RPG Primer and Old School Playbook

[seandon4]

This is nice. Thanks Solo for taking the time to write it up.

I'd be interested to hear more about what folks didn't like about Matt Finch's booklet, as it might serve as a good contrast.

On a personal note, I'm not big on the whole "holier than thou" thing. Every group has a different pace, flow, and experience level. If BFRPG is a modular system, then if a group wants to use 2e tactics or player options, let 'em. As long as a group is having fun, who's to judge?

I'm reminded of an expression: the blues is only so many chords; it's all about style. A person could practice the same stupid karate punch for 20 years and still look for ways to improve it. In an RPG one could have the same old situation, but you never know what the players are going to come up with. That's why the rules are not codified. Just my 2 cents.

[Solomoriah]

Matt's document is all about what makes the Old School different from the New. It's not aimed at those who have never played, but rather at those who have only played d20-style games.

I watched the Youtube series "The Gamers: Dorkness Rising" and the most jarring thing in it (to me) was when one player told the GM he was breaking the rules. Ack. The rest of the "new school" bits that litter the story are, well, okay. No big deal. Feats and crunch and whatever, that's fine if that's your thing. But telling the GM that the rules are more important than he is seems wrong to me.

The last part of this book will discuss these factors. As I told -1warrior, I'll disclose my bias up front and then do my level best to give a fair discussion of the differences.

[seandon4]

I wasn't referring to the PDF per se, but to the thread in general. Funny thing about that movie is getting creative with the rules and fudging the battle-mat is seemingly what allowed them to really have fun and finish the adventure ("hide behind the pile of dead bards!")

[-1warrior]

I definitely agree with Seandon. The "Holier than thou" attitude really bugs me.

Ah, as for Gamers: Dorkness Rising, said player admits his fault at the end. Also, he is portrayed as being something of an antagonist, is so much of a way, that I would venture to say that the script writers prefer old school playing style. Also, please not that the DM's dungeon is published as a Dungeon Crawl Classics adventure. That speaks a lot to me.

[Jered Taikith]

"Holier than thou?" I'm not sure what you all are driving at.

[-1warrior]

As in "Any D&D after 2000 is an abomination" attitude. That annoys me. Not that I don't agree with it, but it does seem a little close-minded.

[Jered Taikith]

As in "Any D&D after 2000 is an abomination" attitude. That annoys me. Not that I don't agree with it, but it does seem a little close-minded.

Who said that?

[LibraryLass]

As in "Any D&D after 2000 is an abomination" attitude. That annoys me. Not that I don't agree with it, but it does seem a little close-minded.

Who said that?

Finch's primer does have a pretty... dismissive style. I don't care for it either, and I've known more than one person that shied away from old-school gaming because they didn't like the tone at work in the quick primer... Including me, initially.

[seandon4]

As in "Any D&D after 2000 is an abomination" attitude. That annoys me. Not that I don't agree with it, but it does seem a little close-minded.

Who said that?

In fairness, I was speaking in general terms. I was sensing the discussion going in that general direction. Granted one could call me out on reading into it too much, but it was the feeling I was starting to get.

There are some BFRPG fans here who are also fans of 2e or started out with 3.5 and happily use a few options from the newer systems in their games.

In any case, I think this is an interesting project that Solo has taken on. It's helpful to know that some folks were turned off by other primers and that there can be some good alternatives -- I suspect it goes without saying why a primer can be a useful.

[Dimirag]

Page 15, it says: "You're trying to roll higher than the armor class of the monsters." Shouldn't be "equal or higher"? (The goblins hit a 15AC with a total attack roll of 15).