Playing AD&D weekly and often using modules by authors both obscure and famous, you get the delight of experiencing the party as they go up against enemies that they are familiar with, but that they have never actually faced in the game. As they gradually slide into the 6th level (though some have lost characters … More On Enemy Design
Oh yeah it’s one of these. My Exegesis. My recent delve (and submission) into Fight On! has once more turned my lidless eye to the OSR and its place within oldschool gaming so I figured a little essay might do help me convey my thoughts. As an added bonus, my little adventure design contest has … More On the OSR
The topic of game balance has been doing the rounds so I felt it would behoove me to have my say and explain, to the best of my ability, what everyone should think. Game Balance can be expressed as ‘the distance of a gygaxian building block or mechanic from the power curve dervied from all … More On Game Balance
Disclaimer: If you are one of my readers who is affronted by the use of colorful invective and transgressive humor, then you might wish to skip this post. Although it is funny and makes a point, I am afraid it is terribly crass. Why not instead purloin a copy of my gold-bestelling adventure, which is … More [News] Additional Lotfp Reviews Incoming
It is Essay week at Age of Dusk and the requested dish was design principles lets see if we can carve out some order from the churning maelstrom of interpretation, misinterpretation, googleplus-era brainworms, nostalgia, anti-nostalgia, snake-oil salesmanship and THE SACRED TEXTS (TM). More importantly lets do so using foundational OSR documentation (if there is such … More [OSR] The Road to Hell; OSR Design Principles
The OSR (or rather Post-OSR) is currently undergoing dissolution into disparate camps. This is fine, don’t panic. The causes are myriad. An influx of casuals. The ever-expanding definition of the OSR. 2 years of self-congratulatory mid-witted theorycrafting on G+. The sociopathic politicization of the hobby to further petty personal gain. Mops, geeks and sociopaths. But … More The Conundrum of the Giant’s Tread and the Wheel of Ludosamsara
A warm breeze passes through the OSR, stirring the fires of hope. News of AdventureCitizens of the OSR! Rejoice! After Aaron put me in a headlock and gave me a swirly and a knuckle sandwich, I was persuaded to give Slyth Hive a rigorous edit. He has graciously accepted the (much smoother, consistent, user-friendly) version … More [News] The Princetisant
RPG Design history is one of overcorrection. The various currents and trends that can be loosely termed ‘OSR design philosophy’ came out of a series of principles or documents, say, for example, Matt Finch’s primer that codified the then existing knowledge in an effort to differentiate the OSR from the backdrop of contemporary gaming. While … More “The Answer is not on your character sheet” – A correction
A little vacation post to tide everyone over in anticipation of NAP III. Noisms tackles the pernicious plague of Rules-lites with his usual combination of discernment and trepidation (the Yochai Gal hit squads are no doubt chomping at the bit for a piece of him). He argues from sound principles, rivalling my own, but as … More The Rules-Lite Sickness & Gaining Momentum
A reader linked me to a recent article by UVG author, 3rd generation Artpunkman and indie darling Luka Rejec, wherein he attempts to cope with what appears to be a perfectly reasonable if subjective and very negative commentary on his latest game by outlining his philosophy: It appears no one runs games as written! This … More That is why you fail – An analysis of the corrosive effect of Artpunkmanry in the essay ‘Never As Written’ by Luka Rejec
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