Friday, January 27, 2012

Open Friday: AD&D Reprints

The recent announcement that Wizards of the Coast would be reprinting the original three Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rulebooks this April caused quite a stir in the old school community, with lots of us who hadn't bought a WotC product in years expressing great interest in picking these up. With that in mind, I thought I'd do a little poll this week for those of you who intend to purchase copies of the reprints. So, if you're not going to buy copies, this poll isn't for you.

Here's the question: Do you intend to run an AD&D campaign and/or adventure once you've acquired your copies of the reprints? Feel free to elaborate on your response in the comments below, especially if your answer is "I'd like to, but ..."


97 comments:

  1. Yes I buying the reprints. I have many copies of the AD&D core books but the chance to buy them new again is something I just can't avoid.

    Plus my oldest son has been wanting to play 1st ed for a while now and he wants a copy of these books for himself.

    If we do play, and there is every chance that we will, I going to have to run them through T1.

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  2. I say Not Likely because 1) I'm buying 'em to support the idea and hope WOTC will continue along these lines (I've still got my original copies in good shape), 2) Between running games for my grandson and the podcasts I'm pretty much entrenched in Basic and 2E.

    -SJ

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  3. I voted "No" but I think the poll lacks on option : "I already / I will play an AD&D campaign/adventure but with a retro clone ;) "

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  4. I've voted no, but I imagine I'll be using them extensively in support of my Microlite game.

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  5. I'm planning on buying them for an number of reasons, but I wouldn't ever actually RUN an AD&D 1e campaign (though I'd play in someone else's). I didn't run AD&D 1e when it was current! When I want to run old school D&D games, the Basic and Expert rules completely satisfy my needs and always have - anything more than that is just way too complicated. (Honestly, I'd love to see them reprint the Moldvay/Cook Basic and Expert rules - which in my own completely biased way I consider almost the pinnacle of what a rules-light version D&D should be. THAT would be something I could guarantee that I'd play.)

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  6. I already have the books, (and currently am trying to set up a campaign), so I won't be buying reprints (although I fully support the idea of them printing them).

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  7. You can not ... not run at least one game. I was really hoping that they would jsut bundle all three together. Then there is the other problem I am not in the USA, and I am going to have to find someone to buy them for me ....

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  8. I voted Absolutely! Truth is I already run a weekly AD&D 1st Edition campaign. I'll get these new prints and my campaign will keep on chugging along.

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  9. I'd like to break into 1E stuff, but I'm not sure my players of my usual group would be in for it.

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    1. Depending on what you're playing, you could try bringing them round to the rules-light way of thinking within the existing campaign. Maybe show how the approach could work in particular situations or hint at the players doing things they wouldn't usually, or which the ruleset doesn't necessarily cover fully or smoothly. It could work especially well speeding things up at the end of a session, more so if the players were grateful, and they'd have it fresher in mind as they left. Getting used to it over time, they might make the jump by choice later.

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    2. Sadly I'm in the same boat. I'd love to play AD&D but my group won't play an "old" game. They are locked into the illusion of options that 3rd edition brings.

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  10. I'd be tempted to try running one, but I suspect it's just too fiddly for me (it was at the time)... and if I strip out the fiddly bits I'm not sure what's left that makes it AD&D

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  11. I voted no. While there were bits and pieces from AD&D that I might kadge, or that I liked, as a game it's my second-least favourite edition of the game (behind 2nd edition, which I loathed because it seemed to take all the worst features of the 1st edition and pretend that they were the best bits). (Note that I even far prefer 4e to 1st/2nd ed AD&D.)

    Given my preference, if I want a crunchy, vast game with hefty rules, I'll play Pathfinder (and I am); if I want a rules-lighter, more imaginative game, I'll play some form of old-school D&D (most likely based on Labyrinth Lord, but perhaps with bits kadged from other places -- I do like Lamentation's simple skill system, and its notion that the only class that gets better at combat is the 'Fighter').

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  12. My group is currently engrossed in the Kingmaker AP for Pathfinder, but we're all SUPER excited about this.

    Still, I hope to run a one-shot or so after we get 'em!

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  13. I'd like to, but...
    I'm already running a game using LL with the Advanced Edition Companion. There's no reason for me to shift things over to AD&D unless the players really want to do it. If they're game, I'd switch. Knowing my players, though, they're perfectly happy with LL+AEC. It's a lot closer to what we really played back in the day when we said we were playing AD&D than by-the-book AD&D anyway.

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  14. I'll buy them but not likely to use in running the game. I have many copies of the original books to use for that purpose. Justs need the new ones because "I have a gaming book problem!"

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  15. I doubt I will. To my mind, the money would be better spent on supporting new developments, old school, new school, alter-school or just plain out of school. It's hard to argue we empower gamers or encourage today's gaming revolutions - or even support existing niches, including our own - by buying something that's already out there from a major concern. We can donate to the fund independently and then spend the rest elsewhere. There are creative people commenting on this thread that could likely use the money more than the guys at WotC with big brands to pay their bills.

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  16. I am not buying reprints. I have a working set of all D&D core books original White Box through to Watsee (WoTC) D&D 3.5 edition with two volume PH and DMG. I use the AD&D 1st Edition books and the Moldway Red book 99% of her time. The toher stuff is for inspiration and to re-read. I also use the AH edition of RQ. I see no need for purchasing re-rpints. The biggest disappointment in WOTC for me was that Gary Gygax's AD&D Dungeon Master Guide and Moldway's Red Book Section on Aventure Design have better and more advice on how to design your own settings, campaigns and adventures, than anything published by the WOTC. Which is why I didn't purchase the 4th Edition DMG. I design all my content and WoTC books are USELESS.

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  17. I'm buying the reprints. I'd be tempted to play if this wasn't a limited edition print run, but since it is, they'll end up in plastic protector sleeves like the rest of my 1e collection. I'll continue to use and abuse my copies of Labyrinth Lord + Advanced Edition Companion.

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    1. Be careful which plastic sleeve you use for that. I have a Manual of the Planes and the plastic has melted on to it. I am very unhappy about that.

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    2. What kind did you settle on? I think the ones I have are "archive quality" magazine-type protectors like the ones used for comic books.

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  18. I chose ABSOLUTELY! but we've already shifted back to 1e AD&D (3 core books only), so the decision to reprint these had no real bearing.

    I will (probably) buy copies, but I've been stocking up on eBay bargains of the originals and have even cut some apart to make my own high-quality scans. My purchase, should I choose to accept, will be motivated by "nostalgia" and a show of support to WotC for their decision to make them available.

    Word verification (and I'm not making this up): PHOOKER.
    As in: "I'm glad those phookers are reprinting these."

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  19. I already run AD&D games, so of course I'm going to run one. Not because of the reprints; because I already run AD&D games.

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  20. I will buy them, but I voted 'Probably Not' as our campaigning in game (now in its 4th year) as settled on LL for our rules set and I pull in AD&D magic items and spells using either LL AEC or the original books.

    I don't see a need to run AD&D anymore sadly as I view the 'rule density' as just as off-putting as 3.5e.

    I still go back to the DMG for great stuff though. I actually got a chance to roll on the random disease chart! The PC got a intestinal infection.

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  21. I'm going to cheat a bit here.

    No, I am not buying the reprints. However, a friend of mine has two or three AD&D 1e DMGs sitting around on his bookshelf that I've been thinking about trading or buying from him for a while. This has become especially relevant lately because he just claimed he was suffering from gaming burnout, and I want to make sure he doesn't chuck them.

    My goal in picking them up would be support for my Swords and Wizardry campaign, and to give to a guy I'm planning to train as a DM.

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  22. I have the originals, but I'm hoping to pick up a PHB and/or a DMG. I'm running Labyrinth Lord's AEC right now, and drawing stuff I like out of the DMG (city encounters, henchmen hiring rules, etc.). The kind of AD&D I'd run would look too much like LL to really switch, anyhow.

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  23. As one of the unfortunate many who have parted with their original RPG collections (for reasons that naturally seemed good at the time) and lived to regret it, I'm very excited for the opportunity to purchase nice clean copies of these books for my reading pleasure. I've obtained various used copies along the way but there is something about RPG books -- especially THESE books -- that makes them very personal to their original owners and I always felt a strange distaste for the idea of curating someone else's gaming history. As for my running an actual AD&D campaign, I have to doubt that it will happen. As much as the OSR has inspired me to want to play RPGs again, I think that if I ever get around to running an campaign it will be with a much simpler system (I am currently most intrigued by the new edition of Advanced Fighting Fantasy).

    But one hopes the reprinting of these seminal works signals a growing awareness of their historical value among those who have it within their power to make available (through legitimate channels) the other works by this and other luminaries of the hobby's golden age. I would pay a lot of money for an omnibus edition of Gary Gygax's modules in a nice hardcover, for example. Whether or not one considers them to be viable tools for actual play (to be clear, I certainly do), they are undeniably fascinating historical documents.

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  24. I have to preface this with this statement: I haven't been in a regular gaming group for years because my erratic schedule doesn't allow for it. So there is no real chance that I'd be running any type of campaign in the near future.

    That having been said, I vote No. My first introduction to RPGs was via the Moldvay box set of D&D. To me that will always be the pure version of the game. AD&D is made for rules lawyers, where D&D is made for story telling.

    I would run a Labyrinth Lord campaign if I wanted to go pure fantasy as it is so close to the game that first got me into the hobby of gaming. If I had my druthers, I would run a mix of Labyrinth Lord and Mutant Future because one of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons was Thundarr the Barbarian.

    P.S. Even thought I have shot of running a campaign much less even playing in one, I just recently ordered both softback versions of Labyrinth Lord and Mutant Future just to support Goblinoid Games. Thanks James for making me aware of such a great company.

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  25. I'd like to and some in my Wednesday night group are on board with the idea, but I'm not sure they understand that I would enforce all the rules they hate.

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  26. I am not planning on buying the reprints, so as you say, this poll is not for me. Not directly...

    I am running some games at my local gaming convention next month for which I originally planned to use Labyrinth Lord, and am now strongly considering running them as straight AD&D instead. Part of my reasoning for that is to encourage those who play in my games to go out and buy those reprints. I know lots of folks who already one one or more copies of these books will buy the reprints, but personally I'd much rather see them in the hands of people who never owned the originals.

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  27. I'd like to, but I've already ran a 1st Edition game. I found a lot of mechanics as presented in the hardcovers to be clunky and hard to use. The combat system with segments and declared actions before initiative was VERY complicated to run.

    Also, the ranger was grossly overpowered; by 5th level he's a dueling-death machine with his "chosen" enemies, which happen to be the most common monsters in the game.

    Finally, the lethality of the game is obnoxious. Failed your poison save? Dead. Lost a level to a wight or spectre? That's 10,000 GP MINIMUM for a restoration spell. If you have players who enjoy rolling up new characters, they probably wouldn't mind, but most gamers these days would like to have a bit more survivability.

    And yes, I can hear you now: "Just house-rule all that". Well, the point of RUNNING a 1st Edition game is to use the rules as presented.

    I'm actually starting up a Castles & Crusades campaign, which I find to have enough old-school feel to it combined with 3rd Edition mechanics to make it playable for me and my group without major revision.

    All that said, I only waffled for a day before calling up my game store to reserve a set of the reprints. I'd like to see that memorial to Gary in Lake Geneva!

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    1. I'd have to say, if character survivability is what you're looking for, I don't recommend AD&D. Personally, I like bodies constantly lining my dungeon halls.

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    2. Actually, the point of running an AD&D game is to have a good time, not to adhere to the letter of the printed rule. That being said, if you want to stick to every rule as presented (which Gygax never did) why not tone down encounters, not rely on dice for results on every encounter? I do agree with what you said about the ranger; it can be a very deadly class. But then again, the DM has total control over what the party runs into, so mix in some monsters that the ranger doesn't totally annihilate?

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  28. While I'm waiting on hearing whether the paper quality is up to par of my original books, I voted "I'd like to, but ..."

    Reasoning being, I've been preparing for an OD&D Whitebox game right now and I'm not sure whether I'll want to switch over to AD&D any time soon.

    That being said, I often still use AD&D for one shots when home for the Holidays, so the books would at least get some use then.

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  29. While I am excited about WotC's announcement, I sincerely hope that the reprinting doesn't divert people from all the fantastic small presses that are out there. With that said, it's conceivable that the publication of the old edition may in fact help the retro community. I hope that it does.

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  30. I'm very excited about this! I will definitely run a 1e adventure, I picked up the Scourge of the Slave Lords book a year ago and may give that a go!

    I hope the new cover art does these books justice!

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  31. I just bought copies of the three core AD&D books a few months ago and I'm DMing my very first 1E campaign starting next weekend. Fortunately there will be some veteran PCs, but I've only ever played 3.5 and 4E in the past.

    Am I insane?

    Oh and I probably won't be buying the reprints. But I'm thrilled WotC is releasing them. I'm especially excited to see what the new covers will look like.

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  32. I've been on the fence about buying the AD&D reprints. My main motivation would be to support the Gygax Memorial - but they accept Paypal donations, so why shouldn't I just contribute at the source? And I've got copies of the 1e core books (with Easley covers) packed away, not being used.

    Regardless of whether I spring for the WotC reprints or not, there's a pretty small chance that I'd actually use them. I doubt I could talk my group into playing 1e - and I've got enough CoC and Runequest material to run plenty of satisfying campaigns.

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  33. Already playing AD&D. I doubt I'll buy the reprints, since I have the old books that will probably outlast the new crappy bindings and paper quality by at least 50 years. My 2nd edition books fell apart in a year, I played a 3rd edition campaign for about a year, those books fell apart. My 1e books have been in play off and on (mostly on) since 1981. They've had drinks spilled on them, been tossed in the back seats of cars, in backpacks, dragged on camping trips, thrown at players, slept on, etc and they're still going strong.

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  34. I live in another country other than the continental U.S., so it's not likely that I can put my hands on a copy. Would be fun to run an old-style campaign, though.

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  35. I think it is awesome that WOTC is reprinting these. I probably won't buy them, because I already own the 1e books plus I have a nice copy of OSRIC. I would run a 1e game tomorrow if my players wanted to. Since WOTC is afraid of PDFs they should make their back catalog available as POD. That's my opinion.

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  36. No. I've never played AD&D1 and the reprints alone are unlikely to make me do so -- OSRIC has been out for years, after all -- even if they were available outside North America.

    That said, I would buy a copy of the DMG with the wizard opening the door as the cover, as I've always liked the image. Alas, they're not reprinting the covers.

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  37. I already have an AD&D campaign in progress but will be buying these as a gift. I would love to see reprints of classics modules next!

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  38. I hope so. I hope to some day run some AD&D even without the reprints, but now that there are reprints, I can use those as additional copies to keep at the gaming table for reference.

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  39. I am, simply because forcing PCs to roll up under 1st rules to run an adventure is faster then converting to another system.

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  40. I already own multiple copies of the three core books (including the original copies I bought three decades ago). So picking up a copy of these will be nothing new.

    I'll run an AD&D campaign again *eventually*, though. :)

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  41. No question about it. I currently run 2 B/X campaigns w/ LL AEC to give us the classes from 1E so my group will certainly be interested in going full on 1E AD&D for a while just to shake things up.

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  42. Already running an AD&D game and I will be buying them.

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    1. A Finieous Fingers avatar! I'm new at the Grognardia blog, and seeing this reaffirms I made the right choice on which blog to follow.

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  43. I'm running a 1E campaign right now!

    D.

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  44. My homebrew game is based on 1e and I have a well-worn set of books that I leaf through regularly. I plan to pick up the new books mainly to show support for the wonderful gesture WotC has made in reprinting these books (I hope they see the business sense in printing others).

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  45. I'd like to but the majority of my players fail to see the point doing such a thing, as they feel that the 3.x/Pathfinder ruleset is basically an improved and superior version of the 1e rules. While I like 3.x/Pathfinder a lot, I would love to run or play in a AD&D 1e game. But this will not be the case with my group. Well, maybe I am being too hasty; perhaps like a one off adventure for old times sake, but I seriously doubt a long term, meaningful campaign.

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    1. I do plan on getting the reprints, regardless of whether or not we play a 1e game.

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  46. I'm too invested in, and having too much fun with, my ongoing S&W:WB + OD&D campaign to try to change now. I'll probably buy at least one of the books, as my originals of 2 volumes are in great shape, but I have no desire to go back to 1E.

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  47. I am about to start a new AD&D 1e campaign tomorrow, so its perfect timing to get new copies for my new group! ;)

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  48. I have been running a AD&D sandbox campaign for about 6 months now. The reprints will just give my old books a rest.

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  49. No to the AD&D Campaign, for certain. I'm mostly a homebrew guy. But, I love the Old-School Classics: B4:The Lost City, B2:Keep On The Borderlands, I1:Dwellers In the Forbidden City, L1:The Secret of Bone Hill, I2:Tomb of The Lizard King, C2:Ghost Tower of Inverness, B1:In Search of The Unknown... Man, the list goes on and on! :-) So, adventures, Hell Yah!

    When I run any of these excellent D&D/1E(and some sweet 2E stuff) Adventure Modules, the group will use either Labyrinth Lord/Moldvay, Cook, Marsh B/X or Tunnels & Trolls 5.5. No AD&D nostalgiacs populate my crew, surprisingly. Might be their age.(Some have never even seen the godsawful cartoon...) Or not. The Tunnels & Trolls/ B/X/ BRP rules and adventures are older than most of them, and they love 'em . It's probably 'cuz they didn't get the 80's memo about how D&D is for 'kids' and T&T is a 'joke', and BRP is for 'pretentious' types! ;-)

    The DMG is a living historical artifact, a useful utility on occasion, and a pleasure to read, as I'm a fan of 'High-Gygaxian' prose(as may be evident in my posts here and elsewhere), but the AD&D 'core' rules themselves add an unnecessary and constraining level of complexity(the official 'add-ons' being even more so!) atop the fast moving, easily utilized and free-form D&D mechanics, imo. Not to mention the books are shot through with the high-handed nonsense about playing the game 'right' that had crept into the hobby at that time.... Extra marks for making the hardbacks virtually indestructible, though.

    The real value of the AD&D line was timeless, seminal adventures(which can be found in the roughly contemporaneous 'Classic' D&D line as well, of course.) and TSR UK's matchless, endlessly fascinating, awe-inspiring Fiend Folio! :-D Re-release these, Wizbro!

    I'm picking up the books to support the Gygax Memorial(again; you can never give too much, imo), throw some cash at my local gaming store, and hopefully encourage Wizbro to reprint more of their back catalog.

    And, of course, now people who don't have new AD&D DMGs, MMs, and PHBs can get brand spanking new copies(with new covers! um, yay? ;-) ) and no longer have to scour game store discount bins, flea markets, garage sales, thrift stores, second hand stores, E-bay and related websites, etc... and end up with battered, stained, loose, torn copies for their troubles!

    I'm particularly interested in seeing poll results on this one.

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    1. I'm right with you on the home-grown bit. I honestly haven't played AD&D by the rules since those original AD&D books. So mine has been an altered version of that. I've mixed Traveller/Snapshot rules in there at times too...I mean decades of play with the same group really changes the game. I would like to join a group playing the old school rules (because I know them better than anything since), even with any problems it may have. Age has mellowed me when it comes to any gripes I've had about rules. Conversely, I'm also experiences enough to alter them on the fly if needed.

      Since I find it virtually impossible to find the originals, I would do whatever it takes to get a hold of reprints of the original Adventure Modules. Seeing the artwork of D. A. Trampier and friends would do so much to my personal morale.

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  50. I'm unsure as to whether I'll buy these reprints or not. I am leaning toward it now. If I do, it'll probably be just for the sake of nostalgia as much as anything. My copies (as we've heard a lot) are in fine shape and I don't expect I'll be playing AD&D 1st Ed much in the future. I had fun with it (and 2nd as well), but it really isn't my preferred version of the game.

    I tend to prefer B/X (or BECMI, either one) as a main ruleset. (I may screw on a few D&D 3.0 bits on, some online inventions - maybe E6, some of Sham's Grog and Blog's great stuff, or some creations of my own devising as houserules, but the base would be a Moldvay - probably - or Mentzer.) I would definitely buy a reprint of 0D&D, which I don't have, but I suspect that even in that case B/X will be my game of choice.

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  51. No way, the system is so outdated and obselete.

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  52. Whoops - sorry, dude, I'm fucking with you. :-)

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  53. Sadly, I won't be buying the reprints. My gaming dollars are too limited, and my own set of 1st Edition AD&D books in too good condition to justify it. May make a small donation directly to the Foundation, however.

    I wish I had the money to throw at it as encouragement to WotC. I miss being able to pick up some of their older stuff in PDF via RPGNow. They're sitting on a goldmine of a back catalog, if they were just smart enough to realize it.

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  54. I love my vintage originals, still in good shape after all these years. I even have my pdfs, which I use from my laptop, to save on wear and tear of the originals.

    I will purchase the new reprints and run a "proper" AD&D game (insert smile here) for those who would want to experience it.

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  55. Not buying them for the simple reason I have no real use for them, and my gaming budget is quite limited.

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  56. Well, I've actually been hunting many a used book store for the originals, and part of the appeal (as odd as it seems to those that don't share this affinity) is actually the smell of the original books. Scent is a HUGE memory trigger and to have the originals, while having a scent that takes me back to Junior High 1979, is already an accessible bonus. Also, as one that has a lot of digital media, it makes me feel good to help the local bookstores.

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    1. I had to laugh at this. Not so much the AD&D books I have, but I'm thinking of the scent of the Traveller Little Black Books (of which I have three sets, all told). Knowing what's been spilled on them over the years (and hastily wiped up), my most frequently used set likely smells of cheap scotch, beer, pizza, and coffee. :)

      Still senses of all kinds mean something, and can definitely trigger memories, so your point is valid.

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  57. I voted "Absolutely!" though that's not quite true, as we are already starting the campaign tomorrow night. As my previous LL & AEC campaign imploded spectacularly last session, I was already thinking about what to run next, and AD&D was on the short list (it was AD&D, C&C, or another LL & AEC campaign). The announcement of the re-release of the books merely cemented the idea of running the AD&D campaign...

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  58. I can't buy them as not in North America, but the news did inspire me to successfully bid on a Demon Idol PHB on Ebay, replacing my falling-apart Wizard version. Much better for my 1e DMing!

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  59. I answered 'I'd like to, but...'.

    I already own the AD&D books, so, I probably won't buy new copies as mine are in usable condition.

    I also have a lot of newer games which I'd like to run if I ran a game, so I think AD&D will be on a lower priority. It is fun (I ran a mixed 1e/2e game some years ago for some time, and I liked it) but I have other games I'd like to try out.

    Also, if I ran a "traditional" game, I'd probably opt for Lamentations of the Flame Princess or Cyclopedia D&D instead of AD&D. The advanced part introduces more rules and more, well, 'stuff', and I don't think it'd be as fun as plain D&D (or that LotFP).

    Still, this is a very nice thing, and the other books in the AD&D line probably aren't that important for *gaming*. For collecting them, yes, reprinting would be good, but I wouldn't use most of say the Dungeoneer's or the Wilderness Survival Guides.

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  60. I do find it odd that there is a decent number of people who are going to -- or hope to -- start playing AD&D with the release of the reprints. What's wrong with OSRIC? Is it a case of Official Is Better for these people?

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    1. To be clear, I'm not judging anyone, I just find it an interesting phenomenon and I'd like to understand it better.

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  61. @Kelvin - It's probably been pointed out before, and those who didn't buy the original AD&D hardbacks when they were still on the shelves probably can't fully appreciate it, but the part the cover art, interior illustrations, and EGG's unique phraseology (High Gygaxian prose) play in the nostalgia of the game can't be overstated. It was THE game for many back in '78 - '80-something, and even a close simulacrum like OSRIC, which I'm sure is a fine game, simply can't evoke the same magic for me/us. It's like ricecream, tofurkey, electronic cigarettes, or the "updated" Star Wars original trilogy on Blu-Ray... It does the job, but no matter how much you try to make yourself believe it's the same thing, or just as good, it ain't. AD&D is a satisfying feast of quirks, flavor, and rules lacunae--OSRIC is a sanitized, clinical faded photocopy. Plus, they misspell the plural of dwarf throughout OSRIC, and I just can't abide that ;-).

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    1. Wow, the OSRIC hate is strong with this one.. did OSRIC steal your lunch money or something?

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    2. 'Plus, they misspell the plural of dwarf throughout OSRIC'

      I think you meant that they didn't use the Tolkien misspelling of dwarfs in OSRIC. They just stuck to the correct spelling of the word.

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    3. @Chainsaw - Yeah, I hate OSRIC. Which is why I said I was sure it was a fine game.. like just above, see? What I said is that OSRIC isn't for me, and AD&D is.

      @zerohero - Yes, that's what I meant. If "dwarves" is good enough for Tolkien and Gygax, it's good enough for me. But I was being tongue-in-cheek.

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    4. That makes sense, dhowarth; thanks for clarifying!

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    5. @wart: Stop.. you say "which I'm sure is a fine game," suggesting you likely haven't actually looked at it closely (and I'm sure don't know its history) and then go on to bash it at length. The real disconnect is that the creators would also recommend people use actual AD&D, so they created a clone to enable publishing of AD&D-ish products under a common, recognizable platform. They wanted to keep AD&D alive at a time when WotC was crapping all over it and pushing the 4E boardgame on people.

      It's too bad you can't appreciate this contribution to the community.

      Delete
  62. @Kelvin-- I don't get it either. I started playing in 1981 so I understand the nostalgia. But the game should be about what's going on between the DM and the players not the DM and his books.

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  63. What I have a problem with is that all of the original hardcover books are dirt cheap on eBay. You can buy the whole set for less than the price of a single reprint.

    Is some new cover art really what this hobby has come too? Isn't collectible alternate covers one of the things that helped wipe out comics in the 90s?

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    Replies
    1. Heaven forbid if you're not dirt poor and want to buy a new copy rather than hope the used eBay version you get doesn't have missing pages, drawings, smell like cat piss or smoke, etc. Also, I have spent a lot of time looking for copies on eBay. A good copy is less than the new one, but it's not "dirt cheap."

      PS Pretty sure nobody gives a crap about the "new cover" - that is not the appeal (in fact most people are nervous it's going to suck).

      Delete
    2. If you examine average close prices on eBay these books all go for around 10 dollars and you can often combine shipping as the books are listed by the same seller.

      I buy tons of RPG books on eBAY and have never had one that was not exactly as described.

      Delete
    3. Eh, well, I guess our experiences or requried book quality or willingness to wait is different. Just admit your statement was too strong and move on. You've obviously got a bone to pick, so your credibility isn't that great anyway.

      Delete
    4. The only bone I have to pick is with people who think it is some amazingly revolutionary thing when a company republishes material that is already easily available and that they do it in a manner that is both much more expensive and/or implies that the item is rare and collectable.

      And this is not an issue about the book remaining in print, many classics remain in affordable print editions.

      I have several new copies of all three original books, all bought of eBay and Boardgame Geek, with no "quality" issues.

      Your credibility dropped away when you resorted to insults over spending ability and lower item standards in each post.

      Delete
  64. Donate money to the fund if that is important to you but do so directly.

    This is a money grab by WotC to pay bills between editions and nothing more.

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    Replies
    1. You mean to tell me they are reprinting these books to make some money? The horror! You should definitely go to the police with this information, maybe even call Homeland Security.

      Delete
  65. Oh, and yeah, I'm buying a copy and continuing to run my regular AD&D game.

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  66. No, thanks.
    No hate nor love here for either WOTC or Gygaxian prose I'm just fine with OSRIC or L&L/AEC should I need an AD&D fix.
    I do not particualrly care for the originals.
    Fact is that most of the times I'm playing a tweaked simulacrum for "D&D".

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  67. Well, I definitely feel like the odd man out. I already run a weekly hybrid OSRIC/AD&D game with many elements from Unearthed Arcana AND I plan on buying the re-issued books.

    I can understand personal preference when it comes to systems or styles, but I can't understand the hate. I personally don't like BFRPG or the tone of some people on the Dragonsfoot forums, but I don't hate them. Isn't the internet big enough for people to just ignore things or people they don't like?

    I mean, it isn't like D&D is going to die because WOTC or Goblinoid Games or Gary from Indiana does or doesn't do something you don't think is kosher for the game.

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  68. Absolutely! Just not right after I get my hands on them. I'll still be eyeball-deep in Labyrinth Lord gaming, for which I commonly steal AD&D stuff.

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  69. I'd like to, but... I just started with the Pathfinder beginner box, giving it a whirl on saturday night, and everyone enjoyed the session (the production values are really high, by the way, and combat flows quite quickly). I'll be running a campaign using this before making any decisions about switching rule sets for another campaign.

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  70. Highly unlikely.

    I own the original hardbacks, signed by EGG, so I don't need the reprints. And yet, I don't think I can ever again in my life play a game that is that complex.
    Swords & Wizardry Core works for me extremely well.

    But:

    I'd buy (and use) a hardcover collection of all 1st edition and BECMI adventure modules. My collection is still missing a lot of those.

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  71. Super late in the game, but I'll likely only be picking up the DMG and using it to inform my game rather than wholesale adopting the AD&D ruleset—I'm rather fond of LotFP's pared-down rules.

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  72. I still have all of my old 1st and 2nd books, plus the few basic D&D items I started with. I'm hammering together a set of house rules that cherry picks the best parts of each.

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