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The OSR was made possible by [[Wizards of the Coast]]'s release of their [[Open Game License|Open Gaming License]] in 2000, which allowed the free and unapproved use of large amounts of creative and rules mechanic material related to the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game.<ref name="BoingBoing 1">[http://boingboing.net/2013/05/06/old-school-dungeons-dragons.html Old School Dungeons & Dragons: Wizards of the Coast’s Problem Child] - [[BoingBoing]] - O6 May 2013]</ref>
The OSR was made possible by [[Wizards of the Coast]]'s release of their [[Open Game License|Open Gaming License]] in 2000, which allowed the free and unapproved use of large amounts of creative and rules mechanic material related to the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game.<ref name="BoingBoing 1">[http://boingboing.net/2013/05/06/old-school-dungeons-dragons.html Old School Dungeons & Dragons: Wizards of the Coast’s Problem Child] - [[BoingBoing]] - O6 May 2013]</ref>


Broadly, OSR games encourage a tonal fidelity to ''Dungeons & Dragons'' as it was played in the first decade of the game's existence—less emphasis on linear adventure plots and overarching [[Metaplot|metaplots]] and a greater emphasis on player agency. Frequently they are built around older rules systems made available by the OGL. As such, the OSR label includes most [[Dungeons & Dragons retro-clones]];<ref name="SFSignal">[http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2013/06/roll-perception-plus-awareness-monsters-and-magic-and-the-old-school-renaissance/ Roll Perception Plus Awareness - Monsters and Magic and the Old School Renaissance] - [[SF Signal]] 17 June 2013</ref> most OSR games are variants of either the 1974 original ''Dungeons & Dragons'' rules ([[Dungeons & Dragons (1974)|OD&D]])—such as ''Swords & Wizardry''—or the 1981 [[Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set|Basic]] and [[Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set|Expert]] sets of ''Dungeons and Dragons'' (known as B/X, or [[Tom Moldvay|Moldvay]]/[[David Cook (game designer)|Cook]], after those sets' primary authors)—such as ''Labyrinth Lord'', ''Basic Fantasy RPG'', and ''Lamentations of the Flame Princess''. Either 2004's ''[[Castles & Crusades]]'',<ref name="The Escapist 1" /> or 2006's ''Old School Reference and Index Compilation'' (better known as [[OSRIC]])<ref name="The Escapist 1" /><ref name="BoingBoing 1" /><ref name="SFSignal" /> along with Basic Fantasy RPG <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.basicfantasy.org/news.html|title=Basic Fantasy Project News|authors=Chris Gonnerman|date=2006-01-01|website=Basic Fantasy Roleplaying Game|access-date=2018-02-13}}</ref> are considered to be the first OSR games. {{Citation needed|date=July 2020}}
Broadly, OSR games encourage a tonal fidelity to ''Dungeons & Dragons'' as it was played in the first decade of the game's existence—less emphasis on linear adventure plots and overarching [[metaplot]]s and a greater emphasis on player agency. Frequently they are built around older rules systems made available by the OGL. As such, the OSR label includes most [[Dungeons & Dragons retro-clones]];<ref name="SFSignal">[http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2013/06/roll-perception-plus-awareness-monsters-and-magic-and-the-old-school-renaissance/ Roll Perception Plus Awareness - Monsters and Magic and the Old School Renaissance] - [[SF Signal]] 17 June 2013</ref> most OSR games are variants of either the 1974 original ''Dungeons & Dragons'' rules ([[Dungeons & Dragons (1974)|OD&D]])—such as ''Swords & Wizardry''—or the 1981 [[Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set|Basic]] and [[Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set|Expert]] sets of ''Dungeons and Dragons'' (known as B/X, or [[Tom Moldvay|Moldvay]]/[[David Cook (game designer)|Cook]], after those sets' primary authors)—such as ''Labyrinth Lord'', ''Basic Fantasy RPG'', and ''Lamentations of the Flame Princess''. Either 2004's ''[[Castles & Crusades]]'',<ref name="The Escapist 1" /> or 2006's ''Old School Reference and Index Compilation'' (better known as [[OSRIC]])<ref name="The Escapist 1" /><ref name="BoingBoing 1" /><ref name="SFSignal" /> along with Basic Fantasy RPG <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.basicfantasy.org/news.html|title=Basic Fantasy Project News|authors=Chris Gonnerman|date=2006-01-01|website=Basic Fantasy Roleplaying Game|access-date=2018-02-13}}</ref> are considered to be the first OSR games. {{Citation needed|date=July 2020}}


In addition to the development of internet platforms and printed rule books, other printed OSR products became widely available. In 2008, Matthew Finch (creator of OSRIC) released his free and influential "Quick Primer for Old School Gaming", which attempted to sum up the OSR aesthetic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://batintheattic.blogspot.com/2008/10/old-school-essence.html|title=A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming|authors=Robert Conley|date=2008-10-08|website=Bat in the Attic Blog|access-date=2018-02-13}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wired.com/2009/07/a-quick-primer-for-old-school-gaming/|title=A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming|authors=Wired Staff|date=2009-07-22|website=Wired|access-date=2018-02-13}}</ref> Print-on-demand sites such as [[Lulu.com|Lulu]] and [[OneBookShelf#DriveThruRPG|DriveThruRPG]] allowed authors to market periodicals, such as ''Fight On'' and many new adventure scenarios and game settings. These continue to be created and marketed, along with older, formerly out of print gaming products, via print-on-demand services.<ref>http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?3736-The-Power-Of-Print-On-Demand</ref>
In addition to the development of internet platforms and printed rule books, other printed OSR products became widely available. In 2008, Matthew Finch (creator of OSRIC) released his free and influential "Quick Primer for Old School Gaming", which attempted to sum up the OSR aesthetic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://batintheattic.blogspot.com/2008/10/old-school-essence.html|title=A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming|authors=Robert Conley|date=2008-10-08|website=Bat in the Attic Blog|access-date=2018-02-13}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wired.com/2009/07/a-quick-primer-for-old-school-gaming/|title=A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming|authors=Wired Staff|date=2009-07-22|website=Wired|access-date=2018-02-13}}</ref> Print-on-demand sites such as [[Lulu.com|Lulu]] and [[OneBookShelf#DriveThruRPG|DriveThruRPG]] allowed authors to market periodicals, such as ''Fight On'' and many new adventure scenarios and game settings. These continue to be created and marketed, along with older, formerly out of print gaming products, via print-on-demand services.<ref>http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?3736-The-Power-Of-Print-On-Demand</ref>

Revision as of 23:25, 7 July 2020

The Old School Revival, Old School Renaissance,[1] or simply OSR, is a movement among players of tabletop role-playing games (especially Dungeons & Dragons) that draws inspiration from the earliest days of tabletop RPGs in the 1970s.[2]

History

The OSR was made possible by Wizards of the Coast's release of their Open Gaming License in 2000, which allowed the free and unapproved use of large amounts of creative and rules mechanic material related to the Dungeons & Dragons game.[3]

Broadly, OSR games encourage a tonal fidelity to Dungeons & Dragons as it was played in the first decade of the game's existence—less emphasis on linear adventure plots and overarching metaplots and a greater emphasis on player agency. Frequently they are built around older rules systems made available by the OGL. As such, the OSR label includes most Dungeons & Dragons retro-clones;[4] most OSR games are variants of either the 1974 original Dungeons & Dragons rules (OD&D)—such as Swords & Wizardry—or the 1981 Basic and Expert sets of Dungeons and Dragons (known as B/X, or Moldvay/Cook, after those sets' primary authors)—such as Labyrinth Lord, Basic Fantasy RPG, and Lamentations of the Flame Princess. Either 2004's Castles & Crusades,[2] or 2006's Old School Reference and Index Compilation (better known as OSRIC)[2][3][4] along with Basic Fantasy RPG [5] are considered to be the first OSR games. [citation needed]

In addition to the development of internet platforms and printed rule books, other printed OSR products became widely available. In 2008, Matthew Finch (creator of OSRIC) released his free and influential "Quick Primer for Old School Gaming", which attempted to sum up the OSR aesthetic.[6] [7] Print-on-demand sites such as Lulu and DriveThruRPG allowed authors to market periodicals, such as Fight On and many new adventure scenarios and game settings. These continue to be created and marketed, along with older, formerly out of print gaming products, via print-on-demand services.[8]

Style of play

The general ethic of OSR-style play emphasizes spontaneous rulings from the referee, or Game Master, over set rules found in a book. The idea is for the players to engage with the fantasy as much as possible, and have the referee arbitrate the outcomes of their specific actions in real time.[9] The idea of game balance is also de-emphasized in favor of a system which tests players skill and ingenuity in often strange or unfair situations. The players should expect to lose if they merely pit their numbers against the monsters, and should instead attempt to outwit or outmaneuver challenges placed in their way. Keeping maps comes highly recommended.[10]

References

  1. ^ Geek Preacher
  2. ^ a b c Full Circle - A History of the Old School Revival - The Escapist, 20 August 2009
  3. ^ a b Old School Dungeons & Dragons: Wizards of the Coast’s Problem Child - BoingBoing - O6 May 2013]
  4. ^ a b Roll Perception Plus Awareness - Monsters and Magic and the Old School Renaissance - SF Signal 17 June 2013
  5. ^ "Basic Fantasy Project News". Basic Fantasy Roleplaying Game. 1 January 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  6. ^ "A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming". Bat in the Attic Blog. 8 October 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  7. ^ "A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming". Wired. 22 July 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  8. ^ http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?3736-The-Power-Of-Print-On-Demand
  9. ^ Finch, Matthew (2008). A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming. Swords & Wizardry. pp. 2–5.
  10. ^ Finch, Matthew (2008). A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming. Swords & Wizardry. pp. 5–8.
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