tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4372464286852637246.post7980204481962367148..comments2024-03-29T03:50:14.118-07:00Comments on Pits Perilous: The Alpha and Omega of Old-School...Olde House Ruleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06672388784118015345noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4372464286852637246.post-88695090824402275042018-02-25T21:35:35.245-08:002018-02-25T21:35:35.245-08:00Old school ended sometime between 86 and 91. Despu...Old school ended sometime between 86 and 91. Despute their style WFRP and Talislanta were still old school and turned up during tis era. Old School ended when the concerns of people that were not veterans of gaming shaped the games that were published.JDsivrajhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10674833512849495283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4372464286852637246.post-83240829455688983932018-02-24T12:33:24.303-08:002018-02-24T12:33:24.303-08:00Actually, I meant that the seven year period follo...Actually, I meant that the seven year period following ‘81 feels like more of a “transitional” period before the seven years that I would consider “New School Proper” (beginning circa 1989 and evidenced in World of Darkness and similar systems; systems paying a lot of lip service to “story” and “role-playing” while continuing to be rules heavy, especially with large and complex skill systems as the mechanic of choice).<br /><br />But, yeah, I like the mysticism of the number 7, too.<br />; )JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4372464286852637246.post-40944036357919305662018-02-24T11:01:27.738-08:002018-02-24T11:01:27.738-08:00That's all anyone can do. Without any discerni...That's all anyone can do. Without any discernible change (which can only be understood looking back), there's no way to draw any meaningful distinction...Olde House Ruleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06672388784118015345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4372464286852637246.post-31577463930956782662018-02-24T10:46:00.737-08:002018-02-24T10:46:00.737-08:00True enough! We're merely citing the period i...True enough! We're merely citing the period in which such approaches originated and remained (at least somewhat) predominant within the hobby...Olde House Ruleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06672388784118015345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4372464286852637246.post-74843554544118863212018-02-23T12:20:48.773-08:002018-02-23T12:20:48.773-08:00How about this: Old School is from Braunstein thro...How about this: Old School is from Braunstein through the last woodgrain box printing (no printings of these were more than 1,000). 1967-1974. <br /><br />The first white box print-run was 25,000, so it's arguable that's the commercial tipping point, and it was all downhill from there. :-P<br /><br />That all being said, it seems pointless to me to define "old school" temporally. I've always seen it as a mindset as opposed to a timeline. I run a regular 5e campaign, and I'd say we're pretty old school...kesherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17494262159858200847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4372464286852637246.post-63991143659770629852018-02-23T10:37:38.586-08:002018-02-23T10:37:38.586-08:00Old School can only define itself in relation to N...Old School can only define itself in relation to New School. No-one at the time ever thinks, 'hey we're living in the olden days'.<br /><br />So, maybe a better question is, what is 'New School' and work backwards. Where does Mentzer come? It's much more 'slick' than Moldvay or Holmes, and it marks the entry of D&D into mass consciousness. So is that 'New School'? If so, what comes before must be 'Old School'. Or does 'New School' come later, with 2nd Ed AD&D?<br />Red Orchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07015582577046093985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4372464286852637246.post-85375549414578171862018-02-21T12:14:16.452-08:002018-02-21T12:14:16.452-08:00How can I argue with seven? It's a mystical n...How can I argue with seven? It's a mystical number and pleasing in its numerous contours. And I agree. Just because there's an old-school period doesn't mean that people aren't employing old-school ideas today... Olde House Ruleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06672388784118015345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4372464286852637246.post-71791430843165420122018-02-21T09:43:00.210-08:002018-02-21T09:43:00.210-08:00I tend to work in cycles of seven years (something...I tend to work in cycles of seven years (something about *mumble*mumble* cellular regeneration), rather than 10. However, while I might feel that's the limit of what I consider "old school," I'm extremely hesitatant to lump everything post-1981 into a "new school" category of RPG play.JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4372464286852637246.post-63009778573465829532018-02-20T18:53:59.913-08:002018-02-20T18:53:59.913-08:00I think it has to come down more to the rules than...I think it has to come down more to the rules than the specific dates. The second printing of the Classic D&D Game (1996) is old school; Unearthed Arcana (1985) isn't so much. The difference between them is the ethos, the kind of game is each is meant to be used for.John Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06522143715905888511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4372464286852637246.post-53078335873154215072018-02-20T15:23:49.812-08:002018-02-20T15:23:49.812-08:00Thanks! And good point...Thanks! And good point...Olde House Ruleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06672388784118015345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4372464286852637246.post-29843247724744139062018-02-20T15:23:01.274-08:002018-02-20T15:23:01.274-08:00This is one of the best and most useful definition...This is one of the best and most useful definitions of Old School that I've found. I'd still include things like RC that are basically compilations of pre-1985 stuff.Brett Slocumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09240226222507995367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4372464286852637246.post-6020898874032959422018-02-20T15:17:40.651-08:002018-02-20T15:17:40.651-08:00Though i wasn't introduced to The Hobby until ...Though i wasn't introduced to The Hobby until 1984 (with the red-box Basic Set), mid-70s to mid-80s seems like a reasonably good definition to me. From 84 onwards we were getting some high-production-value games, many of which are still iconic today (StarFrontiers and Marvel Superheroes immediately come to mind, with Gamma World behind that, though it had several "rougher" editions before i ever saw it). There are probably those older than i who would argue that Olde Schoole goes all the way back to Way Back When or some such, but i like your arguments for the timeline.Stephan Bealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09644587225944529456noreply@blogger.com