thread: 2011-07-06 : I <3 the OSR...
On 2011-07-07, David Berg wrote:
Heh. It's funny. My first impression upon discovering story games was, "Instead of trying to tackle the tough issues of roleplaying, these people gave up and are doing something else." Only later could I say, "Oh, okay, this story gaming stuff is roleplaying too, it's just different."
Anyway, for me, the concept of the GM as impartial outcome deliverer based on principles goes back like 20 years. The question since then has simply been, what's the best toolkit for the GM to actually do that?
Does anyone know any good OSR GM toolkits?
Or training materials?
My occasional cartoons and examples seem to work well as orientation for some folks, but aren't exactly at-the-table tools. I know tons of games with some tools that might apply (like AW), but none that are a complete OSR package.
I heartily agree that this is exciting design territory! Encounters as Bangs, disaster and escalation tracks, GM-only mechanics, levels of certain and uncertain information, hint/clue economies, setting-based resolution reference... the possibilities are as infinite as the array of powerful but uncodified techniques that OSR GMs have been using for decades.
