I Love Old School Games

[TheAlkaizer]

Any definition of "old school" that includes games from 1999 is pretty useless.

I'm 31 years old, my first games were in Dungeons & Dragons 3E. To me 3E is definitely old-school!

 

[Reynard]

I'm 31 years old, my first games were in Dungeons & Dragons 3E. To me 3E is definitely old-school!

I don't think the term is subjective. It's a category of games based on era -- Generation 1 RPGs like OD&D, Traveller, Gamma World, Tunnels and Trolls, etc...

 

[Sacrosanct]

I'm 31 years old, my first games were in Dungeons & Dragons 3E. To me 3E is definitely old-school!

I imagine it feels that way, but especially in the context of RPGs, Old school definitely have an association with 70s/80s gaming. Largely because of a thing called the OSR (Old school revival), and that focuses on that era primarily. "Old school" in rpgs is like the "Golden Age" term in comics--it's not a shifting date the more years that pass; it's fixed. And has a term associated directly with that time period.

 

[Tyler Do'Urden]

The definition of Old School that I get from Kevin Crawford's work is "any pre-2000, non-White Wolf game; but especially D&D/AD&D."

I use that as a working definition.

 

[Ovinomancer]

I imagine it feels that way, but especially in the context of RPGs, Old school definitely have an association with 70s/80s gaming. Largely because of a thing called the OSR (Old school revival), and that focuses on that era primarily. "Old school" in rpgs is like the "Golden Age" term in comics--it's not a shifting date the more years that pass; it's fixed. And has a term associated directly with that time period.

I don't think this is true at all. Instead, "old school RPG" means rather different things in different contexts. It's not a really useful designation.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I don't think this is true at all. Instead, "old school RPG" means rather different things in different contexts. It's not a really useful designation.

It is absolutely true that the term "old school" in the context of rpgs, is an actual label to describe a specific type of role-playing game. Once a phrase has been given an actual definition and scope of what it includes, that's usually the accepted definition going forward. Just like "Golden Age" of comics doesn't change no matter what era of comics happen to come and go; it's specific to a certain era of comics, even if someone has an opinion that comics peaked in a different era.

 

[TheAlkaizer]

I imagine it feels that way, but especially in the context of RPGs, Old school definitely have an association with 70s/80s gaming. Largely because of a thing called the OSR (Old school revival), and that focuses on that era primarily. "Old school" in rpgs is like the "Golden Age" term in comics--it's not a shifting date the more years that pass; it's fixed. And has a term associated directly with that time period.

Yes, I know! I understand what it means because I'm active within the RPG community.

My point is that, in a vaccuum, the term old-school is maybe not the best to define a fixed period in time. Someone that's pretty new to the RPG ecosystem will probably build on his own references. Someone gave the example of music. My dad's idea of old-school music is not the same as mine. And there's many people on this forum that could probably be my father age-wise.

I know what old-school refers to because it was explained to me, not because it's obvious what it means. It's a term that's too relative.

 

[Reynard]

Yes, I know! I understand what it means because I'm active within the RPG community.

My point is that, in a vaccuum, the term old-school is maybe not the best to define a fixed period in time. Someone that's pretty new to the RPG ecosystem will probably build on his own references. Someone gave the example of music. My dad's idea of old-school music is not the same as mine. And there's many people on this forum that could probably be my father age-wise.

I know what old-school refers to because it was explained to me, not because it's obvious what it means. It's a term that's too relative.

I vote Golden Age Gaming! Mostly because it will cause no end of arguments as people try and determine which games are "golden."

 

[aramis erak]

Oh yes. I teach adults. One of my students who is in her mid 20s commented about how she can't watch most old movies because of the acting. My mind immediately leapt to the 30s to 60s. She was thinking 80s and 90s...

Well, a lot of them were pretty bad in the 80's and 90's...

much like a lot of streaming shows now being low-budget piles of steaming...

And much of the OSR, and new school games, too.

 

[Ovinomancer]

It is absolutely true that the term "old school" in the context of rpgs, is an actual label to describe a specific type of role-playing game. Once a phrase has been given an actual definition and scope of what it includes, that's usually the accepted definition going forward. Just like "Golden Age" of comics doesn't change no matter what era of comics happen to come and go; it's specific to a certain era of comics, even if someone has an opinion that comics peaked in a different era.

Sorry, I must have missed where this is defined. What/where is this official definition of Old School RPGs? And, which games specifically does it refer to?