This will not end well

I like to keep an eye on the OSR movement since I like the spirit of what is going on, I love many of the products and most of the people involved are also very cool.But this is something that will not end well at all.ht[...]
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Bah Humbug, or The OSR Debate, Microlite7x, and Me

Another great debate on the OSR has swept a good part of the OSR blogsphere over the last few days. Jim Raggi said something about TSR on his blog a few days ago that got some members of the old TSR crew upset. Both side[...]
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There is an OSR debate?

So without linking or getting into any details I guess there is some sort of OSR debate going on.  Again.See here is the thing about this kind of flare-ups.  If you don't hear about it it's like they are not ev[...]
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Psionics, Spirits, and Microlite75

A few days ago, I received a very helpful set of comments on Microlite75 in email from Kevin Donovan and, with his permission, have been posting and discuss some of the more interesting/controversial nuggets in recent bl[...]
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Ideas for the Warlord in Microlite75

As I mentioned yesterday (Hit Points as Spell Points and the 15 Minute Adventuring Day), I received a very helpful set of comments on Microlite75 in email from Kevin Donovan and, with his permission, I'm going to post an[...]
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Hit Points as Spell Points and the 15 Minute Adventuring Day

I received a very helpful set of comments on Microlite75 in email yesterday and, with the permission of the author of these comments (Kevin Donovan), I'm going to post and discuss some of the more interesting/controversi[...]
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What if Gygax had done 2nd Ed?

Quick one for now. I am on my way to campus.I have been following the OSR scene now for a while and have seen the attempts to do retellings of the most famous RPG in history. Associated with that is the wave of nostalgi[...]
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Sponsor Microlite75 and Advanced Microlite20 OSS

I'm still looking for people to sponsor Microlite75 and Advance Microlite20 OSS with a donation to the RetroRoleplaying Cancer Fund. Sponsors will not only get all the downloadable pdfs that all donors to the RetroRolepl[...]
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Dark Dungeons: Major Differences from the Rules Cyclopedia

Here's some information on the major differences between Dark Dungeons and the Rules Cyclopedia, in the author's own words. There are very few changes that are deliberate "house rules" as opposed to merely having to try[...]
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Dark Dungeons (A Rules Cyclopedia Clone) Now Available

The final version of Dark Dungeons, an OGL retro-clone of the best single book version of TSR's D&D game ever published, is now available in hardback and softcover from Lulu and as a free PDF. While the system rules [...]
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Treasure Discovery!

So I found a disk I had burned a bunch stuff.  Mostly this was some writing I had done back in the days of the Buffy-Angel playtests and then later the Ghosts of Albion playtests.Most of it will stay on th[...]
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Reflection time!

Lot's going on around the ole' Other Side over the last few days. Let's recap.New FollowersWelcome all new followers and thank you for your continued support to all!  If there is anything you would like to see me op[...]
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Thought Experiment: One-Roll Combat Resolution in Ye Auld Game

I really have no idea when I first encountered the idea of having the quality of the Combat or "To Hit" roll establish the damage inflicted.  I don't think I saw the idea during my first gaming period (1981-1990), s[...]
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Lessons Learned as a Convention Organizer

Last Monday, I had great fun sitting in as a guest host of Shark Bone, a new podcast recorded here in Sin City and focused on all aspects of creating a rich, immersive RPG experience. The show is hosted by Devon Kelley a[...]
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Gryphons & Grognards (Microlite75) Playtest Version 0.05 Available

As promised, here is a very early draft of Microlite75/Gryphons & Grognards. I've put a PDF copy up on Mediafire here: Download Gryphons & Grognards Version 0.05. I've really barely started, but the character cla[...]
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Never boring …

It is always interesting to go through site stats and see who is reading and linking to posts here and over at Neoncon. Today, I discovered Old School Rant (OSR). On the one hand, he thought Matt Grau’s presentatio[...]
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Gen Con 2010, Ghosts and more

So I bought my Gen Con tickets for myself and my family.  We are committed to going now.Well I always was. Talked to my regular GM and he also wants to run some Ghosts of Albion games.  So even more G[...]
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Monks come from Blackmoor, part 2

So reflecting on my previous post, Monks come from Blackmoor, I went back and looked over my new (new as of Gen Con) 4e Blackmoor book.  Right there, just as I remembered was the Mystic.  Not what I liked about[...]
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What Should an OSR Witch Do or Be?

So Eldritch Witchery is on the (far) horizon and it has been getting me thinking. What should an Old-School Witch do?One of the strengths of the older games, and maybe something we have gotten away from in newer game des[...]
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Monks come from Blackmoor

I have been re-reading all my old original D&D books lately.  Fun stuff.But I caught something today that I know I have read before, but now it jelled differently.The Monk Class was introduced in the Blackmoor s[...]
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Elmore Art for Old School

I am working on Eldritch Witchery for Elf Lair Games and I have the bulk of it written now.  There are some editing issues and I need to tweak a few of the spells and monsters to fit the old school theme a[...]
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Again with the Weapons versus AC Chart?

Yes, again. My last attempt was here. And, as I said then, it was good enough to test-drive. But having done so, I'm now convinced it needs more work. The basic idea is sound. The Weapon Class thing is working great[...]
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Going (Up) to Hell? Cosmology

I was reading a very interesting post by Mike Mearls the other day about dropping the structure of the planes in favor of something more local. Read his post here, http://kotgl.blogspot.com/2010/01/kill-planes-abyss.html[...]
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Why I still enjoy the OSR

I was going through a bunch of my OSR books the other day.  Played around with converting (again!) my Family D&D night over to some unholy version of D&D Rules Cyclopedia and Basic Fantasy Role-Playing, but [...]
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Abstract Hit Points

It has only been since my return to Ye Auld Game that I realized the abstract nature of combat. OK, that's pretty obvious now, but it wasn't when I started playing in my misbegotten youth. Clearly, that roll you make[...]
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How To Handle a Bugman?

(That's a little Lerner and Loewe riff for you show-tune cats out there)Yesterday, I posted about my issues with the Scorpion Men in play-testing. This whole thing has me rethinking my approach to non-humans. A little [...]
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Scorpion Men: Too Much?

The play-testing continues nicely. One thing is coming up again and again: Sot Sojat (erstwhile Scoprion Man Slayer, Omnivore, and Philosopher) is all but invincible for monsters of this level. Plate Armour is proof aga[...]
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Eldritch Witchery, Back to Basics

I am returning to work on Eldritch Witchery, my guide to witches and warlocks for the Spellcraft & Swordplay RPG. The idea is simple really; make a witch class for the game. But I want to do this class justice and no[...]
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Sand Ghul: Nightmare of the Wizard

Sand Ghul No. Appearing: 1d6 Alignment: Chaotic Size: M Armour Class/Defense: 1/1 Move: 90’ Hit Dice: [...]
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The Tholat: A Creature of the Deserts

TholatNo. Appearing: 20-60Alignment: NeutralSize: Large (8’ at shoulders)Armour Class/Defense: 2/+1 to attacks from Medium foesMove: 60’Hit Dice: 3 HD (12 HP)Attacks: 2 Bite +2 (Sword) OR 1 +2 Trample (Large Club); -[...]
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Scarecrow

"Scarecrow on a wooden cross, blackbird in the barn…" - John Mellencamp, Scarecrow When I think back to Halloweens of my childhood one image keeps coming back to me. No not vampires or witches, those were more artifact[...]
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Swords & Wizardry Coming Soon to a Game Store Near You!

Matt Finch has announced that Swords & Wizardry will now be published by Black Blade Publishing. This should get Swords & Wizardry into game stores. The S&W PDF will still be free.  Here's the press rele[...]
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Quite Distracted By: Engines & Empires

[The title is meant to indicate that this is the first in a series, as I fully anticipate becoming quite distracted on many occasions]Engines & Empires is supplement to, or a setting for, or perhaps a spin-off from L[...]
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There is More to OD&D than the Three Little Beige Books

Some of the comments to my post on The Gray Book yesterday that The Gray Book was too much like AD&D to be considered OD&D confused me. The only reason I can think is that the 1e retroclones have given people a very limi[...]
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New RPG Groups on Facebook

For the fans of Victorian era role-playing games I have made two new Facebook groups.The Victorian Gamers Association is very new and is for any game set in the Victorian Era or is at least Victorian in feel and tone. So[...]
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The Old School Renaissance Will Eat Itself

I love all the old school renaissance / retro-clone games out there. They are great fun to play AND are very clever adaptations of the very flexible OGL. There are some neat game-design choices too, such as Spellcraft [...]
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Spellcraft & Swordplay goodness

Yesterday was a good day for me and Spellcraft & Swordplay. I got my Deluxe Edition in the mail from Lulu yesterday and I am really digging it. If you are interested in S&S at all, then this is the way to go; a[...]
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FREE Spellcraft & Swordplay Deluxe E-book

Spellcraft & Swordplay Deluxe E-bookFor the next few days (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) Elf Lair Games will be offering their (our really) flagship game, Spellcraft & Swordplay completely free.http://www.lulu.[...]
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Ærypt and Zakhara

Following up on my previous post on Desert Elves & Orcs, I thought I might detail the region they live in some more. Ærypt is a pastiche of Arypt, Erypt and Egypt with Gygax's Necropolis and Ravenloft's Har'Akir thr[...]
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Everything Old is New Again, sorta

I was making the tour of the various Old School / OSR / Retro-clone blogs and forums today and I noticed a lot posts on new spells, new monsters, and various house rules. For a bit there I had to make sure I was not fl[...]
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Desert Elves & Orcs

I was working on a desert based adventure for my son's game the other day and I got to thinking about some things I really liked from AD&D 2nd Ed. Desert Elves and Al-Qadim. In my Mstaroerth world I have an area [...]
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Mountain Dew Throwback, the Official Drink of the Retro-Clone Movement

Or something like that.http://www.mountaindew.com/#throwback1.phpMountain Dew, the caffeinated beverage of choice for gamers all over the world has "introduced" a new flavor for the summer. "Mountain Dew Throwback" looks[...]
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A Role-Playing Game Resurgence is on the Horizon

The popularity of the "retro-clone" RPG games (those that attempt to emulate the orginal D&D game or the Basic/Expert/Master/etc. D&D boxed sets or even 1st edition AD&D) makes me think that the RPG hobby isn[...]
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Backgrounds and Attribute Rolls for Swords Wizardry

span style="font-style: italic;"This post is one of a series of house rule posts for the a href="http://www.swordsandwizardry.com/?page_id=4"Swords amp; Wizardry Core Rules/a. (Samp;W is a free 0e retroclone.) These post[...]
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Hit Points and Body Points for Swords Wizardry

span style="font-style:italic;"This post is the first of a series of house rule posts for the a href="http://www.swordsandwizardry.com/?page_id=4"Swords Wizardry Core Rules/a. (SW is a free 0e retroclone.) These posts a[...]
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Microlite74 is “Finished”

With the release of a href="http://blog.retroroleplaying.com/2009/03/ancient-auguries-microlite74-version-20.html"Ancient Auguries/a today, I'm happy to announce that the Microlite74 project is essentially finished. At l[...]
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Ancient Auguries: A Microlite74 Version 2.0 Supplement Released

Ancient Auguries has four pages of completely optional rules that can be used with Microlite74 Version 2.0. My intent in writing this supplement was both to provide some interesting optional rule sections and to show how[...]
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Microlite74 Version 2.0 Now Available

Microlite Version 2.0 is now available for free download. Over 2000 copies of Microlite74 version 1.1 have been downloaded since its release on October 6th last year. Microlite74 is dedicated to the memory of E. Gary Gyg[...]
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Microlite74 2.0 Draft Available for Comment

I've been hard at work on the "2.0 Edition" of Microlite74. Microlite 2.0 has cleaned up rules that are closer to the combat power level of ODD and with spells and monsters rewritten to be even more compatible with Oe an[...]
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Are Microlite74 Characters Too Good in Combat?

a href="http://www.retroroleplaying.com/content/microlite74" target="_top"Microlite74/a is designed to emulate the style and feel of the original 1974 edition of the world's most popular roleplaying game (0e) using a var[...]
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