What is the best game to capture that old 1E AD&D feel? - Please state why.

[The Red Priest]

With 1e books so inexpensive and common, I don't know why a substitue is necessary. I voted for "other", because C&C is not 1e and Hackmaster is a joke.

If you're a DM or player, pick yo'self up the 1e books on the cheap. If you think you may want to produce some adventures and/or resources to distribute to others, then get a free copy of OSRIC. OSRIC, being free and all, is also good if you're really strapped for funds and can't afford even the reasonably priced 1e PHB and/or DMG. Heck, if you're a DM, just distribute OSRIC to your players to get 'em started.

 

[Geoffrey]

Given the choices thus far, I voted for HackMaster. HackMaster feels like an over-the-top version of AD&D.

Another choice you might want to consider is Arduin: http://empcho.bizhosting.com/arduin_ii_ca.html

While the Arduin rulebook is kind of pricey ($39.99), it has everything you need in it. There are no additional rulebooks. This game is a cleaned-up version of the old Arduin D&D variant rules that first started getting published in 1977.

Personally, I'd play in an Arduin campaign before I'd play in a C&C, HM, or LA campaign (though I like all three of those games, too).

 

[Aust Diamondew]

To repeat what others have said: I'd just play 1e.

If you want to old feel of 1e as your primary objective, the obvious answer isn't to change to something different from 1e.

 

[Mycanid]

I like Crothian's suggestion about trying out 1e straight.

However I HAVE heard many say very good things about C&C ... and I know Gygax is actually writing adventures for the game ... which some may consider a plus. I have not yet tried out C&C myself ... but have been tempted to pick it up one of these days.

 

[Crothian]

Hackmaster is a joke.

Hackmaster is no joke. It has parody elements in it, but it is also a serious game that I like.

 

[Odhanan]

What is the best game to capture that old 1E AD&D feel? - Please state why.

Not C&C. Not Hackmaster.

The best game to capture that old 1E feel, it's AD&D 1E itself.

 

[The Forsaken One]

wow still no diaglo

 

[w_earle_wheeler]

I picked up 2 extra Castles & Crusades Player's Handbooks (the revised printing) at Dragon*Con for $5.00 each.

Personally, I'd like to combine a bit of C&C and HackMaster, and maybe some of the old Role-Aids supplements.

For an old-school feel, I will be combining the Dungeon Crawl Classics Gazateer with the Judge's Guild Wilderlands of High Fantasy.

Which basically lands me straight in the middle of a conversion nightmare.

 

[T. Foster]

Other = actual 1E, perhaps supplemented by OSRIC.

 

[Psion]

3e.

Not because the feel of the rules specifically emulate 1e. But the emulate the feel of 1e as we played it in the era. Which is the important part to me.