Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Turning back?

I know this blog isn't about philosophizing or opinionating, but I'm going to say this anyways: I don't like the sentiment that gamers are "turning back" to "OSR" games.
1 - If the OSR relies solely gamers that started with 0e-1e games, it will fail. Period. Full stop. Those young hooligans that so many grognards seem to relish disdaining are the future of gaming. Suck it up.

2- You can't "turn back" to something you never experienced. See #1. A 16-year old that discovers the joy of a vintage car isn't "turning back", he's discovering something.

3- the phrase and sentiment "turning back" implies a linearity; that game design proceeds from simple to complex. I don't believe that. It might -appear- that way, but at this point, 0e and 4e aren't two versions of the same system; they're functionally two different systems, with different strengths. Playing 0e isn't "turning back" any more than playing True20 is.

1 comment:

  1. I didn't like that phrase either. I never felt like I left, but that the industry moved off from what I enjoyed in roleplaying.

    And, regarding #1, I'm worried a little about the huge desire to get the retroclones into game shops-- that's not where I first encountered D&D. It seems like libraries or clubs of some sort would be a better way to introduce the next generation of gamers to some free, elegant rules.

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