for some. It's not about which one I played as a kid. I could make a bunch of points about BECMI being fast and playable at both low and high levels, or about the inclusion of realm management and mass combat to the game, or about faster character creation and greater danger. Those features might not be to everyone's preference, but they're certainly to SOME people's preference.

Not having a 600-page rules tome and a dozen splat books is a LOT of people's preference. You could run a campaign for years using the Rules Cyclopedia alone.

And you can see some data to back that up in our poll. For every person who has voted that they prefer modern systems, we've got another who prefers OSR-style play.

Older doesn't mean worse. Newer doesn't

Players of Older D&D 2nd Ed and earlier

 

This is a link to a tread in OGMW we had at last count 167 MW members that was into old school type gaming. Now that I know how to use New WM better I may bring that thread over to here

[cailano]

55 minutes ago, Excior said:

Players of Older D&D 2nd Ed and earlier

 

This is a link to a tread in OGMW we had at last count 167 MW members that was into old school type gaming. Now that I know how to use New WM better I may bring that thread over to here

You should!

[Excior]

35 minutes ago, cailano said:

You should!

Done!