Poll -- Best Retro, Old School (OSR) Rule Set • Page 5 • Collecting General

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Poll -- Best Retro, Old School (OSR) Rule Set
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Poll: What is the Best Old School (OSRIC) Rule Set?

Author

copycat
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 8:47 pm

Frank pretty much hit it. To me, a clone is an attempt to create the same game -- allow people to publish using this new one, but subtly imply that it's really for another one, despite being almost exactly the same.

C&C does not do that. It is a game on its own, but wants to play like it could have been the game from back then... but is not.

Somewhat subtle, I suppose, but definitely enough for me to not consider it a clone.

I just noticed how the poll is a little funny. Its asking which is the best OSRIC but there was no option to select OSRIC.

Those who can, don't. Those who should not, do.

ExTSR
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 9:10 pm

Time for write-in votes!

Get OSRIC here.
Right now. Yes really.
Free.

(and btw, THIS is why I once mistakenly thought OSRIC was published by Ronin, a datum for which I have been repeatedly dissed. Not my fault; just insufficient research and short on time.)

Ak'Ptui
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 11:17 am

Thought I would let you guys know about at least the quickest OSR publisher. I decided to pickup LotFP new modules Tower of the Stargazer, Weird New World, and Hammers of the Gods combo pack. Ordered and paid on Fri, these were shipped Mon and arrived from Finland to Canada on Thurs! Maybe this is more a testament to the Finnish post office but just to compare I'm still waiting on some stuff I ordered a week before from here in North America. Anyways word of warning the guy is off on vacation next week so wait till next Thurs/Fri if you are thinking of ordering anything if you want the Johnny on the spot shipping.

I wasn't going to buy the LotFP game but these have convinced me to go for a copy. The adventures themselves have some great themes, mood, and settings. Quality and craftsmanship is very nice with color cardstock covers, maps, and illustrations including a Peter Mullen piece on one of the covers. Hopefully I'm going to be a player in one or two of them.

Edit: for typo in "LotFP".

Who says my inspiration was D&D? That was just a background phenomenon.
-- Ken St. Andre

Ak'Ptui
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 11:38 am

Not a retro game or clone per say, but my vote for best rules would be for some musings by a fellow called Jason Cone titled Philotomy's OD&D Musings over at http://www.philotomy.com/ . These are a combination of distilled knowledge from Knights&Knaves Ale House and I guess his own thoughts and experiences running OD&D from the 3 LBB only. I have most of the OSR clones and a few retro games like C&C and Jason Vey's Spellcraft & Swordplay, but these musings have helped my understanding and appreciation of OD&D more than anything else.

Now you can also download all these musing including a nice cover and print them out into your own digest sized sized supplement:

http://www.grey-elf.com/dnd/

Scroll down to the very bottom under "Other D&D Resources". Pickup the other booklets too ...it's all great stuff including the "Forbidden Lore" booklet for integrading D6 Chainmail rules into OD&D combat.

Who says my inspiration was D&D? That was just a background phenomenon.
-- Ken St. Andre

Badmike
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:13 pm

Ak'Ptui wrote:Not a retro game or clone per say, but my vote for best rules would be for some musings by a fellow called Jason Cone titled Philotomy's OD&D Musings over at http://www.philotomy.com/ . These are a combination of distilled knowledge from Knights&Knaves Ale House and I guess his own thoughts and experiences running OD&D from the 3 LBB only. I have most of the OSR clones and a few retro games like C&C and Jason Vey's Spellcraft & Swordplay, but these musings have helped my understanding and appreciation of OD&D more than anything else.

Now you can also download all these musing including a nice cover and print them out into your own digest sized sized supplement:

http://www.grey-elf.com/dnd/

Scroll down to the very bottom under "Other D&D Resources". Pickup the other booklets too ...it's all great stuff including the "Forbidden Lore" booklet for integrading D6 Chainmail rules into OD&D combat.

Jason was an attendee at NTRPG Con this year, ran a game and was a panelist on the Megadungeon panel. Pretty sharp guy, a lot of his suggestions can be used with any edition of the game, not just OD&D.

Mike B.

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FormCritic
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:53 pm

Ak'Ptui wrote:.

Now you can also download all these musing including a nice cover and print them out into your own digest sized sized supplement:

http://www.grey-elf.com/dnd/

Scroll down to the very bottom under "Other D&D Resources". Pickup the other booklets too ...it's all great stuff including the "Forbidden Lore" booklet for integrading D6 Chainmail rules into OD&D combat.

Thanks for the link! Those are pretty cool.

"But I have watched the dragons come, fire-eyed, across the world."

ExTSR
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:01 pm

Ak'Ptui wrote:Now you can also download all these musing including a nice cover and print them out into your own digest sized sized supplement:

Ah yes, that one.
Reasonably good Fanwork.
But I've always been a bit insulted that the author didn't bother to spell my name right.
And never bothered to correct it, either.

Ak'Ptui
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 4:03 pm

ExTSR wrote:...But I've always been a bit insulted that the author didn't bother to spell my name right.
And never bothered to correct it, either.

I can see where you'd be bugged by that ...be like spelling Gary's name as "Gyjax" or something in a work, then letting it stand. I've shot a message over to Jason Vey who hosts the files and who I believe distills the pdfs to make a correction. Hopefully it gets corrected and I won't mention the work again until they do.

Sorry.

Who says my inspiration was D&D? That was just a background phenomenon.
-- Ken St. Andre

copycat
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 4:14 pm

I feel for you Frank. TLG gets my name spelled wrong almost all the time, even the first name. Heck, it's now "officially" been spelled wrong on the OGL page so it'll always be that way (for that product, anyway.)

Those who can, don't. Those who should not, do.

Ak'Ptui
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 4:28 pm

Back to OSR rule sets and things ...where do you find OSR games and retro goodness, why Lulu of course. I just followed R.C. Pinnell's link from the classifieds here and picked up his extended Giant's Series plus his basic module:

http://stores.lulu.com/worldofthorkhammer

I already had G4 but was unaware that he had published further mods in the series.

I used code "santa305" to get 20% off my purchase. This code is suppose to expire July 31. Here is the kicker for you guys in the US, you can also apply code "FREESHIP" and get free shipping in the US on purchases over $19, which sadly I wasn't able to do. But that's pretty good 20% + free shipping at Lulu. Here is a link to the Old School Renaissance Group on Lulu:

http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fOwner ... nerID=4672

Of note John Adams of Brave Halfling Publishing has knocked 15% off the Swords & Wizardry White Box hardcover, so combined with the above coupons you can get this for over 35% discount.

Who says my inspiration was D&D? That was just a background phenomenon.
-- Ken St. Andre

Keith the Thief
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:17 pm

serleran wrote:I just noticed how the poll is a little funny. Its asking which is the best OSRIC but there was no option to select OSRIC.

My fault. Probably should change my handle to Gaffer.

When I created the poll, I thought OSRIC was an over-arching term for the old school clones.
That'll be oops # 1.

I also thought C&C would want to be categorized as an old school system.
That'll be oops #2.

In my defense, however, I did create the poll while I was in Florida, so that explains why it's all f***ed up.

"Never let it be said I didn’t do the least I could do."

TheHistorian
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 9:55 pm

Ak'Ptui wrote:I used code "santa305" to get 20% off my purchase. This code is suppose to expire July 31. Here is the kicker for you guys in the US, you can also apply code "FREESHIP" and get free shipping in the US on purchases over $19, which sadly I wasn't able to do. But that's pretty good 20% + free shipping at Lulu.

No, you can't. Lulu takes only one discount code at a time. Unless someone has found a way to do so - then please let me know!

Areas of interest/knowledge: Harn, WFRP, Ars Magica, anything BRP based such as CoC, Runequest, Pendragon and all their related games

Keith the Thief
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Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 10:28 am

If you want to download OSRIC, here's the link --

http://www.knights-n-knaves.com/osric/download.html

I downloaded it after I discovered it was an actual rules system.

Unfortunately I messed up file management and accidentally renamed some other old school clone as OSRIC. :scratch:

Anyway, now that that's fixed I've found OSRIC to be quite impressive.
It may have over-taken BFRPG in my mind.

"Never let it be said I didn’t do the least I could do."

ashmire13
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Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 10:40 am

Ak'Ptui wrote:Not a retro game or clone per say, but my vote for best rules would be for some musings by a fellow called Jason Cone titled Philotomy's OD&D Musings over at http://www.philotomy.com/ .

Same chap, as you state as here

http://knights-n-knaves.com/phpbb3/view ... =philotomy

interesting reading

Rolls a '3'

"Did I hit.....?"

ashmire13
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Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:08 am

Bizarrely, buying OSRIC paperback from Lulu at £10.90, gives me a shipping option at just £2.99, or a guaranteed tracking option at £6.99.

If I go for the Economy edition at £7.96, shipping is lowest at £8.99 or tracked at £27.99!!

Apparently, due to printing locations for Economy over paperback. Paperback option it is then! :lol:

Rolls a '3'

"Did I hit.....?"

copycat
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Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:53 am

Lulu is stupid.

Those who can, don't. Those who should not, do.

ashmire13
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Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:57 am

Evidently.

Rolls a '3'

"Did I hit.....?"

Keith the Thief
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Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:30 pm

ashmire13 wrote:Bizarrely, buying OSRIC paperback from Lulu at £10.90, gives me a shipping option at just £2.99, or a guaranteed tracking option at £6.99.

If I go for the Economy edition at £7.96, shipping is lowest at £8.99 or tracked at £27.99!!

Apparently, due to printing locations for Economy over paperback. Paperback option it is then!

Good God, man. Is the economy edition hardback? Or do they throw in a bottle of bourbon or something? That's messed up.

"Never let it be said I didn’t do the least I could do."

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