What are your criteria?  Is it the mechanics, the gameplay style, the sources of inspiration?

Obvious troll is obvious.

Quote from: Archangel Fascist;673529What are your criteria?  Is it the mechanics, the gameplay style, the sources of inspiration?

Shitty art is usually my first clue.

Quote from: Archangel Fascist;673529What are your criteria?  Is it the mechanics, the gameplay style, the sources of inspiration?

1) the system is based upon a game published before 1989.
2) the system supports old school style-play (going by the definition proposed by the old school primer)
3) the artwork is indicative of illustration styles popular before the advent of anime, video games, or CGI
5) any new mechanics introduced to the system are not narrative-based and the game does not enforce a 3rd person view of the character on the player.
6) The system supports numerous plàystyles rather than enforcing one on the players or GM.
7) the game is not simply a reprint of an earlier game by a major RPG publisher.
the game never uses the phrase 'social contract'
9) the game is designed to be used as a reference manual, not a novel
10) the game is written for an assumed adult audience

Quote from: Archangel Fascist;673529How do you define an OSR game?

Its an old edition D&D clone, system-wise.

If the author claims it's OSR, it probably is.

Quote from: J Arcane;673536Obvious troll is obvious.

Why does this thread count as trolling?

Quote from: Archangel Fascist;673529What are your criteria?  Is it the mechanics, the gameplay style, the sources of inspiration?

The OSR game based off classic D&D mechanics
An osr game is whatever you consider to be old school but generally means anything prior to 1989. With 70s era RPGs definitely old school.

Since it is a hobbyist movement what determines what the OSR is what the participants think it is. To determine that you need to make what you consider an OSR game and see how well it sells or how many downloads it.

For most hobbyists the OSR means a classic D&D derived game.

Not to channel Richard Stallman, but we do need to try and use clear vocabulary.

Do you mean 'old school' or 'Old School Renaissance'?

In the first category you have, e.g. Randall who has been playing the same game for decades now.

In the other there's, e.g. Sacrosanct who is open to new systems so long as they retain a certain flavor.

Subtle, but different.

To that end 'has not changed since 1989' is NOT a renaissance.

Quote from: Ladybird;673577If the author claims it's OSR, it probably is.

Since OSR is merely a marketing gimmick I tend to agree.

Being actually old school OTOH, is an entirely different matter. Old school includes more than D&D. Classic Traveler is OS and not D&D related. The original Runequest game is OS fantasy roleplaying and marketed itself as very unlike D&D as a selling point.

Quote from: mcbobbo;673595To that end 'has not changed since 1989' is NOT a renaissance.

The Old School Renaissance™ has always been really the D&D Revival.  Still, in spite of itself, you're now getting new games out of it.

"OSR 2.0" are games like SWN, ACKS, AoI, et al, games based on TSR era D&D but with a lot of changes and additions.

Pseudo-OSR we have to deal with now are people using 100% new school mechanics and design methods to focus on the "dungeon experience" or "old school vibe".

Heh, odd, but it is kind of like the Renaissance, you have the revival of the Classics, the Neo-Classics, and the Poseurs who think their stuff is really better, but adopt Classical trappings to ironically capitalize on the popularity of something while still looking down upon it.

Quote from: CRKrueger;673602Heh, odd, but it is kind of like the Renaissance, you have the revival of the Classics, the Neo-Classics, and the Poseurs who think their stuff is really better, but adopt Classical trappings to ironically capitalize on the popularity of something while still looking down upon it.

Exactly

Due to low barriers of entry the what the OSR (all caps) is will be defined by those who do. This will bother those what to be precise and clear in their terms but it not a precise or clear process. It rather messy in its execution. Which in this case I view it as a strength not a weakness.

Quote from: CRKrueger;673602The Old School Renaissance™ has always been really the D&D Revival.  Still, in spite of itself, you're now getting new games out of it.

"OSR 2.0" are games like SWN, ACKS, AoI, et al, games based on TSR era D&D but with a lot of changes and additions.

Pseudo-OSR we have to deal with now are people using 100% new school mechanics and design methods to focus on the "dungeon experience" or "old school vibe".

Heh, odd, but it is kind of like the Renaissance, you have the revival of the Classics, the Neo-Classics, and the Poseurs who think their stuff is really better, but adopt Classical trappings to ironically capitalize on the popularity of something while still looking down upon it.

Quote from: Exploderwizard;673599Being actually old school OTOH, is an entirely different matter. Old school includes more than D&D. Classic Traveler is OS and not D&D related. The original Runequest game is OS fantasy roleplaying and marketed itself as very unlike D&D as a selling point.

/thread

Quote from: catty_big;673578Why does this thread count as trolling?

Because its version #732 of the same goddamn thread with a question that could easily be answered by the search function, except that the OP is only asking it because he's pissed that a couple of his pet storygames were suggested not to be.

Quote from: J Arcane;673536Obvious troll is obvious.

What an incredibly short-sighted thing to say.