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OSR Fundamentals |
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For those unfamiliar with old-school revival (or old-school renaissance) roleplaying games, this chapter hopes to apprise readers of what OSR is, what it hopes to accomplish, and why it still matters in an age when heavy hitters like Dungeons& Dragons 5e are so popular.
OSR stands for old-school revival (which is what we mean by OSR in this chapter; others might say it means, ‘old-school renaissance’), and it stands for more than that, too. OSR gaming is more than harkening back to the so-called good ol’ days of roleplaying games. Instead, it is a school of thought that hopes to strip away the meaningless number crunching, the tragic overemphasis on grids, boards, and miniature, and the bloated mechanics of modern roleplaying games. OSR stresses simplicity over complexity. It is the Occam’s Razor response to many modern roleplaying systems.
Ben Milton (Maze Rats) via the wonderfully written (and compiled) OSR manifesto, Principia Apocrypha, sums up OSR gameplay as follows:
The more of the following a campaign has, the more old school it is: high lethality, an open world, a lack of pre-written plot, an emphasis on creative problem solving, an exploration-centered reward system (usually XP for treasure), a disregard for ‘encounter balance’, and the use of random tables to generate world elements that surprise both players and referees. Also, a strong do-it-yourself attitude and willingness to share your work and use the creativity of others in your game.
Lethality. High lethality, or the possibility of death, is an always present force within an OSR-inspired game such as Tears In Rain. Death is everywhere, and players must out wit death—and that’s no easy feat either. The propensity toward high lethality forces players to creatively solve their problems without resorting to violence that would either kill them or leave them seriously injured. High lethality also pushes characters away from the infamous murder hobo cliché of overly powerful characters enacting their violence on a world that is helpless to stop them. Players might try to be murder hobos here, but they won’t make it far. If they do, the bards will sing their songs for generations to come.
Open World. OSR roleplaying games emphasis open worlds. That does not mean the worlds are necessarily limitless. Instead, this means that the game allows wiggle room for exploration, adventure, and interaction with elements of that world. Open worlds shouldn’t feel stifling to players or even their Referees. Open worlds encourage players to move beyond and make a name for themselves, all the while telling death, “Not today.”
Plotting & Storylines. Referees aren’t there to pigeonhole or railroad the storyline. Stories and plotlines should arise from gameplay, characters actions or inactions, and even random tables offered within this game. In other words, matters shouldn’t be completely predetermined in terms of plot and storyline. Referees (and their fellow players) should see these, story and plot, as tools that encourage exploration and help make the world feel open, real, and adventure worthy. Plot and storyline don’t necessarily need to take a backseat, though. They can be useful tools in helping bring players into the gaming experience. Story should always be sacrificed in the name of good gameplay and the overall needs of the gaming group playing this roleplaying game.
Creative Problem Solving. As stated in the chapter above, dice should not be rolled for every action taken by the Referee and the players. Instead, roleplaying, creative problem solving, and critical thinking are to be emphasized over dice roles. Referees needn’t rely on dice every time they issue a challenge to their fellow players. Let them roleplay the situation out, see if they can creatively solve the problem, and then add dice rolls to complicate matters for the players’ characters.
Exploration-Centered Rewards. Many modern roleplaying games overemphasize combat. Tears In Rain relies on a four-pillar model, which deemphasizes the supremacy of violence often found in more modern roleplaying games. Violence is just one of many modes of gameplay, and this game encourages players to find the mode that works best for them.
Combat is one of four pillars in this OSR-inspired roleplaying game. Combat is the smallest pillar, and the one that results in the death of characters on a regular basis. Combat is deadly, and combat is not for those who are strongly attached to their characters. Combat, if one is unsuccessful, can result in a prized character’s untimely death. Death in Tears In Rain has a level of permanence not seen in many modern roleplaying games. Nevertheless, death can be a useful motivator to get players to avoid being a roving band of murder hobos.
Next, is interaction, which emphasizes the players’ interactions with in-game characters or NPCs and other world elements, such as books, scrolls, and maps. Interaction is a great way to explore the open roleplaying world, learn new skills and knowledge, and find unique ways to defeat one’s adversaries.
Exploration is the third pillar, and one that emphasizes exploring the world, or, in this case, the larger universe physically. Exploration broadens characters’ knowledge of the galaxy and opens them up to new adventures and new treasures. Exploration serves as one of the largest pillars in this OSR-inspired roleplaying game, and Referees are highly encouraged to help players explore the galaxy.
Achieving is the fourth pillar, and one that emphasizes the need to achieve something great. Achievements could include stealing a prized gem of a mad bureaucrat, crafting the ultimate weapon for a client, or looting a lost alien temple, full of boobytraps and cryptic alien texts.
XP or experience is one of many rewards players receive for their deeds. XP should be assigned based on the difficulty of the tasks or deeds accomplished.
Lack of Encounter Balance. Encounters need not be balanced. Why no balance? Easy. Death does not care for balance, and neither does nature. If players are confronting something easily defeated, what is the point?
Random Tables FTW. Random tables allow referees to call up new encounters with the use of dice rolls. These encounters keep the game fresh, unique, and moving forward. In this OSR-inspired roleplaying, referees will find plenty of tables that are designed to make their jobs both easier and surprising.
How Do You Play? Before starting any game session, players, as a group, will want to familiarize themselves with this book and its idiosyncrasies. After that has been accomplished, players, as a group, will want to select who will be their REF. The choice for REF should rest on who has the most experience with roleplaying games, and whoever is most comfortable with the role of Referee. Once this has been established, begin character creation as a group and then start playing. Unlimited adventure awaits the bold who play!
How Do You Use This Book? As stated before, this book isn’t a holy text. That means players can use whatever works and discard whatever doesn’t work for their gaming group. See this core rulebook as a set of guidelines, rather than laws, that allow players to find the right setup that works best of their gaming group. Each chapter within this rulebook covers some aspect of gameplay, interaction, and character development. Before starting into the game, consider reading over the subsequent sections carefully, taking note of what works and what doesn’t work for your gaming group.
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