OSR What does OSR mean to you? What do you value most in an OSR game?

[Mercurius]

To me its primarily about vibe and inspiration. The fact that there can be endless debate about what specific elements constitute the OSR, pretty much says that there is no specific or definitive combination of factors that scream "To be OSR, it must include ABC, but not XYZ."

Rather, I see it as going for a tone and style reminiscent of TSR D&D, particularly of the 70s and 80s (pre-White Wolf incursion into RPGs). Furthermore, it draws upon certain media as inspiration: Appendix N and their ilk, and also TSR D&D as a whole.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

To me its primarily about vibe and inspiration. The fact that there can be endless debate about what specific elements constitute the OSR, pretty much says that there is no specific or definitive combination of factors that scream "To be OSR, it must include ABC, but not XYZ."

Rather, I see it as going for a tone and style reminiscent of TSR D&D, particularly of the 70s and 80s (pre-White Wolf incursion into RPGs). Furthermore, it draws upon certain media as inspiration: Appendix N and their ilk, and also TSR D&D as a whole.

While there are some "clearly" OSR things that resemble late the 1E era, I think it mostly takes inspiration from the pre-Dragonlance era, when things were more lo-fi, less focused on stories and generally a little more gonzo and a generally more deadly.

S1 Tomb of the Horrors: OSR vibes
WG9 Gargoyle: Not OSR vibes

 

[Mercurius]

While there are some "clearly" OSR things that resemble late the 1E era, I think it mostly takes inspiration from the pre-Dragonlance era, when things were more lo-fi, less focused on stories and generally a little more gonzo and a generally more deadly.

S1 Tomb of the Horrors: OSR vibes
WG9 Gargoyle: Not OSR vibes

Yeah, I agree. But you could say that early 2E stuff like Spelljammer and Dark Sun is, at least, "OSR adjacent." But I hear you that Dragonlance was a big bifurcation and the first big "de-Gygaxation" of D&D (or maybe Ravenloft).

 

[Mercurius]

Or another way to put it, Spelljammer was a bit of a throwback to 70s-era science fantasy. Planescape, on the other hand, was very much influenced by White Wolf and went hogwire on "90s kewl." So you can see a split there.