What flavor of 'Old School' do you like?

[Mythmere1]

As a relevant matter, Swords & Wizardry has been nominated for an ENnie Award for best free product, and Mythmere Games has been nominated for Best Publisher (I don't know how difficult that second one was).

 

[jdrakeh]

(I don't know how difficult that second one was).

Not too hard, I imagine. The nomination form is open (i.e., anybody who wanted to nominate a publisher could). I nominated Mythmere Games and I assume others did, too.

 

[Bullgrit]

If you are using "old school" to refer to a style of play, I can play "old school" just fine with D&D3.

If you are using "old school" to refer to a set of mechanics, I would pull out my AD&D1 or BD&D rule books.

"Old school" is nostalgic. I have no nostalgia for the clones.

Bullgrit

 

[Grimstaff]

"Old school" is nostalgic.

Bullgrit

Uh oh, this could get ugly...

 

[Bullgrit]

Uh oh, this could get ugly...

Why?

Bullgrit

 

[Goblinoid Games]

Wow, it's great to see so much support on ENworld for Labyrinth Lord! It seems like the demographics are shifting a bit. I would have expected more votes for Castles & Crusades here.

 

[Treebore]

Wow, it's great to see so much support on ENworld for Labyrinth Lord! It seems like the demographics are shifting a bit. I would have expected more votes for Castles & Crusades here.

I would guess that is for several reasons. One reason is that most who post over on the TLG boards say they don't come here anymore, or never came to ENWorld to begin with.

Plus C&C is not "old school", for example I know a lot of the "old schoolers" in this very thread wouldn't accept my C&C as being old school simply because of how many house rules I have stolen from 3E and 4E. Plus I am not the only one to do so, I know there are dozens of C&Cers who take house rules from 3E and 4E more than any other edition.

So combine that with the fact that C&C uses ascending AC and a unified d20 mechanic, C&C is far more modern than old school. We make our C&C old school by using monsters, magic items, and spell versions from our RC's, 1E DMG's, etc...

Plus there are a fair number of us who started with 3E, I have been surprised with how many who have posted. chatted, or SKYPEd with me who never played before 3E.

Still, bottom line is that C&C isn't defined or accepted as "old school" by many.

The only reason I call it old school is because of how simple it is to run. So it reminds me of the simplicity of all the old school games.

 

[diaglo]

I have and would play the originals over the clones.

Original D&D(1974) is the one true game. All the other editions are just poor imitations of the real thing.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

Why?

Bullgrit

Because it's . I play AD&D because I like the damned game, not because I miss my childhood. Tagging nostalgia onto a game system is just as insulting as if I said you play 4e because it's designed for your childlike intellect.

 

[Bullgrit]

Because it's . I play AD&D because I like the damned game, not because I miss my childhood. Tagging nostalgia onto a game system is just as insulting as if I said you play 4e because it's designed for your childlike intellect.

First off, I don't play D&D4.

Second, I didn't say folks play AD&D for nostalgic reasons.

The term "old school" implies nostalgia. Note the word "old" [vice "new"] is the key part of the term. Old school and AD&D are not synonymous.

Note that the OP identifies several current game systems that he calls "old school," but none of them are AD&D.

Bullgrit