M.L. Martin
Hero
My own definition is twofold:
1. Rules recognizably derived from OD&D. This generally means the six stats, classes, levels, hit points, Armor Class, and a few other things.
2. An attempt to define itself as or in accord with "D&D". That's a somewhat amorphous thing, but it's what makes things like D&D, C&C, Pathfinder, and other editions, variants and retro-clones part of the D&D family, while games that derive from OD&D rules in many ways (often through many descendants) but define themselves as "not D&D"--Tunnels & Trolls, True20, Star Wars d20--aren't.
1. Rules recognizably derived from OD&D. This generally means the six stats, classes, levels, hit points, Armor Class, and a few other things.
2. An attempt to define itself as or in accord with "D&D". That's a somewhat amorphous thing, but it's what makes things like D&D, C&C, Pathfinder, and other editions, variants and retro-clones part of the D&D family, while games that derive from OD&D rules in many ways (often through many descendants) but define themselves as "not D&D"--Tunnels & Trolls, True20, Star Wars d20--aren't.
