Gabe of Penny Arcade Slams the OSR

[darkseraphim]

Wow, I really don't see any slam at all toward the OSR in what he said.

The implication I got was that players had a harder time of it in old school D&D, both from the perspective of nastiness (instakills, arbitrary deathtraps) and lack of player input (for example the entire party's voice being reduced to a single caller, and the DM being the law). Gary's old rules say something like "5 to 40 people" being a good group size, so things have changed.

 

[Kzach]

Nah. More people playing more games, and having more fun is a good thing.

Not of if they're all playing the wrong games in the wrong way...

*runs*

 

[Keefe the Thief]

This thread left me in tears of joy. I mean, people. It´s Gabe. Gabe, right. He doesn´t do thinly veiled. If he wanted to slam any edition of D&D, you could hear that from here to China. AND a comic would be included. Maybe with nudity. Or violence. Most likely both.

For some people old editions are just that: old editions.

 

[Odhanan]

I mean, people. It´s Gabe. Gabe, right. He doesn´t do thinly veiled.

I think it's worth pointing out that many old-schoolers out there actually do not know who "Gabe" is, maybe know of "Penny Arcade" as a brand name or "some web comic somewhere online", and actually don't give much of a crap about it. -Just giving you some perspective as to why they might misinterpret his blog's intentions. No malice intended.

 

[Keefe the Thief]

Okay, some perspective:

 

[mudbunny]

 

[MerricB]

Maybe seeing for just a night what it was like back then, will give them a greater appreciation of the game they're playing now.

Nice thinly veiled slam against the old-school players out there. Also, what's with the comments about 'armor deteriorating' and 'magic items breaking'*? Since when are those part of any old-school D&D rule set or retro-clone?

*OK. He MIGHT be referring to the Item Saving Throw tables in the DMG, but I am not sure.

Magic Items breaking was a common fact of life after being hit by a fireball (Item Saving Throw tables).

Armour deteriorating was part of AD&D 1st edition with Unearthed Arcana for Field and Full plate; it was more a part of other games of the time.

Cheers!

 

[Odhanan]

Okay, some perspective:

*nod* Doesn't do much for me, I'm afraid. Thanks for the clips, though.

 

[Orius]

That's no slam. Gabe's clearly saying that it's good for players to see the game's history and how it evolved. That's something that should make the old school grognards happy.

I really should read Penny Arcade more. They're funny, but they also comment on a lot of tech and games and stuff I'm not familair with, so I don't get the jokes.

 

[F700]

I didn't see it as a slam at all.