Quote from: estar;858026The fact inches separate ACKS from AD&D means that when you run a ACKS it is far easier to adapt a AD&D, OD&D, or BECMI adventure or supplement than it is Runequest, or GURPS. Nor do I claim that the fact that inches separate the various editions of classic D&D and the retro-clone doesn't eliminate personal preference for a specific set of rules. Presentation, writing style, and the set of mechanics make certain editions appealing to some and not to others.

Theoretically, I could. But since I use ACKS for a straight historical game, there's probably a lot more that's useful in GURPS supplements than any other D&D-derived game. I don't use modules, either, so that's an avenue that isn't going anywhere, either.

The big draw that none of the others do (though it can be adapted to them) is mass combat.

Quote from: estar;858026Look the OSR isn't a singular vision, it is a aggregate of everybody who found a classic edition of D&D or similar retro-clone useful or fun to play. Which is why you found that you like to play ACKS and found it useful you became part of the OSR. It is a descriptive term meant to encompass what a bunch of people are already doing.

As for your comment on the author viewpoint, I have to say that is nonsense. All the elements you pick out as good in ACKS are a result of Alexander Macris and the Autrarch team view of what is important to have in an edition of classic D&D to run the campaigns they like to run. Just as the Majestic Wilderlands embodies my view of what is important to have an edition of D&D to run the campaigns I like to run. Lamentation of the Flame Princess embodies what James Raggi thinks is important to use in a campaign.

The trick of course is to write this in a way to make it understandable, useful and fun. Which obviously Autarch succeed in doing for you with ACKS.

There's an element of that; it helps that Macris has a solid grounding in history, which is evoked throughout ACKS.

But the fact that the game happens to be derived from D&D is neither here nor there, for me. Indeed, the amount of stuff I've ditched (monsters, magic, anything fantastical) makes it something of it's own, anyway.

Quote from: Bobloblah;857967Would you say B/X and BECMI are the same? They are to someone who doesn't play either, but someone who'd play them, or who has played them? They're close, but noticeably different.

Tangential to the main discussion here, but I'd say B/X and BECMI are pretty much the same until you reach level 15+, after which obviously BECMI goes on while B/X doesn't. Off the top of my head, the one significant difference in the first 14 levels was the thief skill's ability table and maybe the cleric spell table, although memory is fuzzy on that.
You could have introduced stuff like the masteries from the Master's set at level 1 but that was a sort of "retcon" if you had actually started your characters before the set was published.

Any other difference between the two which I'm forgetting?

Experience tables, spell tables, thief skills, weapon mastery, classes (mystic, druid, etc.), war machine, attack ranks... there's actually a lot. The additional levels (i.e. 15-36) are a part of it, too; people play B/X precisely because it tops out at 14. Different magic items (weaker in B/X), artifacts...the two are a lot more alike when you start arbitrarily ignoring the differences. It doesn't matter if it was in a later set in the BECMI line, as people bought those and used them, too. Plus it all got consolidated in the Cyclopedia. From the outside the differences no doubt appear trivial (which can be said of almost any two editions or clones), yet those differences are still enough for people to choose one over the other.

Quote from: Luca;858087Any other difference between the two which I'm forgetting?

When playing B/X, you need to order pizzas with pepperoni and olives.

BECMI requires you order pepperoni and mushrooms instead.  

It's very technical.

Bleh, why would you want olives with anything?

...mmmMMMMmmm...olllllivvvvves...

Quote from: Kiero;858160Bleh, why would you want olives with anything?

The guy running a game set in Ancient Greece hates olives. Oh, the irony.

Quote from: The Butcher;858178The guy running a game set in Ancient Greece hates olives. Oh, the irony.

It's actually set in ancient France, but while I like olive oil just fine, I can't stand them unprocessed.

The olives in Uruguay are beyond belief.