Quote from: ChristopherKubasik;1066765Just like the first years of the hobby.
And so, in part, the OSR

With the same levels of varying quality, too.

It's embarrassing that after all this time - I still don't know definitively what the "OSR" even means other than BECMI/Rules Cyclopedia-like.

Quote from: Brad;1066755For every Operation White Box or Lion & Dragon, there are five hundred "White Box BUT I added a warlock class!"

It's actually the opposite: for every five hundred junk games, there is one Operation White Box or L&D. This is why the proliferation of junk is not only good but necessary.

My only critique of OSR stuff is that quite a few rule set authors don't care to support their rule set with creative content.  

If someone completes the left-brained side of something but ignores the necessary right-brained content to use it, it's like saying you're a restaurant but all you have to offer interested patrons is pretty, pretty plates with no food on them.

Quote from: EOTB;1066780My only critique of OSR stuff is that quite a few rule set authors don't care to support their rule set with creative content.  

If someone completes the left-brained side of something but ignores the necessary right-brained content to use it, it's like saying you're a restaurant but all you have to offer interested patrons is pretty, pretty plates with no food on them.

As a PDXer, you should know that's a perfectly viable business model!

Quote from: Zalman;1066790As a PDXer, you should know that's a perfectly viable business model!

LOL...yeah, that's perfect.

Quote from: tenbones;1066769It's embarrassing that after all this time - I still don't know definitively what the "OSR" even means other than BECMI/Rules Cyclopedia-like.

It is label that got applied to those promoting, playing, and publishing for classic editions of D&D circa 2010 as documented here. Because those who play promote, play, or publish for classic D&D have other interests as well other things get roped in. And because of the prevalence of open content some of that involve purposing classic D&D mechanics for very different settings and other genres.

It not that anymore complicated than that. To participate just promote, play, or publishing something involving a classic edition of D&D in the manner you see fit or something that you think would interest those involved in playing, promoting, or publishing for classic editions of D&D.

It not anymore complicated than that unless one has to feel like they have to win the approval of a specific group of individual playing in a specific way. Then homework has to be done like what they are exactly interested in and figuring out the most effective way of promoting one's efforts.

But if one just has an idea and has some platform that people read, participate in, or download from,  then just do whatever you think is best and don't sweat what anybody thinks.

Some observations from personal experience.

For projects that involves finishing things to a commercial level of quality I have observed that most are satisfied that their hobby time is well spent if they can make a 100 sales or over $100 in profit. Most get more satisfaction out of their stuff being used than actual profits so number of sales (or downloads) often more important.

Most OSR customers prize authenticity over slick production values. But if you are able to do both then it helps a lot. But a solid black and white presentation with a clean layout is sufficient for most projects.

For myself I have not mastered the art of full color layout. I know enough to know that I don't know enough. So I work at excelling at black and white layouts. My gold standard is early GDW layouts of Classic Traveller and Mega Traveller.


As an example I only made profits in the low hundreds from Blackmarsh but I also have over 10,000 downloads and numerous posts or emails from individual who enjoyed using it. So I felt my time was well spent on that project. I don't have anywhere near that amount of download/sales for my other works but I generally price them to produce $5 gross profit per sale so the money has effectively paid for my hobby for the past decade including allowing for further project by allowing me to buy art and editing services.

To be honest these days my ideal RPG to write for is would be skill based with 3d6 roll high.  Like AGE rather than D&D. But here the thing, if one does not choose to use an established system like D&D (OSR retro-clones), or Runequest (Legend), or Traveller (Cepheus) or Fudge/Fate then you will have to build your audience from the ground up. It doesn't matter if it commercial or just sharing you will extra work on the promotion.

The implication is that one has to decide how important the new system to one's idea. For me I am more about settings and adventures rather than rules. So I learned what I need to make my stuff work with classic D&D. For a person where the system is more important then they may decide that it worth the extra work.

Quote from: EOTB;1066780My only critique of OSR stuff is that quite a few rule set authors don't care to support their rule set with creative content.  

The way I would phrase it

The more you require the individual to do in order to get a campaign going with your rules, the less of an audience you will have.  If you only plan to release a set of rules then you need to consider how easy it is to use a setting, an adventure or a supplement from a similar set of rules or genre with your system.

My view is there is no right or wrong answer to this stuff only consequences. I find when an author has a problem with how their work is received I usually find is because they either did not think about the consequences or found out the consequences of their creative decision to be different than what they expected.

If they don't have a problem with it then it the old adage of "it not a bug but a feature" resulting form how I decided to do things.

For example I consistently opt for black and white layout. While I have people telling me they appreciate the way I lay out my stuff, I also am aware of the criticisms. A couple of years back I weighed what I had to do to learn to do full color layouts and opted not to do so.

If I ever to do a project that required full color layout then it highly likely it would something involving a lot of expenses (especially for art) so I will just include hiring a layout person as part of that project's budget. So far no projects I wanted to required full color layouts.

Here's the thing about the OSR and the retro-clones/rehashes, I consider it to be an asset and not a defect because it is reflective of how things actually were in the hobby during the 1970's and very early 1980's.

Plus, Sturgeon's Law (90% of anything is utter garbage) is in full effect with any form of medium, not just the OSR although it is more readily apparent to some due to the abundance of generic clones.

My grandfather used to play OD&D, Boot Hill, and historical wargames back in the 1970's.

He taught me a forgotten and obscure tradition of the wargaming and role-playing scene in Virginia back in the 70's that I wish to pass down to you guys, a ceremonial OSR anthem of sorts.

Allow me to explain...

When he and his buddies would gather around the gaming table, they'd have a group of squeaky-voiced Japanese pop idols to serenade them.

Those were marvelous times....

Alas, my love! You do me wrong!
To cast me off discourteously...

Greensleeves was all my joy!
Greensleeves was my delight!

[video=youtube;vAq83es3x3c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAq83es3x3c[/youtube]

what if I name my game "Fantasy Heartbreaker, Just Another OSR game"