I backed the Grimtooth’s Traps Kickstarter. I probably shouldn’t have, but I did. I spend way too much on this stuff. Supposed to be a July, 2015 delivery date. I ordered the hard back, which includes the PDF.
They met the goals for all of their 13 stretch goals.
Of course, more later for the unboxing sometime in July.
My OSRIC Print order was waiting for me when I got home from work tonight.
As I posted earlier, I ordered the hard cover Player’s Guide and the softcover A5 lay flat full rules. My plan was to have them in time for Marmalade Dog, when I will be running Village of Hommlet as part of the OSR track.
As usual, from my prior order of Delving Deeper from Lulu, it was packed firmly to avoid damage from movement. There was a ding on one corner of the box, but no damage to either volume.
The hard cover is the 1st edition of OSRIC, and the lay flat is the 2nd edition. I am not aware of what the differences are, but a quick glance shows the Player’s Guide to be very thorough.
The Player’s Guide is a bit over 1/4 inch narrower, and maybe 1/8 inch shorter than the original AD&D Player’s Handbook. The AD&D Player’s Handbook clocks in at 126 pages, not counting the ad for GenCon and other TSR games. The OSRIC Player’s Guide has 170 numbered pages, plus the OSRIC Open License, Open Game License, spell index, index, and closing full page illustration.
Many of the illustrations pay homage to the original artwork. I like the one with the fighter and magic user in chains with a rat walking away, and the fighter says, “It didn’t work.”
The index has its own bit of humor. Under I it has “Is Anyone Reading This” on page “No”.
I like that all the bits and pieces for each attribute, race, and class are kept together. The organisation of OSRIC is one thing that is a big selling point. I did find it a little different trying to find spells by level, since they are in their alphabetically. I’ve gotten so used to go to spells of a certain level and then searching alphabetically, that it is a challenge. The benefit of having all the spells of the same level together is that it facilitates moving characters up through the levels to new spells.
For a new hardcover book, it lays open without effort or having to use the old school exercise for new books. The print is clear and legible and the paper seems heavy enough to take a lot of use.
The only quality issues with the Player’s guide is that some of the last few pages of the book were not separated at one small area at the top of the page. They all separated easily when using gentle effort. Also the fold on the top upper left and right corners of the front and back cover does not look like the illustration got folder over quite as neatly as it should have. None of this is anything I am worried about. There is no obvious issue with the text or the printing, other than what would be found with a full read through. This will be a game table resource, so minor flaws I can live with.
The lay flat of the full rules clocks in at 396 numbered pages which includes all the way through the index. The last two pages are the OSRIC Open License and the Open Game License. The AD&D Player’s Handbook (126 numbered pages), Monster Manual (112 numbered pages including the GenCon ad and other TSR games) , and Dungeon Master’s Guide (232 numbered pages), clock in at 470 pages. I am sure someone has done a comparison of what is different. I know in part that the differences is partly not using the same text as the original, since it is re-worded. Also a cleaner organization can eliminate a lot.
The lay flat is smaller in width and height. Each page is slightly wider and slightly shorter than a standard letter size (8.5″ x 11″) folded in half. With the spiral binding, it is about two inches wider than a letter sized page in landscape.
I find that the print is clean and easy to read, but small, which is a necessity to get so much on a small page. This is probably not an issue for younger eyes, but older eyes requiring bifocals need to be aware of the angles one tries to read it while lying flat. The amount of light on the page will also affect how easily one can read it. I have had thick glasses for nearsightedness since I was 13, but bifocals only the last 6 or 7 years. I find that for me, the angle and the lighting on the page are the biggest factor. I suppose if I keep gaming for a few more decades, I may need the large print version of the lay flat. Do they make one of those?
As with the Player’s Guide, the information is grouped more logically. Also the age generation method is in the player’s section. It optionally lists the height and weight tables. Secondary Skills are missing as are psionics. We rarely used psionics back in the day, but the secondary skill table gave an added bit of flavor. But it’s OK to make up your own rules. I take ideas from other games and other DM’s & campaigns all the time. Make it work the way you and your players like. If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong.
Here are the pictures of the unboxing.
My youngest asked me to teach him how to run a game of AD&D. He lives out of state with his mother, so this isn’t too easy.
Step one I completed today at one of my FLGS, Fanfare, or on Facebook. I was looking for a Player’s Handbook to have extras at the table when I run Village of Hommlet at Marmalade Dog, Feb 6, 7, 8, as part of the OSR track. They had a Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual 2, so I picked them up as well. I was pleased to see that Fanfare has a Marmalade Dog poster, and the poster indicates there is an OSR track. Cool!
They also had the Greyhawk Adventures that straddles the 1e and 2e rules, so I picked it up. Since Hommlet is set in Greyhawk, I figured clerics will use Greyhawk dieties. I have stats on them somewhere on a PDF, I think, but this will make it simple to get any information I need at the table. The main thing is the names of the dieties and anything specific about them for flavor. I doubt a low level adventure will see any D.I.
I then emailed my FLGS on the ether, New Era Enterprises at neweraenterprises at rocketmail.com, AKA Roy Snyder, who helped get the OSR track at Marmalade Dog, to track down a Monster Manual.
I’ll use the Player’s Handbook at the con, but when he comes out with his mother and grandmother to meet his niece, I’ll give him his manuals, PHB, DMG, MM & MM2, and some dice and graph paper. He just turned 18, wow, time flies. He wants to get together and play when he is here, but I don’t think there will be time to squeeze that in, but I hope I’m wrong about that and we can play.
My first grandchild was born two days after my youngest turned 18. He was hoping that he would be an uncle on his birthday.
She is gorgeous! It will be a while before she is ready to roll up a character and play with grandpa. I am sure that we will be playing make believe of one sort or another before she’s ready for even a kid’s version of an RPG. It will be a while yet until she’s even at the peek a boo stage.
Life is good!
I am running the AD&D module, Village of Hommlet at Marmalade Dog 20 the first weekend in February, as part of the OSR Track.
I ordered the A5 Layflat spiral bound complete rules, and the hardcover OSRIC Player’s Guide. In addition to use at the table, I want to present that new players can get the basics they need to run AD&D without tracking down manuals, and without paying anything, if they just want the PDFs. I just ordered them today, so at the latest they should be here the week before I need them. I also want more manuals in case I happen to attract players to get my campaign going again. My son and his girlfriend have not been able to play since the summer.
I do have three copies of the Player’s Handbook, plus I have a tablet with the PDF I purchased before WotC yanked all their PDFs. This should allow most players and myself to have a copy should they need it at the table.
I do have another copy of the original Player’s Handbook, that I snagged on eBay, but it is in near pristine condition. I also have one of the reprints, along with the Monster Manual and Dungeon Master’s Guide, but they are still in the shrink wrap. I get overprotective of my stuff, so the copies I have in play, I don’t mind letting others use, I just don’t want any stains or writing on them, or the covers to be gouged by players using them as writing tables.
My original Player’s Handbook, that I got for Christmas the year it was released, is well stained from many fingers turning the pages. There are small tears and nicks on the edges of some pages, and the cover is somehow wrinkled, like it needs to be ironed, and faded.
I also purchased a PDF copy of the Village of Hommlet, so I can print it up and write on it, and cut out pictures to show the players, without having to write on my copy.
I need to finish reviewing and making notes and create some pre-generated characters. (Does anyone have pre-generated characters that would work well, or have worked well with this module?)
Once I get all that accomplished, I will try to find some others online so I can do a play test, since I have never played this module. It will be for six players. I also need to practice running a game that does not include my children, since they and I can communicate on a different level than someone I have never met or played with.
I picked up a copy of the 3rd Edition Holmes blue book Basic D&D rules at UCON 2014 this weekend.
As I read through it, I found eight bold references to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
This is the third edition, which is copyright 1979. I started playing D&D in April, 1978, so I had either the first or second edition of this boxed set. This was when the three white books and any boxed set were not on the shelves and available to us, and before the revised Red Box full set of rules came out.
I am making an assumption here, but with all those bold faced references to ADVANCED D&D, that colored the thinking of the group I played with. Basic was “simple” and for “children”. We had to have Advanced. We decided to wait until the advanced books came out and managed to keep playing until then. I remember getting the Player’s Handbook for Christmas of 1978, then I bought the Monster Manual and the DMG when they came out.
If it had not been for our ignorant adolescent understanding that there wasn’t that much difference between the two games, we might have used more of the Basic information. Although cost was a factor back then. I had thought about getting Chainmail back then, but I had a subscription to Dragon and had to give my parents money to write a check to renew each year’s subscription. Mowing lawns at $10 each made that money precious and it did not get all the things I wanted. Had I been more industrious back then, I would have been able to afford more of the things I wanted, but had less time to enjoy them. Much the same problem still exists today, if I want paid so I have food, clothing, and shelter, I have to go to work instead of play.
A few things I noticed, after not seeing this for a few decades. While it only goes up to 3rd level for characters, the monster combat table goes to 11+ hit dice, and the monster list includes creatures that are well beyond 3 hit dice. All distances are in feet and some equipment on the list here did not make it into the Player’s Handbook.
This was a how to play book that reorganized the rules. It was not clear to us that this was the case back then. I have so far only had time to skim the rules, but it is clear that one can get a full set of playable rules and a wide selection of monsters in 50 pages, and easily in 60 pages or less. Delving Deeper is only 128 pages of rules with several full page charts and full page illustrations.
I look forward to reading these Holmes Rules and seeing what nuances I missed way back when. I will also read my red box rules and see how it compares to the AD&D I favor over others.
The one line I remember from E.T, besides “ouch”, “E li ott” and “I’ll be right here.”, is “Negative Charisma!” My friends and I all laughed at that, as Dieties and Demigods had already come out and we all knew about negative charisma.
Thanks to OSR Today, I was directed to an article about the game scene at Dungeons & Digressions, and a second article at Geeky Rant about the role of D&D in the making of the movie.
I have some other fantasy RPG manuals.
I have ACKS, I as a supporter, and got my name in the book and got a softcover set of the rules. ACKS has some interesting ideas that I can use.
I just got the Delving Deeper rules, I have read through the PDF, but have not sat down to enjoy this new booklet. I know that there are some interesting ideas in here.
I also got the D&D Next, AKA 5E Starter Set. I have opened the box, but have not made the time to read through it.
I have read through the beta rules and skimmed the version 1 PDFs. I think there are some interesting ideas in 5E, but I have not made the time to dig in and understand it. Creating a character looks to be more complex that I prefer, but I want to be able to sit down uninterrupted and read it through then try generating a character to catch all the nuances. I might play it as a player, but I’m not sure I want to invest in all the rules to run a campaign. Especially since I have spent way more than the new manuals cost just to rebuild by AD&D manuals.
I also have PDFs of the free OSR Clones: OSRIC, Swords & Wizardry, Basic Fantasy RPG, Microlite 20 & 74, and several others. There are lots of interesting little tidbits in each of these rules, and they each have something to offer. I’m a melting pot of rules as a DM. I leave out those things that are too cumbersome or slow things down, and takes ideas from other DMs and other rule sets. I think we all do that. I don’t know of any DM that does everything by the book. If you did AD&D like that, it would be interesting. I am sure there are some out there that don’t understand that the point of D&D is to use the rules that work for you as a DM and for your players.
I explain RPGs to novices as “make believe with rules”. Growing up, we played cowboys & indians, cops & robbers, army, etc. The disagreements that came up were, “I shot you!” “No, you didn’t.” RPGs put rules on encounters AND have a referee to make it work so that there is some structure that puts a common framework that everyone understands that they use for the mutual experience so that all involved have fun.
I ordered a Dieties & Demigods with the Cthulhu and Melnibone mythos from Wayne’s Books on Wednesday evening, October 29th, and it arrived on my doorstep today, Saturday, November 1st! I am sure it made it to me so quickly is that I live in the lower penninsular of Michigan, which is the Eastern Time Zone, and Wayne’s Books is in Arizona, which is in the Mountain Time Zone, so a one or two hour difference. Wayne commented on my article that it was being shipped that same day! Excellent service!
Below I will have pictures of the unboxing, the contents, and a group picture with the DDG from my son. My son got home from work about two hours after I placed my order, and gave me a belated birthday present. We had a big laugh about that!
Below you will see what you can expect when you order something from Wayne’s Books.
The self-sealing box from the USPS was also well taped with packing tape. It wasn’t coming open without some effort, and care!
It was packed tight with cardboard and paper grocery bags, so it had no wiggle room.
Here’s all the packing material. It is obvious that it needs to come out before the book, so the book comes out easily.
The book is in a plastic protective cover that is taped shut then placed inside a UPS padded mailing envelope.
The book before the final layer is removed. This is kind of like those Russian dolls….
Taped to the plastic book protector is the packing slip with a handwritten note of thanks.
Inside the plastic protective cover is a business card with notes on this order. This is a very good idea! Others who ship things should do this.
At first I wondered if this was a catalog, but soon saw it was a module or something. Was this a mistake? I didn’t order this!
No, it’s not a mistake.
Woo hoo! Free stuff! I read a couple of the Elric books way back. I don’t recall details. This looks interesting and has some cool art. I’ll add this to my reading list.
Finally, my new books side by side. The one from my son on the right, and the one I ordered on the left. The quality of the book I got from Wayne’s Books matches what he advertised, and it is in noticeably better condition than the one my son got me, but the one my son got me had a kid’s name on the front and it was obvious that it had been used at the table, or at least was well read.
The one I bought is going back in the plastic sleeve, just in case.
I really liked the art of the Cthulhu and Melniboe mythos, plus there are some cool critters and ideas in there. I’m not sure I’ll ever get to use them in my campaign world, but you never know.
I have mentioned elsewhere the Water Damage Incident that destroyed most of my original AD&D manuals and other game things. My character notes and campaign notes survived.
Below I will show pictures of what I was left with and then the now end results.
Two manuals, my dice bag, my miniatures, and one half of my Dave Trampier DM Screens survived.
I also had two modules, the Player Character and NPC Record Sheets, and I photocopied the Combat Calculator from Dragon Magazine, rather than cut up my magazine. (I had all the Dragon Magazines from about issue 50 to about 150 or so. I needed money and gave them to my brother. He never gave me any money, and my parents had a water leak in their basement, and all the Dragons were mush….)
I only bought one Hexagonal Mapping Booklet. I still have 6 sheets left. I could make that 7, as one has a lightly pencil drawn star chart for my footsteps into Mega Traveller. I started building a campaign about 25 years ago, and that’s all I did with it. I still have the box for that and the manuals.)
I really wish you could just go buy these like in the good old days….
I only ever bought two modules back in the day. I bought Ravenloft for the cool 3-D style maps. I bought Village Of Hommlet for a low level adventure. I have never ran either of these. If I recall correctly I have played Ravenloft. I do have several of the classic modules in PDF from DriveThruRPG, etc.
What’s not to like about these maps. I think they are cool, and like most players of RPGs, I like maps!
The saddest part, was that one of the books was the Dieties & Demigods with the Cthulhu and Melnibone mythos. Several years ago, when I decided to rebuild my collection, I soon found most of the other rule books at my FLGS. All except the DDG. Then a few days ago, I ordered the DDG with Cthulhu from Wayne’s Books. About two hours after that, my son got home from work, and gave me one as a belated birthday present.
Below is a picture of my rebuilt collection with the DDG from my son, including a Dave Trampier DM screen.
I also added the Wilderness Survival Guide and the Dungeoneer’s Survival Guide, which I never had.
Also this past summer, I stopped by Table Top Game and Hobby, on my way to my baby sister’s wedding, and picked up the core book re-prints. (This is the 20th year of operation, and the owner, Phil Kilgore, who was a year or two behind me in high school, but we gamed together often back then, had customers roll a d20 for a percentage off. I rolled bad, a 2, and he let me re-roll and I got 8% off, I think. Phil said back in high school that he wanted to open his own game store, and he did.) I am keeping them in their plastic wrappers, just in case.
I also have another Player’s Handbook with the Dave Trampier cover. It is in near pristine condition, but I could not find it to include here.
I also managed to get most of the PDFs before WotC halted them. I got the Player’s Handbook, which is now unavailable since they started selling them again. I didn’t get the Oriental Adventures PDF, I don’t remember if it wasn’t available, or because I kept mis-remembering and thinking I had the book. I picked up Oriental Adventures last year, and the Fiend Folio this past spring.
Here is an inside shot, of my precious…. I mean, the birthday present from my son. Now my collection is restored and expanded.
Here is the “final” stack of my AD&D Manuals, less the like new Dave Trampier cover Player’s Handbook, and the Dieties and Demigods I order from Wayne’s Books, on Wednesday, October 29th. Of course, just after I finished uploading these pictures and putting my manuals away, the mail came with my new precious. I will write up another post with the unboxing.
