This has come up a couple times recently, so I am just curious what the EN World community at large consider "old school" in context of D&D. In the poll, answer when the LATEST part of the Old School is (so if you pick Mid1980s, it assumes everything before that is also Old School.)
D&D General What Constitutes "Old School" D&D
payn
He'll flip ya...Flip ya for real...
In my mind I always consider 2E and before as old school and 3E and everything after nu skool. Though, I know thats a simplistic answer and much nuance is to be considered in a more detailed answer. I know some folks just consider a decade or two to make something old school vs nu skool but I think it requires more consideration than just time. YMMV.
overgeeked
B/X Known World
There are multiple ways to define "old school."
One can be calendar dates. If that's the metric, then everything pre-Hickman Revolution is old school.
Another is a particular style of play, as laid out here:
lithyscaphe.blogspot.com
Though, of course, they're both related.
One can be calendar dates. If that's the metric, then everything pre-Hickman Revolution is old school.
Another is a particular style of play, as laid out here:
Principia Apocrypha: Principles of Old School RPGs, or, A New OSR Primer
Principia Apocrypha is a new, free Primer for OSR and other Old School Style RPG Gaming in the form of a collection of Apocalypse World-s...
lithyscaphe.blogspot.com
Though, of course, they're both related.
Vaalingrade
Legend
Honestly don't even know anymore. So many little factions are trying to claim the name that I just say it's whatever the person who cornered me in at the con and is proselytizing to me says so I can leave faster.
Ralif Redhammer
Legend
I think old-school is a rolling timeframe, because it's based on a person's individual perspective. There are people that consider my vote incorrect and that only original D&D counts as old school. One day someone is going to call 4e old school and my heart is going to break a little. And that's all okay (well, maybe not calling 4e old school... 
).
).
John R Davis
Hero
For me it's 1st ed and older
Sacrosanct
Legend
1e and earlier. Part of old school to me is the unrefinement aspect of it, where loose or ambiguous rules let to everyone using homebrew, and every table was different. Every table was part of that discovery process into what TTRPGs are. By the time 2e came out, the rules were cleaner, people knew what RPGs were and what to expect. The initial discovery process into a new hobby had passed.
John R Davis
Hero
Like when my students say " back in the day" and they mean 2018!!I think old-school is a rolling timeframe, because it's based on a person's individual perspective. There are people that consider my vote incorrect and that only original D&D counts as old school. One day someone is going to call 4e old school and my heart is going to break a little. And that's all okay (well, maybe not calling 4e old school...
Paul Farquhar
Legend
I don't think it's a meaningful question. It depends on where you came in.
And what values you assign to the term? Is "old school" a positive or negative term? I think D&D now is a lot better than D&D in the 80s, when I started playing.
And what values you assign to the term? Is "old school" a positive or negative term? I think D&D now is a lot better than D&D in the 80s, when I started playing.
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