80s Old and Simple RPGs (Not OD&D or D&D BX)

[Thierry-Advent]

I was reading Advanced Fighting Fantasy and The Fantasy Trip yesterday, and found them relatively simple compared to the [next wave of] more complex (overly detailed) RPGs of the 80s. Are there any other 'simple' RPGs from [early] 70s-80s era? (please avoid discussing OD&D and D&D BX).

• Advanced Fighting Fantasy
• The Fantasy Trip

Mentioned in the thread:

• Tunnels & Trolls
• Ghostbuster
• Dragon Warriors.

 

[MGibster]

While I tend to associate the 80s with rather complex rules, there’s West End Games’ Ghostbusters RPG. But that was 1986, not really early 80s.

 

[Desdichado]

Complex vs simple is sometimes in the eye of the beholder (no pun intended,) It wasn't necessarily a design goal of anyone at the time; if older games appear simple, its often just because it hadn't occurred to the designers yet to add specific rules that later accreted to the game. The original alt.D&D, though, is obviously Tunnels & Trolls. It was also designed with the goal of being both more accessible than D&D, but also appropriate for use with PbM and Solo play. Even back in 1975, when those activities were much more rare. Because of this, it was often described as significantly simpler even in reviews and press at the time. Which I guess technically puts it outside of your 80s window, although the 5th printing or revision was published in 1979 and it was still on sale in the early 80s.

 

[Bagpuss]

While I tend to associate the 80s with rather complex rules.

I do to, like Champions, Rolemaster, 2300AD, etc. There was a mix of complexity, but on the whole I found older games to be more complex than the ones are the more popular of the smaller press today.

Here's the Timeline of RPGs do any of those 80's games stand out as simple? I can't see any that were particularly popular or stood the test of time.

Also I wouldn't be worried about Ghostbusters being late 80s rather than early, as Advanced Fighting Fantasy was only '89, even if the it was based on the earlier game books from '82.

 

[dbm]

Dragon Warriors is still one of my favourite RPGs from the early days.

It’s fairly contemporaneous with Advanced Fighting Fantasy but is a class-level system a bit more similar to D&D. It’s more nuanced than D&D was back in the day, IMO, with better rules for ganging up as an example. The magic system has some interesting ideas I haven’t really seen used elsewhere, either.

The pic is of the original paperback edition but you can get a modern PoD set from DriveThru which has a few tweaks to the system.

 

[Thierry-Advent]

I've modified the OP. Doesn't have to be from the early 80s. 1970s and 80s is ok.

 

[Umbran]

I think Marvel Super Heroes from TSR in 1984 (aka FASERIP), was a pretty simple game - everything on one chart, really.

 

[dbm]

Maelstrom is another early system, which actually came out a year earlier than Dragon Warriors. It was a very ‘realistic’ game in terms of the historic setting with a hint of magic. It was too alien for my early-teens self to get my head around at the time.

Had an amazingly complete herbal system which is worth having just for reference purposes.

It has also been republished by Arion Games.

 

[Koloth]

Traveller.

 

[Enaknomolos]

Prince Valiant ('89) is very simple and elegant.