Tenkar's Tavern: The "Free OSR Rulesets - SciFi" Page is Done

Monday, February 12, 2018

The "Free OSR Rulesets - SciFi" Page is Done - For Now

Alright, The "Free OSR Rulesets - SciFi" Page is ready for prime time. There's only eight rulesets listed (compared to thirty or so for Fantasy) and I'm sure I'm missing some - feel free to link or mention in the comments other candidates to add to the page.

Moving on the the "Other" category next. That will be longer than SciFi I expect.

And yes, still need to add a few to the Fantasy page.

2 comments:

AnonymousFebruary 12, 2018 at 11:39 PM
Depending on how you're defining OSR Ruleset for this page, Cepheus Engine might fit. It's a Traveller retro-clone
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Mike DavisonFebruary 13, 2018 at 9:04 AM
I have WARBAND! available as free download, it is Chaos 40K (dungeons in space) kind of game. Available here: http://swordplusone.com/warband_print.pdf
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Why "Swords & Wizardry?"

Believe me when I say I have them all in dead tree format. I have OSRIC in full size, trade paperback and the Player's Guide. I have LL and the AEC (and somewhere OEC, but I can't find it at the moment). Obviously I have Basic Fantasy RPG. Actually, I have the whole available line in print. Way too much Castles & Crusades. We all know my love for the DCC RPG. I even have Dark Dungeons in print, the Delving Deeper boxed set, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea (thank you Kickstarter) (edit) BOTH editions of LotFP's Weird Fantasy and will soon have some dead tree copies of the Greyhawk Grognards Adventures Dark & Deep ~~shipping shortly~~ in my grubby hands awaiting a review..

I am so deep in the OSR when I come up for breath it's for the OSR's cousin, Tunnels & Trolls (and still waiting on dT&T to ship).

So, out of all that, why Swords & Wizardry? Why, when I have been running a AD&D 1e / OSRIC campaign in Rappan Athuk am I using Swords & Wizardry and it's variant, Crypts & Things, for the second campaign? (Actually, now running a S&W Complete campaign, soon to be with multiple groups)

Because the shit works.

It's easy for lapsed gamers to pick up and feel like they haven't lost a step. I can house rule it and it doesn't break. It plays so close to the AD&D of my youth and college years (S&W Complete especially) that it continually surprises me. Just much less rules hopping than I remember. (my God but I can run it nearly without the book)

I grab and pick and steal from just about all OSR and Original resources. They seem to fit into S&W with little fuss. It may be the same with LL and the rest, but for me the ease of use fit's my expectations with S&W.

Even the single saving throw. That took me longer to adjust to, but even that seems like a natural to me now. Don't ask me why, it just does. Maybe it's the simplicity of it. At 45 48, simplicity and flexibility while remaining true to the feel of the original is an OSR hat trick for me ;)

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Monday, February 12, 2018

The "Free OSR Rulesets - SciFi" Page is Done - For Now

2 comments:

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