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What games push the limit of what it means to be OSR?

Started by RNGm, February 02, 2025, 10:26:10 AM

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bat

#30
February 03, 2025, 08:47:30 PM
Quote from: the crypt keeper on February 03, 2025, 06:32:00 PM
Quote from: bat on February 02, 2025, 12:45:21 PMAs the guy that made the TARGA Yahoo Group and flyers and was involved since 2006, TARGA became the OSR and the idea was to get people to play an older style of game, NOT just TSR/D&D.

My stance on the definition of OSR as well. Early games had the expectation you would be carving your own path with the suggested rules presented. Traveller, FGU games, Hero... they all have the same message, "These are the bones, you need to put the meat on." Which suited my attitudes completely as an 11 yo DM.

I never grew out of the mentality as a now 55 year-old game referee, and now teacher of RPG Studies on a college campus, in both Workforce Training and Humanities. I think it is just easier to get 'stuck in' and make the game your own with simpler rules myself, less constrictive.
https://ancientvaults.wordpress.com/

Sans la colère. Sans la haine. Et sans la pitié.

Jag är inte en människa. Det här är bara en dröm, och snart vaknar jag.


Running: Barbarians of Legend + Black Sword Hack, OSE
Playing: Shadowdark

Omega

#31
February 03, 2025, 11:17:17 PM
Quote from: yosemitemike on February 03, 2025, 05:12:24 AMThe thing about the OSR is that there isn't even a generally agreed upon definition of what it even means.

Thats because very quickly certain people started twisting the meaning and intent to suit their own agendas. Mainly game theft. I forget the game but someone over on BGG used the OSR/SRD as an excuse to steal a board game design practically whole cloth. Someone else used it as an excuse to copy a RPG that was not even remotely D&D. And so on.

bat

#32
February 04, 2025, 06:23:41 PM
Quote from: RNGm on February 02, 2025, 08:35:51 PM
Quote from: bat on February 02, 2025, 07:33:36 PMI believe that as TARGA became the OSR it had the same intention for a while, yet over the years it has morphed to mean TSR/early D&D to most people, which to me is sad. And hey, RIFTS has been around since '89, if you don't use the revised Ultimate Edition...I do, but you don't have to.

Sadly, the "Ultimate" edition didn't make even a 1/10th the changes I had hoped it would make so I don't consider them to be substantively different (similar to D&D 3/3.5).  We do at least agree on Barbarians of Lemuria (based on your forum signature) though as I wholeheartedly recommend that game and hope to pick up the Mythic+ version of the game very soon!

If you want to make a more "OSR" RIFTS take Survive This! Vigilante City and Survive This! Fantasy books and blend together. Is it close? Close enough that when I mentioned it to Eric Bloat years ago he agreed, and he wrote it. And really, if you want a RIFTS game without the complicated system and MDC/SDC issues this is a viable way to go.
https://ancientvaults.wordpress.com/

Sans la colère. Sans la haine. Et sans la pitié.

Jag är inte en människa. Det här är bara en dröm, och snart vaknar jag.


Running: Barbarians of Legend + Black Sword Hack, OSE
Playing: Shadowdark

Theory of Games

#33
February 04, 2025, 07:26:45 PM
Shadowdark.

They call it OSR but is 5e material "OSR"? I'm going to go ahead and rule that if your game has 5e components in it, it isn't and shall never be "OSR".

TTRPGs are just games. Friends are forever.

Ruprecht

#34
February 04, 2025, 08:13:01 PM
The way I understand it, OSR is a play style as stated in the original OSR primer. It's not about mechanics.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing. ~Robert E. Howard

jordane1964

#35
February 04, 2025, 11:38:26 PM
The amazing thing about the OSR is how many people involved end up becoming designers.

NebulaMajor

#36
February 05, 2025, 12:57:18 AM
I think the most different games which most people here would still call OSR would be Kevin Crawford's games, Stars Without Number/Wolves of God/Worlds Without Number, etc. They still use AC, Hit Die, the recognizable classes/level system, six attributes, etc., but the 2d6 core mechanic is a departure. You could argue for Dungeon Crawl Classics with the dice chain mechanic, too.

[/quote]

In my opinion Kevin Crawfords's titles, Dungeon Crawl Classics are definitely good examples of OSR games even considering their peculiarities.

Omega

#37
February 05, 2025, 07:20:54 AM
Quote from: Ruprecht on February 04, 2025, 08:13:01 PMThe way I understand it, OSR is a play style as stated in the original OSR primer. It's not about mechanics.

That died fast. I still on rare occasion hear someone claim that. But OSR very quickly turned to using the 3e SRD to steal everything that wasnt naild down and then used it as a crowbar to take those too. ahem.

And the whole Revival/Renaissance claim was a farce right out the gate.

Toss in all the crackpot claims like 1:1 time and it all melts down. lOSR.
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