The Grognards are gathering! I love this post by the Greyhawk Grognard. The proposed OSGA, since it appears that this could very well be the acronym that such an undertaking might adopt should it gather momentum, sounds like a fantastic jumping-off point for an old school renaissance.
I’d be 100% behind such a group, and I’d be willing to participate in whatever way I could. The notion of an Old School Gaming Association does bring up many concerns here at the Grog ‘n Blog, though.
The first step, of course, would be defining exactly what ‘Old School’ is. If such a group can get beyond that first monumental hurdle, I like it’s chances of impacting modern role-playing. I’ve tried to define 'old school', as have others. It’s not as easy as it sounds. There are in fact varying degrees of old school. Old, Older and Oldest is simply the beginning.
I’m not sure that this first hurdle won’t be a proverbial mountain, though. Removing modern D&D from the equation still leaves such an organization with a nearly endless amount of games to consider. It has been proposed that a universal system might be the appropriate vehicle for such an undertaking. It has also been mentioned that various retro-clone systems would be the proper approach for an OSGA ideal. In the comments section of the above post, Jeff Rients also mentioned that he’d support it if new games in the old school mold were included.
This leads me to believe that even in it’s current brainstorming infancy, something that sounds as great as the OSGA will first need some sort of galvanizing philosophy in order to bring together all of us Grognards and Neo-Grognards under a single banner.
Now, where do I apply to join this OSGA thing?
~Sham, Quixotic Referee
Maybe the OSGA should not adopt a particular game system, but only a style of play? Certain systems would, of course, dominate the OSGA because rules do influence style, but the point, as I understand it, is how you approach games and play them more than just brands or mechanics.
ReplyDelete- Brian
Yeah. It's an interesting ideal. I hope something comes of this. I agree with you, and I'd prefer to see such an OSGA simply adopt a style of play, and not a brand.
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot of talk about a single brand under which this idea would operate, though.
We do have two seperate ideas colliding here. The one proposed by James M, and the post I've linked.
They might end up being two entirely different animals.
~Sham
I read a few more of the comments. I still stick to my thought that such an association needs a galvanizing philosophy that embodies everything we like about the old school approach to gaming.
ReplyDeleteI'll keep commenting there in order that we may have a central area for ideas.
~Sham
Wheels are slowly moving, so it's too early to say how things will play out. I think there's a good chance we may wind up with a banner around which to rally; what form it will take is under much discussion.
ReplyDeleteI've been following the K&K thread, and your own universal system post comments section, James. You're doing yeoman's work here. I'll be following this intently.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the major reason why I haven't commented over at Trollsmyth is because things feel very up-in-the-air right now, and I don't have anything terribly useful to contribute to the discussion. There are people explaining, quite logically and forcefully, why this sort of thing can't be done, and other people who are getting about the business of doing it.
ReplyDeleteIn short, pretty much what you'd expect. ;)
- Brian
Exactly. I often miss the forest for the trees because I go off on such rambling tangents, so I should wait to see what's left once the smoke settles. I'm not going to get pulled back into any debates about what is and what isn't appropriate or old school.
ReplyDeleteI'll take Robert Fisher's advice and let the people doing the work decide.
If there's a place for my vision of what OD&D/old school is, I'll be there to contribute and help in any way I can.
Once again Brian proves his superior insight into the matter. But hell, it's good blog material nevertheless!
I've been following the K&K thread, and your own universal system post comments section, James. You're doing yeoman's work here. I'll be following this intently.
ReplyDeleteThe K&K thread has convinced me that nothing succeeds like success. At this stage, I'm done over there and I'll just go ahead with my own plans and see if I'm right. If I am, then all the cynicism and naysaying won't matter.
I think that's the only attitude which will allow you to succeed. Many of us are here to support this effort in some fashion. We can all agree that the end result can never satisfy everyone's desire for what the genre means to them. The important part, though, is to have some end result, then it can be supported.
ReplyDeleteI think it's important to realize that the discussion has hived into two distinct ones at this point.
ReplyDeleteFirst is the notion of a universal system (whether a system of notation or a full-blown rules system), and second it the notion of an organization of some sort to act as a promoter of the old style of play and the rules that are designed to support it.
It definitely seems like something's about to happen!
Yeah, GG. You got it right. As I mentioned earlier,:
ReplyDeleteWe do have two seperate ideas colliding here. The one proposed by James M, and the post I've linked.
I was rather carelessly intermingling two distinct ideas that were, I assumed, going in the same direction. Each is actually quite different, and quite noteworthy in it's own right.
I will support whatever becomes of these two ideas. Making assumptions again here but:
Perhaps the OSGA will share a galvanizing philosophy, to which I referred in my post, with James' project. Then the two can support one another at some point.
Good observation, and thanks for the comment.
~Sham