Explain to me what OSRIC is

[Goblinoid Games]

Thanks for my new signature line, Dan.

Heh, well honestly I am perplexed and even shocked sometimes when I see people talk about PnP games as if they are on the same level as video games for instance.

I mean, forget for a moment the various arguments that over the years D&D imagery (art, powers, etc) have become more "video-gamey." Mainly what I'm talking about is the false idea that you can measure pen-and-paper game mechanic "evolution" in the same way you can measure the improvement of video game graphics from when they were 8 bit to now when they have resolution that is mind boggling.

No matter how you want to slice it, there is nothing quantitatively "better" about a universal mechanic, or ascending vs. descending AC, or having more than one instead of more than one experience point progression table, or having skills versus not having skills. At the end of the day it's all ink on paper. You can change the way you present the game, what mechanics and how many algorithms you choose to use, but in the end there is nothing inherently more "advanced" about writing things one way on a piece of glossy paper compared to another way on a piece of matte paper. Does anyone think there is a universal mechanic behind their video games? Hardly, the programming behind those has thousands of various algorithms, you just don't see them. Anyway, I could go on and on but I think I made my point.

 

[bagger245]

Any plans to adopt a more 'marketable' name other than calling it OSRIC? I know that the OSRIC name has its own reputation now but it does feel like a barebone of a game system rather than a complete game with fluff included. That's one of the reason I have preference of Labyrinth Lord over BFRPG. We all know GURPS and acronym-based names are cool and all but I feel the 'brand' name of the game should be 'cloned' as well.

Just my thoughts. If I do see OSRIC on the shelves of FLGS one day, I hope it would be called something along the lines of Creatures & Caverns or something similar.

 

[Mythmere1]

I am now just a tad jealous. Looking forward to eventually playing with this. In the meantime, tonight is my OD&D game, so I need to grab my character sheet and get ready to go kill stuff!

Here is the OSRIC-type retro-clone for your 0e game: Swords & Wizardry

Go to the products page and download the free pdf. There is also an MS Word doc, but it's not formatted - that's for cutting and pasting your own house rules version of 0e. It's all open game content.

 

[PapersAndPaychecks]

Any plans to adopt a more 'marketable' name other than calling it OSRIC? I know that the OSRIC name has its own reputation now but it does feel like a barebone of a game system rather than a complete game with fluff included. That's one of the reason I have preference of Labyrinth Lord over BFRPG. We all know GURPS and acronym-based names are cool and all but I feel the 'brand' name of the game should be 'cloned' as well.

Just my thoughts. If I do see OSRIC on the shelves of FLGS one day, I hope it would be called something along the lines of Creatures & Caverns or something similar.

Caverns & Creatures is the name of a GURPS supplement iirc.

I could call it "Ampersand & Alliteration"?

 

[PeelSeel2]

Any plans to adopt a more 'marketable' name other than calling it OSRIC? I know that the OSRIC name has its own reputation now but it does feel like a barebone of a game system rather than a complete game with fluff included. That's one of the reason I have preference of Labyrinth Lord over BFRPG. We all know GURPS and acronym-based names are cool and all but I feel the 'brand' name of the game should be 'cloned' as well.

Just my thoughts. If I do see OSRIC on the shelves of FLGS one day, I hope it would be called something along the lines of Creatures & Caverns or something similar.

Why change the name. It has recognition now. That is hard to get in the RPG industry. It is not any worse or foreign than 'eBay' was in 1996-1997

 

[Jack99]

Okay, a few questions to clarify things for me.

OSRIC is a 1e clone.
Castles and Crusades is a clone of what?

Labyrinth Lord is a clone of what?

And are there any reasons to buy any of these games, if you have access to the original books?

 

[sjmiller]

Here is the OSRIC-type retro-clone for your 0e game: Swords & Wizardry

Go to the products page and download the free pdf. There is also an MS Word doc, but it's not formatted - that's for cutting and pasting your own house rules version of 0e. It's all open game content.

Thank you for the recommendation. I actually have copies of the original books. I also have photocopies from the late 1970s that have been stapled, restapled, stained, folded, and gone through a lot of other loving abuse. Fun game! The campaign has been going on since the 80s, and it's a hoot!

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

OSRIC is a 1e clone.
Castles and Crusades is a clone of what?
Labyrinth Lord is a clone of what?

OSRIC = 1e
Labyrinth Lord = B/X
Swords & Wizardry (Core) = 0e with material from supplements
Swords & Wizardry (WhiteBox) = 0e w/o much from supplements

Castles & Crusades is not really a clone. It's similar, in some respects, to TSR D&D, but it also uses elements and approaches from 3e. It's more like a "middle way," between the editions, pulling stuff from each of them. Its "middle way" position is both bane and boon. Some people love that "middle way" factor, and pull in supplements and rules and adventures from the entire span of D&D. On the other hand, people who strongly favor the TSR editions tend to see C&C as too 3e-ish, and people who strongly favor WotC D&D tend to see C&C as too much like the old editions.

And are there any reasons to buy any of these games, if you have access to the original books?

No incredibly strong arguments; nothing wrong with the originals. There might be a few considerations, though:

OSRIC: You might want to avoid wear and tear on your originals. You might find OSRIC's presentation and explanation of the 1e rules to be clearer.

Labyrinth Lord: This is nice because it's a one-book solution that you can get in paperback or hardcover, and B/X has never had that before. (The Rules Cyclopedia is a one book solution for BECM, but the art in it is terrible; LL has superior interior art.) Also to avoid wear and tear.

Swords & Wizardry: Much clearer presentation. Avoid wear and tear. Offers some options built-into the rules (e.g. the Flip AC system -- stats and table are given for both "high is good" and "low is good" AC).

 

[Jack99]

Thanks. That made everything much clearer

 

[PapersAndPaychecks]

Castles & Crusades is not really a clone.

This.

C&C's unlike the true retro-clones in that:

1) It's not free in .pdf form; and
2) There's no automatic third-party content license.