OSR vs OSE

[GothmogIV]

H

We played our third game of Dragonbane last night. It's solid. We love it.

Have you ever played a BRP-based game before? It's very different than a leveled fantasy game! Check out the old Magic World game from Chaosium, and Runequest, too! Enjoy. I've been playing BRP since the 1st edition of Call of Cthulhu.

 

[Calithena]

OSE is an OSR game. OSR is not a game but a family of games and playstyles.

 

[Theory of Games]

 

[Calithena]

I find your ideas intriguing and, while I am not yet quite ready to subscribe to your newsletter, I would not be averse to further elaboration.

 

[Simon Miles]

Friends, is OSR a catch all for games of a certain type (Old School Renaissance) vs. OSE which is a specific game system (Old School Essentials)? I have seen them used interchangeably, which is confusing. Frog God Games has game materials that are labelled "OSR," but I am not sure what--if any--system an "OSR" game is, specifically. Thanks in advance!

As others have said, OSE is a specific version of the classic D&D Basic/Expert ruleset (they do an AD&D version as well called OSE Advanced), OSR is a more generic term referring to ALL the products based on the classic D&D style rules systems, and there are MANY. I write stuff for Dunromin University Press which is designed to work with classic AD&D 1st and 2nd editions and any and all OSRs, specifically OSE Advanced and OSRIC. My own thoughts on the whole thing are here if you fancy a read?

 

[Mannahnin]

As others have said, OSE is a specific version of the classic D&D Basic/Expert ruleset (they do an AD&D version as well called OSE Advanced)

By "an AD&D version" to clarify we're not talking about a reproduction of the AD&D rules, but a reconceptualization of additional content (classes, spells, monsters, rules like separate race & class) designed to fit within a B/X rules framework and power level rather than closely duplicating the AD&D rules for same.

The Knight class, for example, captures the core concept of the Cavalier without nearly so much arcane and intricate detail and broken special rules, instead making a class which gives the feel while being a balanced option next to a regular Fighter.

 

[Simon Miles]

By "an AD&D version" to clarify we're not talking about a reproduction of the AD&D rules, but a reconceptualization of additional content (classes, spells, monsters, rules like separate race & class) designed to fit within a B/X rules framework and power level rather than closely duplicating the AD&D rules for same.

The Knight class, for example, captures the core concept of the Cavalier without nearly so much arcane and intricate detail and broken special rules, instead making a class which gives the feel while being a balanced option next to a regular Fighter.

Yes, I was being inaccurate. I would say Osric is more like Ad&d but tidied up (a lot) and OSE Advanced is, as you say, some interesting stuff from Ad&d repackaged into the B/X mechanism.

 

[Gus L]

...I would say Osric is more like Ad&d but tidied up (a lot) and OSE Advanced is, as you say, some interesting stuff from Ad&d repackaged into the B/X mechanism.

What I find interesting about things like OSE Advanced (or any AD&D style add-ons to B/X clones) is how they effectively replicate how I played D&D in the 1980's. A bit of AD&D this and that from whatever edition was around supported by a B/X and BECMI foundation.

I should add that this "old school" experience is very much a contradiction compared to the way these "editions" of D&D are often discussed today.

 

[Mannahnin]

What I find interesting about things like OSE Advanced (or any AD&D style add-ons to B/X clones) is how they effectively replicate how I played D&D in the 1980's. A bit of AD&D this and that from whatever edition was around supported by a B/X and BECMI foundation.

I should add that this "old school" experience is very much a contradiction compared to the way these "editions" of D&D are often discussed today.

I've seen a lot of folks talk about their AD&D experiences in the 80s this way. E.g that they never tried to use the actual 1E initiative rules, say, but always simplified, and their actual play procedures often more closely resembled B/X or BECM. Sometimes they realize it retroactively when they go back and compare the rules after being away from them for a couple of decades.

Although at least for me as a kid, I'd try to apply the AD&D stuff as far as I understood it. I didn't have the wherewithal or judgement or greater knowledge base to do something like the major editing required to simplify the rules into something like OSE Advanced.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I didn't have the wherewithal or judgement or greater knowledge base to do something like the major editing required to simplify the rules into something like OSE Advanced.

Ironically, it was Gygax's wildly different messages in the 1E DMG and Dragon magazine -- "this is your game, play it your way" vs. "UNLESS IT SAYS TSR, IT IS NOT D&D!"-- that led me to realize he was just a dude and imperfect at that, so there was no obligation to treat his word or anything TSR wrote as law.