Indestructoboy's video today on Shadowdark asks multiple people to try and define the OSR, and they seem to get stuck on the R.  What's closest to your view on what it means?

Viva la Resistance!

Someone once used "Old School Ruckus," which I think remains the most accurate description. 

I didn't vote, because I am somewhere in between the two camps.  I like having easily readable clones of the originals, or else the originals themselves on the shelf to reference; but I'd probably often prefer my own modifications, to those made by others.  Show me how it was done to start with.  Perhaps include 2 or 3 optional rules, noted as such.  Then I'll take it from there.

The OSR to me has been a big exercise in the Chesterton's Fence argument. An examination of old rules and techniques and not dismissing them out of hand. Because the refutation of old school play had largely become the new sacred cow.

I've never heard anyone say it, but I've begun to think of it as "Remedial"--as in teach people how to play in an old school way.

The whole point of the OSR from my understanding was it was all about the mentality of "old school RPGs". Lethal combat, normal heroes, debloated character options, less of the Critical Role style storytelling and a focus on both real Roleplaying and simulation to an extent. Appreciating and using what came before as it was all made for reasons that are only now becoming apparent to younger gamers.

The actual games matter only in so much as they have rules that embody the mentality of the OSR as opposed to reviving a specific game. That's why people are playing OSE more than regular B/X. Or playing derivitives that still embody the mentality such as the Without Numbers games. For an example, I wouldn't call Operation Whitebox a revival of B/X but a renaissance that uses the spirit and feeling of B/X alongside rules that worked and were created for a reason to create something new that still hearkens to the themes I mentioned before.

adding in an option for R=Rules

Quote from: THE_Leopold on January 25, 2024, 05:42:02 PM
adding in an option for R=Rules

If that literally means "the rules we used to use", that's the same thing as Revival for these purposes.

Old School Retardation at this point. The OSR was extremely useful when it began (I think renaissance was the best description, and most often used). Now it's devolved into a way for halfassed "designers" to produce tripe, similar to the d20 glut when D&D 3.0 was released. I've been happy with less and less purchases as time has gone on, honestly.

At least four meanings:

- Compatibility to TSR D&D.
- Interest in TSR D&D.
- Compatibility with old RPGs, including Traveller, FF, WFRP, etc.
- "Principles" that reflect earlier TSR D&D.

The first one is the only one that is useful for me. A label that includes FF and 5e under the same umbrella is nearly useless for classifying RPGs.

I like "Renaissance" because reminds me of Italian Renaissance; i.e., this is not TSR, but inspired by TSR and sometimes going beyond what TSR has achieved.

Quote from: Ratman_tf on January 25, 2024, 04:30:05 PM
The OSR to me has been a big exercise in the Chesterton's Fence argument. An examination of old rules and techniques and not dismissing them out of hand. Because the refutation of old school play had largely become the new sacred cow.

Good point.

Fake Revival or Renaissance.

Renaissance for me.

And not "Renna-sans", but the full on "Ren-ayy-sans."

Technically a renaissance is a revival of sorts, but I'd emphasize renaissance primarily due to the historical meaning of the word. Specifically that a revival is a resurgence in popularity of something; a sort of coming back into the light, which is sort of what happened. Looking at it from the perspective of the renaissance (a la 16th century), it was a revival of older thoughts and ideas that were then molded by contemporary thoughts and ideas. A sort of synthesis if you will.

Yeah, AD&D and BECMI were revived, but a lot of stuff has come out that were mixing the new and the old while trying to remain true to the old way of play.

That's how I see it anyway. Honestly I'm just glad it happened.

Quote from: Brad on January 25, 2024, 06:52:40 PM
Old School Retardation at this point. The OSR was extremely useful when it began (I think renaissance was the best description, and most often used). Now it's devolved into a way for halfassed "designers" to produce tripe, similar to the d20 glut when D&D 3.0 was released. I've been happy with less and less purchases as time has gone on, honestly.

Yeah you're right there. I don't wanna crap on anyone's cake but I've seen way too many "super artistic quirky micro" rpgs than I would've liked. Some of it isn't even really usable in games, it just looks sorta pretty.