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Woke (?) OSR Kickstarter

Started by JeffB, July 09, 2021, 09:29:05 AM

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JeffB

Saw this over on Tenkar's-It's news to me, sorry if this game has been discussed already and I missed it.

https://www.tenkarstavern.com/2021/07/kickstarter-chromatic-dungeons-osr.html

QuoteChromatic Dungeons -Capturing the feel of playing TSR era RPGs with modern lessons learned. Making the OSR welcome to ALL gamers of every demographic

Of course I've always welcomed gamers of every demographic at my table- as long as they weren't assholes, had proper hygiene, and are not rules lawyers- but this sounds like Tasha's for OD&D (as another poster mentioned over at Tenkars)

Here are some details

QuoteWhat's Different From the Older Versions?

Alignment. Humanoids no longer have a default alignment in the Bestiary. This will vary by individual monster culture and region. You as the GM decide if all orcs are chaotic (evil), or if some might be neutral or even lawful based upon the cosmic forces influencing them.

Alignment part II. There are only three alignments, similar to B/X: lawful, neutral, and chaotic. Rather than being driven by a sense of individual morals, alignment is influenced by cosmic forces of law, neutrality, and chaos.

Ability modifiers. Modifiers you get to your ability scores based on race (hereafter called "ancestry") will not be the sole method that adjusts your initial ability scores. You will now modify initial ability scores based on class choices.

Ability scores. Limits or modifiers based on gender or ancestry are removed.


Race. This term is going away and being replaced by Ancestry. The original term was used (and is still being used) because the game was based on the early fantasy works of authors like J.R.R. Tolkien where humanoid creatures like orcs and elves were referred to as "races". Since then, and over the past few decades, the term "race" isn't really the best descriptor to use, and often carries loaded connotations.


hedgehobbit

#1
Gotta admire this dude's ability to throw Tolkien under the bus as he creates his "2e but woke" RPG. He even manages to claim that he will fix the OSR by, finally, making it welcome to ALL. This is a masterclass in SJWism.

Chris24601

I'll admit "Ancestry" appeals to me for because it would add a simple mnemonic in my own system;

"The ABC's of character creation; Ancestry, Background, Class."

Presently I'm using Species because if subtly reinforces my theme of arcane magic being "sufficiently advanced technology" but ABC does have an aesthetic appeal.

RandyB

Somebody is chasing that sweet, sweet virtue-signaling cash flow.

Svenhelgrim

LOL.  One more "Take-your-money-and-run" kickstarter games that will never get made.   Maybe the Zwiehander people will publish it as a comic book?

GeekyBugle

Well, he/she/it did make it a point to hire sensitivity readers and people from different races to get different viewpoints (because we all know ALL black people think the same).

Also made a point to throw under the bus nu-TSR.

It's already written from the looks of it and will get funded shortly.

It is Tasha's cauldron of woke for the OSR.
Quote from: Rhedyn

Here is why this forum tends to be so stupid. Many people here think Joe Biden is "The Left", when he is actually Far Right and every US republican is just an idiot.

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."

― George Orwell

GeekyBugle

This is why we need our own conventions, and to gatekeep them from the woke.
Quote from: Rhedyn

Here is why this forum tends to be so stupid. Many people here think Joe Biden is "The Left", when he is actually Far Right and every US republican is just an idiot.

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."

― George Orwell

Svenhelgrim

Quote from: GeekyBugle on July 09, 2021, 12:34:34 PM
Well, he/she/it did make it a point to hire sensitivity readers and people from different races to get different viewpoints (because we all know ALL black people think the same).

Also made a point to throw under the bus nu-TSR.

It's already written from the looks of it and will get funded shortly.

It is Tasha's cauldron of woke for the OSR.

How much of it will be B/X copypasta?

GeekyBugle

Quote from: Svenhelgrim on July 09, 2021, 12:37:40 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on July 09, 2021, 12:34:34 PM
Well, he/she/it did make it a point to hire sensitivity readers and people from different races to get different viewpoints (because we all know ALL black people think the same).

Also made a point to throw under the bus nu-TSR.

It's already written from the looks of it and will get funded shortly.

It is Tasha's cauldron of woke for the OSR.

How much of it will be B/X copypasta?

If I were a betting man I would say most of it.
Quote from: Rhedyn

Here is why this forum tends to be so stupid. Many people here think Joe Biden is "The Left", when he is actually Far Right and every US republican is just an idiot.

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."

― George Orwell

hedgehobbit

Quote from: Svenhelgrim on July 09, 2021, 12:37:40 PMHow much of it will be B/X copypasta?

If they copied from B/X they could have just used Race-as-Class to avoid the mention of the word Race. Characters would just have a Class and dodge the entire question. (although that wouldn't allow him to virtue signal as much)

Jam The MF

The name choice for the game, is pretty catchy.  I'll give the "creator" credit for that.  The name itself, hints of things to come.

Chromatic Dungeons

This is going to be a little different....

Slick marketing.
Let the Dice, Decide the Outcome.  Accept the Results.

Thorn Drumheller

#11
Quote from: RandyB on July 09, 2021, 11:12:09 AM
Somebody is chasing that sweet, sweet virtue-signaling cash flow.

Yeah, agreed. My thoughts exactly. I guess kudos for the creator. Seeing a niche (grifting off of the virtue signalers) and filling it. But OSR.....?
Member in good standing of COSM.

Ratman_tf

Quote from: JeffB on July 09, 2021, 09:29:05 AM
Saw this over on Tenkar's-It's news to me, sorry if this game has been discussed already and I missed it.

https://www.tenkarstavern.com/2021/07/kickstarter-chromatic-dungeons-osr.html

QuoteChromatic Dungeons -Capturing the feel of playing TSR era RPGs with modern lessons learned. Making the OSR welcome to ALL gamers of every demographic

Of course I've always welcomed gamers of every demographic at my table- as long as they weren't assholes, had proper hygiene, and are not rules lawyers- but this sounds like Tasha's for OD&D (as another poster mentioned over at Tenkars)

Here are some details

QuoteWhat's Different From the Older Versions?

Alignment. Humanoids no longer have a default alignment in the Bestiary. This will vary by individual monster culture and region. You as the GM decide if all orcs are chaotic (evil), or if some might be neutral or even lawful based upon the cosmic forces influencing them.

Alignment part II. There are only three alignments, similar to B/X: lawful, neutral, and chaotic. Rather than being driven by a sense of individual morals, alignment is influenced by cosmic forces of law, neutrality, and chaos.

Ability modifiers. Modifiers you get to your ability scores based on race (hereafter called "ancestry") will not be the sole method that adjusts your initial ability scores. You will now modify initial ability scores based on class choices.

Ability scores. Limits or modifiers based on gender or ancestry are removed.


Race. This term is going away and being replaced by Ancestry. The original term was used (and is still being used) because the game was based on the early fantasy works of authors like J.R.R. Tolkien where humanoid creatures like orcs and elves were referred to as "races". Since then, and over the past few decades, the term "race" isn't really the best descriptor to use, and often carries loaded connotations.

Yawn. Sounds like a bog-standard fantasy heartbreaker with a side dish of woke buzzwords.
The notion of an exclusionary and hostile RPG community is a fever dream of zealots who view all social dynamics through a narrow keyhole of structural oppression.
-Haffrung

GeekEclectic

Quote from: woke kickstarter person
Simply put, I am trying to capture the feel of gaming in the 70s/80s without necessarily copying the mechanics of that era, whereas most clones are almost near copies of both presentation and rules.

This immediately stood out to me. It's like they don't know the definition of clone. Plus, something doesn't have to be a clone to be part of the OSR. Yeah, a number of the games are direct clones(and meant to be), but a number of them also make changes, whether for clarity or just to basically publish their own house rules. You've got things like the ACKS domain management system(yeah, I know mentioning that particular game will throw the SJW's into a tizzy), which I've seen many people praise. And we've already got stuff a bit farther out with more rules changes, but in a way that leaves the game(s) largely compatible with older D&D material with minor modifications. Do they not know Sine Nomine exists?

And yes, this . . .

Quote from: woke kickstarter of the day
Making the OSR welcome to ALL gamers of every demographic.

. . . is just so disingenuous that I just can't with them. The very first thing you read in this blog post, and it's a not-so-subtle dig at the people already making and playing their ORS stuff. Newsflash to anyone who doesn't realize(probably nobody on this site, but you never know) - Just because an SJW tells you that you're not welcome somewhere doesn't mean you're not actually welcome there. I doubt it's as huge a thing IRL as it is online - these things always seem bigger online for some reason - but there are people out there assuming they're unwelcome, or even hated by certain other people, just because some rando SJW told them that's how they should feel. It's ridiculous.
"I despise weak men in positions of power, and that's 95% of game industry leadership." - Jessica Price
"Isnt that why RPGs companies are so woke in the first place?" - Godsmonkey
*insert Disaster Girl meme here* - Me

Reckall

Quote
Race. This term is going away and being replaced by Ancestry. The original term was used (and is still being used) because the game was based on the early fantasy works of authors like J.R.R. Tolkien where humanoid creatures like orcs and elves were referred to as "races". Since then, and over the past few decades, the term "race" isn't really the best descriptor to use, and often carries loaded connotations.

I actually agree with this new terminology - exp. because it is self-defeating for the SJWs. There was, without doubt, an inherent confusion in defining a "race" both black humans and wood elves. "Racism" as a concept makes sense in D&D if within a certain... group? (so, white humans vs. black humans, but also high elves vs. wood elves) but becomes confused if we define "elves" or "orcs" a "race". The key difference (and main source of confusion) between our World and a fantasy one is that in our reality humans are the only intelligent beings on the planets, whereas in D&D there are many - each one with their own subdivisions.

So, "racism" can exist between white and black humans, but orcs are a different "ancestry" - and humans, no matter what their divisions are, can be united in hating orcs as whole. The same for each and every "ancestry".

This has the beneficial effect to kill on the spot the [whine!]Orcs are blacks![/whine!] argument: no, you already have black humans for that. Orcs are orcs, elves are elves, dwarves are dwarves, and the ravenous bugblatter beasts of Traal are the ravenous bugblatter beasts of Traal. End of the story.

I wonder if these geniuses really did think everything through...
For every idiot who denounces Ayn Rand as "intellectualism" there is an excellent DM who creates a "Bioshock" adventure.