tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post944359066763678258..comments2024-03-19T04:29:47.922-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: Open Friday: Four YearsJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-24086031936216322992012-03-31T15:31:11.825-04:002012-03-31T15:31:11.825-04:00Congratulations, James. Keep the flame lit.Congratulations, James. Keep the flame lit.Desert Rathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14837747666646894084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-90618334078753892342012-03-31T14:35:00.435-04:002012-03-31T14:35:00.435-04:00I'm not exactly a grognard (seriously, I first...I'm not exactly a grognard (seriously, I first got into D&D via Pathfinder. THAT'S what I call late Oo ), and just a few years ago, I was rather amused by the idiosyncrasies of older RPGs. Then I stumbled upon your blog and learned to look at these "antiques" from a different perspective - one I rather like, as I must add.<br /><br />Now, your blog is basically my No. 1 blog for anything rpg-related (okay, maybe not the newer stuff, but you get the idea).Doreshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06287649794589606798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-57510640422903718362012-03-31T09:58:24.040-04:002012-03-31T09:58:24.040-04:00Thank you Sir James for all the work on this blog....Thank you Sir James for all the work on this blog. You have made me see things from a different angle and I can think of no higher praise.Random Wizardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16200875405900408519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-31520718626921792102012-03-31T08:01:10.531-04:002012-03-31T08:01:10.531-04:00Congratulations James, I know that your blog takes...Congratulations James, I know that your blog takes a lot of time and effort to do, so cumulatively over 4 years your blog has become an Opus Magnus of sorts for the OSR to draw upon. <br />Your blog has certainly inspired me and encouraged me to carry on with my own blog.John Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16945534608747334150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-80911929644581690242012-03-30T21:59:55.892-04:002012-03-30T21:59:55.892-04:00Long time fan of the blog. For me, I started diggi...Long time fan of the blog. For me, I started digging out my B/X Basic book when 4e was announced. I was pretty burnt out on 3.x by then, and wanted something to fool around with until the 4e rules were unveiled. But I got hooked. I ordered copies of my long lost BEC books and the B/X Expert book and fell back in love. We also broke out the old Marvel rules (although it never enjoys the longevity D&D has for us).<br /><br />When 4e finally did come out and we started playing, I found I didn't care for it at all. We played BEC and had a blast. Don't get me wrong: 4e has grown on me as an occasional board game/family night affair, but it didn't feel the same.<br /><br />I've been enjoying an LL/AEC game on Skype for the last few months.<br /><br />Viva la OSR!Dan Lawsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03262019864971203627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-28917913728236898542012-03-30T20:00:10.578-04:002012-03-30T20:00:10.578-04:00Just glad that there are other people my age out t...Just glad that there are other people my age out there who remember and are nostalgic for the golden age of RPGing. <br /><br />They say tabletop RPGing are dying and will one day be on the same plane as Faro, tomahawk throwing and Bear Wrestling, but as long as there are blogs like this, and old gamers pining for the old days, those dying days will be pushed back.Byteknighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10054740534108425253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-48728907823580938922012-03-30T16:52:58.262-04:002012-03-30T16:52:58.262-04:00Congratulations. Well done. A blog I enjoy even ...Congratulations. Well done. A blog I enjoy even if I'm out of the overall gaming loop. I actually stumbled across it while I was looking for information on Tolkien. It was a post on his birthday that talked about his influence on the game. I had recently started to play D&D 3rd edition with my boys, since they were into the whole fantasy environment complements of Harry Potter and the LoTR movies. I had tried AD&D a couple times in its day, but not being a big fan of fantasy, it never stuck. <br /><br />After a few months of 3rd, I was less than impressed. Something about it left me with the impression of chewing on tin foil - the sensation of eating but not being satisfied. Once I started reading here, I thought I might dust off those books I bought in the day and start there, and so I did. Not only I, but my family as well, have warmed to the hobby since. <br /><br />It also didn't hurt that there continued a steady stream of discussions and links to a variety of topics relating to that period in the hobby on this blog, as well as helping with its fantasy literature roots. That's how it went with me.David Griffeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06629314279592541401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-59738822208392659682012-03-30T16:21:10.633-04:002012-03-30T16:21:10.633-04:00There was a Renaissance? <grin>
Seriously,...There was a Renaissance? <i><grin></i><br /><br />Seriously, regardless of what actual rules you use, I think the heart of the so-called Old School philosophy is using your imagination to create your own worlds/campaigns, rather than accepting what you have been given as canon. [Not to forget stealing the bits and pieces that other people come up with that you like, and ignoring the stuff you don't. As I started doing nearly 35 years ago and am continuing to do today.]<br /><br />After all, everyone knows that hybrids have greater vigour than a monoculture...Reverance Pavanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01217657347160811310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-72385155446193764712012-03-30T15:34:21.357-04:002012-03-30T15:34:21.357-04:00Congratulations, James! Your blog has been boon to...Congratulations, James! Your blog has been boon to me, first as a resource for learning more about the early days of the hobby, and later by sparking my interest in the OSR. I was already a huge fan of indie, DIY publishing (e.g., the Forge), and seeing a similar blossoming w/r/t classic RPGs was a joy.<br /><br />I think the OSR is one of the most important things to ever happen to the hobby, and you are its leading light. Thank you!buzzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06243298798049780695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-227596363638811962012-03-30T14:44:38.610-04:002012-03-30T14:44:38.610-04:00I had been growing increasingly dissatisfied with ...I had been growing increasingly dissatisfied with my gaming when I stumbled upon Grognardia two years ago.<br /><br />Your blog has been a real eye-opener and ultimately, immersing myself in the OSR scene has led me to start a Warhammer FRP 1e campaign last year. I'm having an absolute blast.<br /><br />Thank you!Johannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13448463364076631580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-85642673072921549792012-03-30T14:37:14.578-04:002012-03-30T14:37:14.578-04:00When I heard about 4th edition I knew that it wasn...When I heard about 4th edition I knew that it wasn't going to be for me. Soon after I found OSRIC, and that was that. Without the OGL and the total break with tradition that 4th edition created I would probably still be using 3.x, so in a way I think we have Hasbro to thank for the OSR.Brendanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00908708023237168012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-22064686244757932482012-03-30T14:31:37.029-04:002012-03-30T14:31:37.029-04:00In March 2008 I was living in the Outer Hebrides, ...In March 2008 I was living in the Outer Hebrides, hadn't played any RPG for about a decade, and was writing an AD&D campaign and a BRP conversion for Skyrealms of Jorune - just for fun, not really imagining I'd ever get to play them.<br /><br />The news of Gary Gygax's death made me nostalgic for the early days and I started looking for old D&D adventures online, which led me to Dragonsfoot and thence to the OSR corner of the blogosphere. Grognardia taught me about Labyrinth Lord. At first I was amazed that someone would still want to play a version of B/X D&D, and then it was as if a light came on and I realised that's where my heart (and head) lay too. Now I run B/X Stonehell Dungeon for a regular group and it's a blast. And I buy more OSR goodies than is strictly sensible. (How many megadungeons does one man need?) Oh aye, and I'm still writing the Jorune thing.<br /><br />Congratulations and thanks.<br /><br />P.S. *cough* Petty Gods *coughcough*ClawCarverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07236809815213343281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-9950409707485043332012-03-30T14:00:54.624-04:002012-03-30T14:00:54.624-04:00I was already running games for a brand new group ...I was already running games for a brand new group (after near a decade off from gaming) when I stumbled across the OSR. My delving into it physically with some local groups and doing some con sessions has had its ups and downs, but it has been fun to appreciate the older stuff with other aging gamers of yore. I never thought about blogging myself, until I heard you on some podcast or another 3 years ago or so, and took a look here. I got inspired and got involved. <br /><br />To some degree the nostalgia has worn off a bit, I've blogged less, and have recently put my efforts into focusing on the incredible group I run for/play with on an almost weekly basis now for 4 years. I ran one of my best Call of Cthulhu games ever Wed night, and my players seem to be blown away (once again I had to pull teeth to get my players to try Cthulhu, and as predicted they love it), so I am going to put even more focus on the actual games and less on arguing with people on forums.<br /><br />But for good or bad James, you inspired me with the blog and I got more invovled online. Thanks, congrats, and here's to another four years.Kevin Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-85748539119371418142012-03-30T13:25:46.906-04:002012-03-30T13:25:46.906-04:00I was simply looking for roleplaying blog when I s...I was simply looking for roleplaying blog when I stumbled across this sit, not even a year ago. I'm a new schooler, grew up with 3.5.<br /><br />But as I read more and play more and even run games more often I find that the some new rules make things almost ridiculous. I've been following the OSR ever since (mostly due to this blog's influence), trying to convince family and friends to give it a try.The Grey Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14106545595366436576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-41837300491560590832012-03-30T13:04:27.534-04:002012-03-30T13:04:27.534-04:00Love T&T!Love T&T!yell0w lanternhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06241328101929206494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-44079564891964977802012-03-30T13:04:02.746-04:002012-03-30T13:04:02.746-04:00Happy anniversary and may there be many more! I...Happy anniversary and may there be many more! I'm not sure what keywords I put into Google in early 2010, but they brought me here! Grognardia was my jumping-off point for my exploration of the OSR. After reading just this blog for a few days, I used your Links of Interest to start exploring other similar blogs. Then I was inspired to start my own blog in order to get into this little community of ours! You and the rest of the crowd led me back to an appreciation of the many OOP incarnations of D&D as well as a new appreciation of the in-print clones. Now, I'm about to embark on a Labyrinth Lord campaign and I can't wait for the adventures to come! I'm thankful to have had Grognardia as a stable foundation from which to explore the roleplaying blogosphere!Anthony Simeonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04312134763577949405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-13887492982265038752012-03-30T12:57:19.019-04:002012-03-30T12:57:19.019-04:00I'm not a big fan of D&D-related games, bu...I'm not a big fan of D&D-related games, but I'm a big proponent of both the Chaosium BRP system and T&T -- both from the 70s.<br /><br />I remember being the sole owner of a BRP-dedicated web-site in the second half of the 90s and in the beginning of the 00s... It felt like a flickering candle in utter darkness. Then all of a sudden we had the BGB, Mongoose RQ, OpenQuest, RQ 6...... There's today more BRP stuff than I can read or buy yet I still have fond memories of those lonely days when I was at the centre of the BRP fandom :)賈尼https://www.blogger.com/profile/03207671300903490067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-67648262509388286152012-03-30T12:55:04.378-04:002012-03-30T12:55:04.378-04:00I actually sold off my Menzter B/X set and gave aw...I actually sold off my Menzter B/X set and gave away my AD&D when 3E came out as I never played them and could never completely wrap my head around THAC0 (much as I still can't understand Mutants and Masterminds) in the 15+ years I owned them. As 3E continued and gave way to 3.5 I became more disenchanted with the products of WotC/Hasbro and the rumors of a 4th edition just sealed it for me.<br /><br />Then I stumbled across the Troll Lords (as I recall because of Goodman Games). I immedicately took to it because it preserved some of the quirkiness and flavor of 1E but was more easily understood. While at the Troll Lord forums, I read veiled references to OSRIC which, at the time, was verboten as possibly an illegitimate use of the OGL. Investigations into the C&C material at Dragonsfoot also led me into contact with more references to OSRIC the Labyrinth Lord.<br /><br />I tracked down OSRIC first and it appealed to a sense of nostalgia. It also showed me that one of the problems I had with AD&D was the organization of the books. <br /><br />Well, since then, I have collected Labyrinth Lord, Advanced Edition Companion, Original Edition Characters, Realms of Crawling Chaos, OSRIC, OSRIC Unearthed, Hackmaster Basic, Spellcraft & Swordplay, Basic Fantasy Roleplaying, Old School Magic, Old School Psionics, Dragons at Dawn, and Spellcraft & Swordplay with Monstrous Mayhem. Oh, I have also preordered DCC RPG.yell0w lanternhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06241328101929206494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-59564259752645360152012-03-30T12:46:51.508-04:002012-03-30T12:46:51.508-04:00Happy anniversary, James! I owe you a tremendous ...Happy anniversary, James! I owe you a tremendous debt of gratitude. I entered the hobby a couple of years after you, and experienced pretty much the same era and fell away for many of the same reasons. My folks visited a year or so ago and brought with them a box of some of my old junk from their shed. Inside was a motley sample of my old RPGs (B(Moldvay)EC, 1E DMG, PH, FF and a couple of modules as well as pages of handwritten notes and scenarios, Star Frontiers, VG’s James Bond, Top Secret, Paranoia, even TMNT (yes, that TMNT – what can I say, I was curious)). Where the rest of the old stuff is now (and there was a lot more), I’ll probably never know, but what was there was enough to send me into a tailspin of nostalgia. (Not knowing this side of me, my wife was appalled to learn that she had somehow wound up married to “one of those guys”.) I discovered your blog through a Google hit of your review of Dungeon’s list of the 30 Greatest D&D modules of all time. I was immediately hooked on your POV, your style, and your experience in the hobby (so similar to, though decidedly deeper than, mine). After that, I systematically read through your archives, learning much and developing some new ideas of my own on the way. A few months ago, I decided to put it all into practice by introducing my own kids to the Old Ways. After a brief introduction to the hobby through Moldvay Basic, I was primarily a pre-DL 1E guy (Ravenloft and DL conspired to ruin my gang back in the day, but that’s another story for another day), but I’ve chosen to re-enlist with BEC. I handle most of the mechanics as DM (though my oldest daughter – yes, I even got the girls hooked – has been absorbing more and more) and just let the kids’ imaginations flow. B2 has never been better, and I’m even carving the start of a megadungeon out of the Cave of the Unknown. Seeing how engaged the kids are and feeling left out of the fun, my wife (!) even asked the other day if she could roll up a character and join us next time. I can’t wait to see what happens, and look forward to some future Bond missions and Rider Haggard-inspired Gaslight CoC. Thanks for everything!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-57164033899707062762012-03-30T12:36:49.808-04:002012-03-30T12:36:49.808-04:00I'd been frozen in carbonite since 1985 - when...I'd been frozen in carbonite since 1985 - whenever Unearthed Arcana came out. For the next five years I recycled old modules, played by the old rules, occasionally joining in another Group's also unchanging Iron Crown Enterprises games... to a diminishing circle of players.<br /><br />By 1992, I was stranded: the old game and I fell into such obscurity that, by the time of my 20th high school reunion, not <i>one</i> of my old pals even vaguely remembered (or, more likely, admitted to remembering) even ever playing the game, a game that consumed my imagination and my Friday nights for more than a decade.<br /><br />Then, one gray and bitter day in March, 2008, amidst howling winds and the first public signs of a global economic collapse*, three words were typed into the internet:<br /><br /><a href="http://grognardia.blogspot.com/2008/03/whats-grognard.html" rel="nofollow"><i>What's a Grognard?</i></a> <br /><br />And my frozen eyes flickered to life.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00851335695807313040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-56942844706499497982012-03-30T12:35:05.716-04:002012-03-30T12:35:05.716-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00851335695807313040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-86008426482027143862012-03-30T12:04:43.550-04:002012-03-30T12:04:43.550-04:00Googled “Gord the Rouge” and it brought me here, s...Googled “Gord the Rouge” and it brought me here, started reading and that lead me to Dragons Foot, that lead me to a 2e gaming group that has been going strong for the last 11 months. <br /><br />Thanks for everythingsevenbastardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11961009160456478009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-2974856043701327142012-03-30T11:43:27.138-04:002012-03-30T11:43:27.138-04:00Congratulation and thank you, James!
It was your ...Congratulation and thank you, James!<br /><br />It was your blog that led me to Swords & Wizradry and then to entire OSR. It taught to read (and to valorize) old RPGs, to see them in a light light (and to get a lot of fun out of them). I also started blogging because of Grognardia.Tzimiscedraculhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16762161243138880483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-89694598763792321932012-03-30T11:39:22.047-04:002012-03-30T11:39:22.047-04:00First off, Congratulations James!
My Story-
I wa...First off, Congratulations James!<br /><br />My Story-<br /><br />I was living in San Francisco for about six months last year and bored one afternoon on the BART I was browsing the web on my iPhone. For reasons I can't remember, I just typed in 'vintage dungeons and dragons' into my browser. The first link brought me here. Holy ^&*$^*, a Vault of the Drow retrospective I said to myself and memories started flooding back about this little hobby of ours.<br /><br /> I hadn't played or purchased any tabletop RPG in years, but I had very fond memories of them. I went back and read your ENTIRE archive and I was hooked. Then I started reading other blogs, forums, et cetera. I exchanged an email with you in which you recommended Labyrinth Lord and I dutifully went out to the only real FLGS in San Francisco proper and purchased their only copy.<br /><br />Flash forward. I just got back from GaryCon and have my tickets ready for the NTRPG Con in Texas in June. I am writing my own module (which I am quite proud of, but which has grown considerably in scope no thanks to the high quality of projects produced by others :) ), I vote with my wallet and buy a huge amount of OSR products, have begun collecting First Edition and earlier TSR products, and have met with both the old luminaries and tons of other like minded gamers. To be honest, I am better for it. I have a life threatening illness and finding my way into this has given me great pleasure and improved my life drastically.<br /><br />So long story short. Thank you James and may you have many more years pontificating and celebrating the hobby.<br /><br />Very Respectfully,<br /><br />Zach GlazarZach Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11818501651830898707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-49435920848554835242012-03-30T11:28:38.377-04:002012-03-30T11:28:38.377-04:00Happy anniversary you old grognard!Happy anniversary you old grognard!John Matthew Staterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310914386482078369noreply@blogger.com