End of Year Random Thoughts
Another year of life passes us by and another year of OSR gaming ebbs into that morass that is the holidays. Between wrapping, unwrapping presents and cleaning up the mess we get to spend time with loved ones and Family but as Dungeon Masters we always have a candle in the back of our mind for that next adventure. That next diabolical plan of cultists, dragons and fiends who seek to destroy the Fantasy world we live in from time to time. Have you made plans for your next series of unfortunate events for your victims, er I mean players ?
It is also that time of year when people make those New Year New ME bullshit resolutions. Never been one of those types but I tend to make a list of goals for life and my hobby around this time. It can be a bit depressing which is more reason to make attainable goals instead of insane out of reach shenanigans. It's best to do that with your gaming as well. Have a few monsters you have not used before but decided you just have to give them a new go or a variant twist? Make a note of it then make a goal of it. Best to plan it out instead of just dropping it in random. Although that can work as well.
I think I will aspire to get another table game in my local area again. Its the way we used to play before being ostracized to the Realms of ROll20 to find our OSR games. Being from a fairly rural region that can be a harder goal than most especially since working nights is a pain in the ass. The 5e scourge fills most tables that I am aware of and the local gaming store has 3.5 and pathfinder hold outs. I get individual preference for an edition or game as I am definitely a BX/Labyrinth Lord/First Edition kinda player and DM. But a goal is a goal, handouts and banter at a table always had more of a gaming feel than my online adventures but I do have an ongoing 3 year open table game on ROll20 that is still chugging along. Not as many players as in the past but still delving deeper in to the bowels of Stone Hell. Maybe one day they'll discover what really lurks in the depths but with so many near misses and close calls as of late, who knows. Mayhap I shall post another call to arms for players on Minds....
The general OSR scene is still a bunch of grouchy grognards proselytizing their preferred; and in allot of cases the newest 'thing' or updated old school, game or what not. The over commercialization of the hobby looms big on the horizon and the success of 5e overshadowing the gains made in the OSR with hordes of new players seeking adventure or a new experience just like they seen on the youtubes ! Methinks that's a bigger pain in the arse than it is worth but to each his own. The generational mind set difference is the biggest obstacle to adding younger players to the old man's tables that I have noticed. Kick-start your imagination kiddos its a save or die kinda world and to some that s just not fair... as if anything in this world or the infinite worlds of our imaginations are really fair. Keep your 9 page back story to yourself I'll be happy with no more than paragraph and we can add on as we go along.
On to broader gaming issues such as cons. Being taken over by geek culture and corporate messaging thus my days of attending such things are prolly done completely. These past few years have seen authors dis-invited because of the political views which have never; as far as I have seen, been brought up in a con outside of a personal conversation or direct question. But that's the world we live in now. Maybe we can make a Right Wing OSR Con one day but you know the venue would be assaulted because the SJW/Regressive Left crowd couldn't abide y'all enjoying yourselves. The constant LGBTQQ++ alphabet soup agenda being adopted by corporations everywhere boggles my mind as well. There will be those whose knee jerks and back spasms to be the first to virtue signal that the 'gaming community' has always been welcoming of 'insert which group is screaming atm' but seriously maybe your table but I've only had mentally stable people in my house. Well, for the most part. And this community word gets brought up quite a bit. I get the feeling the folks who use it the most simply want to put up gates to said community if you doubt me look at the Cons. Its cancerous PC agenda that doesn't know how to stop.
As for new products and stuff I'm not big on purchasing allot of junk. I get a #megadungeon and I expand from there using my own imagination with side quest sand adventures being of my own make largely.. I think honestly that I could run another 20 years of gaming with the big four #megadungeons I have been using the past couple years. With some twists I think I could do Stone Hell on the Borderlands dump the Barrowmaze into the local swamp to the south and have the Floating megadungeon Highfell float over occasionally and have the Forbidden Caverns of Archai in the lands to the East of the Borderlands. Boom you have enough adventure for up to four different groups easily. Playing once a week that is allot of material.
Well enough random rambling this morning
Game Well, Game Often
#OSR #DnD #MindsGaming