Forum > Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games (RPGs) Discussion
What is the point of Retro-Clones?
Theros:
I have to admit: I don't get the OSR. There seem to be two kinds of D&D retro-clones: the first is one that hews as close as possible to a TSR edition of D&D and the second is one that only treats a TSR edition of D&D as a point of departure and goes far afield to something that is ultimately barely recognizable as D&D.
The latter is the most egregious to me... I'd rather put a gun in my mouth than sit and listen to someone's long list of house-rules for D&D. Why on earth would I waste time with a retro-clone? I'm a simple man... I want to play a game that is actually called D&D right there on the cover, not someone's motley collection of heartbreaker house-rules. In general, these retro-clones stink of the idea that "the rules will save you" and that the most entertaining thing about RPGs is the rules themselves, like the rules will give you a good experience. That is NOT my experience. In my experience, the only thing fun about an RPG is when it goes off the rails with funny/inappropriate jokes and other immature bullshit. Rules are only necessary to give the impression of a structure, but the memorable parts of a game session is when the structure goes out the window and hilarity and disaster ensue.
The first type of retro-clone also confuses me... if you are going to make a retro-clone that hews as close as possible to a TSR edition of D&D, why not just play a TSR edition of D&D? It is super easy to get the rules in digital format through any number of websites and you can even get the rules and supplements in print from places like DTRPG (although I admit the idea of giving royalties to WOTC is less than appealing). But the original versions have a lot of advantages over retro-clones... they have tons more nostalgia to them; they aren't written in the sterile, clinical style that is popular today; and most of all they are far, far, far more concise. Compare OSE to B/X, for example. The Moldvay Basic rulebook is something like 64 pages and OSE is something like 300 pages.
And that brings up another issue... why is so much of the OSR obsessed with B/X? B/X was not a standalone game, it wasn't a "separate" version of D&D... it was literally around for only a couple years and was replaced by BECMI, which did offer the full game. B/X strikes me as being for people who like shareware versions of software more than the full registered version... why base retro-clones on something that was never the full game in the first place?
Zalman:
--- Quote from: Theros on June 17, 2021, 09:56:13 AM ---It is super easy to get the rules in digital format through any number of websites
--- End quote ---
But that was not the case when many of the true clones were created.
HappyDaze:
I don't care for the OSR much at all because, while I enjoyed older versions of D&D, I enjoyed them despite their rules, not because of them. If more OSR writers/publishers could find a way to mix an "old school feel" (in varying degrees) along with more modern sets of rules (not just minor tweaks to the old rules), then I'd be likely to give them more of my attention.
Theros:
--- Quote from: Zalman on June 17, 2021, 10:01:35 AM ---
--- Quote from: Theros on June 17, 2021, 09:56:13 AM ---It is super easy to get the rules in digital format through any number of websites
--- End quote ---
But that was not the case when many of the true clones were created.
--- End quote ---
Well piracy has always existed and really deserves the credit for "saving" D&D and laying the groundwork for the OSR, but yes, there was indeed a time when retro-clones made sense because they were the easiest way to legally host homebrewed adventures for TSR editions of the game. I feel like the OSR has moved waaaaaay past that original mission, however.
GeekyBugle:
--- Quote from: Theros on June 17, 2021, 09:56:13 AM ---I have to admit: I don't get the OSR. There seem to be two kinds of D&D retro-clones: the first is one that hews as close as possible to a TSR edition of D&D and the second is one that only treats a TSR edition of D&D as a point of departure and goes far afield to something that is ultimately barely recognizable as D&D.
--- End quote ---
Well, that's your opinion dude.
What's stoping you from playing whatever you want?
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page