Old School Gaming Outlook: Bob Seeger or Billy Joel?

I was looking through various message boards and it seems that there is a bit of flareup about the term Old School Renaissance and what that entails. Not that it is unusual for there to be flareups here on the Interwebs about gaming, play styles, editions, play balance, fantasy tropes, etc but it did get me thinking about my own gaming outlook. I've simplified the agrument (very much so - I'm sure I'm not capturing everything, but oh well) of the OSR debate into the Bob Seeger and Billy Joel camps. What I mean by that is, the Bob Seeger types want the Old Time Rock 'n Roll to the exclusion of everything. They don't really care for the retro-clones but tolerate them in as much as they allow new modules to be published. The Billy Joel Types are more accomodating and see the proliferance of new add ons, new takes, different directions as a good thing for the hobby. After all, it's still Rock 'n Roll to them.

I tend to stay out of the edition wars or any of those types of flame fests, however, I'd like to say that it's all Rock 'n Roll to me ;).

Comments

  1. PorkyDecember 20, 2010 at 2:03 AM

    Good metaphor and conclusion!

    ReplyDelete
  2. TreyDecember 20, 2010 at 3:55 AM

    Nice metaphor! Though obviously, there's a spectrum between the two.

    ReplyDelete
  3. XyanthonDecember 20, 2010 at 4:35 AM

    Yeah, I've simplified the argument. There are of course folks that fall everywhere on the spectrum and maybe even a few more types as well. However, the two camps that seem to be flaring up at the moment are the ones that are entrenched and refuse to recognize anything but the original edition of whatever game as being legit and those that see the retro-clone games as not just a publishing vehicle to release new material, but viable games in and of themselves. Me, I like Labyrinth Lord, OSRIC, Swords and Wizardry as they tend to make a nice concise package and make it easier (for me) to utilize the system. Of course, I still like the original 1e, 0e, basic games. Like I said, it's still rock 'n roll to me. Just give me some dice and let's delve!

    ReplyDelete
  4. MikeDecember 20, 2010 at 5:34 AM

    As much as it pains me to say it, I'm in the Billy Joel camp, too. I just ran Swords & Wizardry White Box last night for some friends. Three of the 7 that were at the table aren't even involved in the hobby (yet...but they are asking when we can play again). We were all able to sit down at the table with the same rules-set and play a game together.

    No one at the table has had the opportunity to purchase those original little brown books for a reasonable price. Hell, I'm 36. They stopped publishing those when I was 4 years old or something. We wouldn't be able to experience 1974 style D&D (or 1981 style or 1979 or whatever) without these clones. The collector market makes it impossible. Maybe in a perfect world these editions would all still be in print and we could afford the source material, but currently that isn't the case.

    ReplyDelete
  5. MikeDecember 20, 2010 at 5:35 AM

    Oh yeah...It only pains me to say "in the Billy Joel camp", because musically, as a lifelong headbanger/punker, I find his music particularly offensive to the ears...ha.

    ReplyDelete
  6. XyanthonDecember 20, 2010 at 6:41 AM

    @Mike Hahahaha, understood. I come from a punk background but I thought the analogy was humorous as it really put the two extremes in stark contrast. Also, many, many folks know those songs so it is easy to pick up the analogy ;).

    ReplyDelete
  7. MikeDecember 20, 2010 at 7:26 AM

    Oh definitely. It is definitely a great analogy. It just pains me to have either song running through my head (although I can get down with some early Seger occasionally).

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gothridge ManorDecember 20, 2010 at 7:06 PM

    Yeah, I stay out of that sort of bickering also. I remember when people were arguing all the time about Babylon 5 and Deep Space Nine. Which one was better. I was just glad I had a choice and could enjoy them both if I chose. I don't know why people would want to limit their options. To me its more of a comparison to Robert Johnson, Howl'n Wolf in comparison to Led Zeppelin or Sabbath. You got the originals, but those influenced by them made some damn fine music.

    ReplyDelete

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