Thought of the Day Thursday Redux
Ok, I'm not feeling any better, but I was bouncing around on the Interwebs and looking through the message boards. It seems that there are a few OSR related hot topics (no, I'm not going to include the term OSR as one of the hot topics in this post) going on out there.
The one I want to address tonight is Knockspell abandoning the OGL format and eschewing OD&D material and going more AD&D. As I've said before, I'm a big time AD&D guy. 1e is where I got my start in the hobby and the edition that feels most like home to me. I really didn't get too much into the basic rules (because as kids, it seemed like we'd come across more sophisticated playing the adult "Advanced" version of the game) other than to convert some basic modules to 1e. I DID get the basic sets Moldivay and Metzner) but other than a few brief sessions, we stuck to AD&D. Matt Finch has stated that they'd continue to publish Swords and Wizardry content, but focus more on AD&D (and he did state AD&D, not OSRIC - same thing but actually it becomes important for the OGL aspect). Matt feels that by getting away from the OGL format, they can attract articles on AD&D. Me personally, I agree with Matt. Knockspell and Fight On! seemed to be going head to head since they both were so broadly focused. By narrowing the scope to AD&D, Knockspell has an identity. But wouldn't it have made more sense to publish Swords and Wizardry content only? Matt stated on the Knights and Knaves Alehouse forums that he didn't want Knockspell to become the house organ for S&W because it would ultimately diminish it's quality. While I don't necessarily know about that, I do think that having Knockspell focus on 1e/OSRIC is a good thing. Why? It seems that most of the love is being focused on the basic clones these days (Labyrinth Lord, Swords and Wizardry, B/X Companion, Lamentations of the Flame Princess, and many, many others). While that is not a bad thing it seems that the 1e stuff has kind of languished. In fact, it seems that if not for Expeditious Retreat Press, MOST new OSR offerings would be in the 0e/Basic vein. I'm not totally on the inside (being an artist and not a writer - at least that's not what I am known for - YET) but I do know that several proposed OSRIC (read 1e) offerings and product lines have been killed or abandoned due to the growth of Labyrinth Lord, Swords and Wizardry and the rest. But I think that may be a case of OSRIC not even remotely been pushed towards commercial success like LL and S&W. So, being partial to 1e and a collaborator on OSRIC, I think that this move will benefit the OSR community as a whole (hey, I like them all - it's all rock 'n roll right?).
Ok, so I'm still sick so I appologize for any rambling incoherencies. Hopefully I'm lucid enough to get my point across. Tomorrow I want to talk about free vs. profit projects in the OSR. That seems to be another hot topic that I have a direct stake in (on both sides even!).
The one I want to address tonight is Knockspell abandoning the OGL format and eschewing OD&D material and going more AD&D. As I've said before, I'm a big time AD&D guy. 1e is where I got my start in the hobby and the edition that feels most like home to me. I really didn't get too much into the basic rules (because as kids, it seemed like we'd come across more sophisticated playing the adult "Advanced" version of the game) other than to convert some basic modules to 1e. I DID get the basic sets Moldivay and Metzner) but other than a few brief sessions, we stuck to AD&D. Matt Finch has stated that they'd continue to publish Swords and Wizardry content, but focus more on AD&D (and he did state AD&D, not OSRIC - same thing but actually it becomes important for the OGL aspect). Matt feels that by getting away from the OGL format, they can attract articles on AD&D. Me personally, I agree with Matt. Knockspell and Fight On! seemed to be going head to head since they both were so broadly focused. By narrowing the scope to AD&D, Knockspell has an identity. But wouldn't it have made more sense to publish Swords and Wizardry content only? Matt stated on the Knights and Knaves Alehouse forums that he didn't want Knockspell to become the house organ for S&W because it would ultimately diminish it's quality. While I don't necessarily know about that, I do think that having Knockspell focus on 1e/OSRIC is a good thing. Why? It seems that most of the love is being focused on the basic clones these days (Labyrinth Lord, Swords and Wizardry, B/X Companion, Lamentations of the Flame Princess, and many, many others). While that is not a bad thing it seems that the 1e stuff has kind of languished. In fact, it seems that if not for Expeditious Retreat Press, MOST new OSR offerings would be in the 0e/Basic vein. I'm not totally on the inside (being an artist and not a writer - at least that's not what I am known for - YET) but I do know that several proposed OSRIC (read 1e) offerings and product lines have been killed or abandoned due to the growth of Labyrinth Lord, Swords and Wizardry and the rest. But I think that may be a case of OSRIC not even remotely been pushed towards commercial success like LL and S&W. So, being partial to 1e and a collaborator on OSRIC, I think that this move will benefit the OSR community as a whole (hey, I like them all - it's all rock 'n roll right?).
Ok, so I'm still sick so I appologize for any rambling incoherencies. Hopefully I'm lucid enough to get my point across. Tomorrow I want to talk about free vs. profit projects in the OSR. That seems to be another hot topic that I have a direct stake in (on both sides even!).
I've always been an AD&Dict (That's with an -ICT!). I've downloaded free rules and stuff for some of the clones when available. But, to me, if you've seen one clone...
ReplyDeleteHow many can you actually play? If the well of players near me was great enough, I suppose I wouldn't mind getting them all. Yet, even if I houseruled some of the things I wanted to change, I could have done that with OD&D anyway.
Don't misunderstand me. I prefer the number of options players have. Variety is the spice of life, etc. Not to mention, I just received my own Swords & Wizardry White Box for me to play with. I'm a sucker for old school packaging. I got the 4E-ssentials Red Box for the same reason.
I'll have to check out Knockspell more often now. Thanks for rambling; it definitely is food for thought.
Ciao!
GW
I love games. I have more gaming material than one person (probably 100 people) could use in a lifetime. However, I love to mine stuff for ideas, read through stuff and get inspired, create stuff that will never see the light of day, etc. I really think that most hobbyist gamers are similar to a greater or lesser degree. Matt asked the folks on the Swords and Wizardry Forum if they would like to see other clone/open cames such as Mongoose Traveller represented in Knockspell. Personally I'd love that. I'd like to see some OpenQuest and 4C (Marvel FASERIP superhero clone) love.
ReplyDelete