BFRPG v.s. Well, all the rest

[Clever_Munkey]

I would say the answer is “yes, he has previous experience.” BRRPG and modern games differ in many details and minor variations, but the basic framework of
- GM describes a scene
- Players state their actions
- GM decides and describes results
- repeat
is no different. There might be some culture shock (for either or both parties), but in my experience that’s pretty typical for someone discovering a second system that even has small differences from their very first, (although I think players who start in the OSR are marginally more flexible than people that start with certain modern games) and it has to happen eventually.

[teaman]

I would say the answer is “yes, he has previous experience.” BRRPG and modern games differ in many details and minor variations, but the basic framework of
- GM describes a scene
- Players state their actions
- GM decides and describes results
- repeat
is no different. There might be some culture shock (for either or both parties), but in my experience that’s pretty typical for someone discovering a second system that even has small differences from their very first, (although I think players who start in the OSR are marginally more flexible than people that start with certain modern games) and it has to happen eventually.

I've had the inflexibility thing at cons. Not that folks were hostile, but I could sometimes see that they were taken a little off base. And it's not just newer players. Some old timers seem a bit stuck in their rut too. It's only a game. Even among the OSR, the differences are not that deal-breaking between different retro games. I like BFRPG because everyone can have the rules free, and one can always house rule or port over other thoughts.

[Bumblepig]

When I replied BFRPG he asked what are the main point between it and 5th.
He also asked for pointer at the web site....

I liked his question, it showed me he is serious, but was not sure about the answer

The most immediate difference between BFRPG and 5th edition is about $57.

[teaman]

When I replied BFRPG he asked what are the main point between it and 5th.
He also asked for pointer at the web site....

I liked his question, it showed me he is serious, but was not sure about the answer

The most immediate difference between BFRPG and 5th edition is about $57.

Amen to that!

Now, WOTC has a business model and needs to pay their writers and artists. But let's face it, most of us will go to our graves with a ton of games that we already own and will never get played. So save your pennies once and a while.

[orobouros]

Race as a class is a feature of the old school games. Some OSR games keep it, Basic Fantasy RPG doesn't. Other than that I feel like a "if you have to ask, it won't matter to you" thing. Other than personal preference, ascending vs descending AC has virtually no effect on outcome in a game.

As for "experience" with RPGs? That can come in two different angels. It can mean the ability to role-play, think creatively, and behave tactically (within the fantasy world). It can also mean familiarity with a ruleset, which for certain modern games is a 600+ page tome. The GM I try to be is somebody who hopes for the former and doesn't care a bit about the latter.

[cheimison]

BFRPG is kind of an odd duck among OSRs because it cleaves very closely to 'Original Edition Games' style rules (with some streamlining and OGL-reminiscent stuff thrown in) but unlike Swords & Wizardry, Labyrinth Lord and OSRIC it is not trying to emulate anything specifically. In simplicity it tends towards S&W I'd say, and like S&W Core it can be seen as a 'house rules' version of the classic game style rather than a skeleton for playing any previous game.

BFRPG, LL, S&W and most of the popular 'standard' style OSR games (ACKS, LotFP) play almost exactly alike if you strip out flavour text and ignore differences in modules published for them. Characters are definitely simpler and squishier than in ALL or OSRIC.

Which system you use between this lot depends on which supplements and modules you intend to use more than anything. If you want to run LL or Basic Edition Modules then LL or ACKS is your best bet; if you're using 0E content S&W is ideal; if you just prefer the options Gonnerman chose for his own particular OGL game then use BFRPG. It is hard to overstate just how easily these games can be substituted for one another, it's mostly a matter of convenience which you use rather than any clear superiority or even serious differences.

[teaman]

I saw an interview with Frank Mentzer (writer of BECMI) and he said that Ascending vs. Descending didn't matter. That wasn't what defined old school.

For me, it's BFRPG for fantasy hands-down. Best of the old, best of the new, and a great community. In fact, the community may even be the deciding factor. Thanks folks!

[Tazer_The_Yoot]

I saw an interview with Frank Mentzer (writer of BECMI) and he said that Ascending vs. Descending didn't matter. That wasn't what defined old school.

For me, it's BFRPG for fantasy hands-down. Best of the old, best of the new, and a great community. In fact, the community may even be the deciding factor. Thanks folks!

I think the community matters a lot!

As for what defines Old School, to me, is that Old School play is a conversation between the player/s and the referee. You describe what they see, and they describe what they're doing, then you describe how the world reacts to their actions. Sometimes dice are rolled, but not always. The answer is almost never on the character sheet, unless it's a piece of gear or a spell that's useful in a particular situation. There's no powers or healing surges or any of that.