The detours of the OSR or the Gonnerman and Goodman Effect.

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PatB
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The detours of the OSR or the Gonnerman and Goodman Effect.

Post by PatB »

(Well, I'm just going to copy-paste a post written on Facebook — I don't really like the reactions of a certain audience.)

A few years ago, I was jaded with current RPGs like 5e and Pathfinder. I had the impression that my group of players had reached a point of no return in terms of one-upmanship and complicated regulations. I wanted to find the original spirit and atmosphere of the game that I had discovered in my friend's basement on a pool table. During my first search, I came straight to Basic Fantasy and immediately liked the system. I am poor and this was perfect for me. But my friend didn't like the design, he said there were plenty of other OSRs with a better layout. Then followed a long quest for the perfect OSR. I have to confess with some shame that I spent a lot of money on "cool" games when I have to go to food aid to feed myself. I fell in love with the artists of DCC and the magic system of the same game, but I never managed to exploit it well in a "cool" way, I felt like I was lost somewhere in the movie Heavy Metal (1981). Afterwards, after a kind of post-covid depression where I was jaded by everything (hard to explain), I decided to order the Basic and Iron Falcon softcovers and… I fell in love with it. Books are so pleasant to leaf through, to read, to smell (yes, I am like that). The texts are concise with a certain style, pleasant to read, and I think that Hemingway could have written certain paragraphs. Many of you remind him of this daily, but I think the contribution that Mr. Gonnerman has made to the international RPG community is extraordinary.
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toddlyons
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Re: The detours of the OSR or the Gonnerman and Goodman Effect.

Post by toddlyons »

PatB wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 5:05 am I fell in love with it. Books are so pleasant to leaf through, to read, to smell (yes, I am like that).
I totally get that. I recently wrote a book of NPCs for this system (link is in my sig) and there is a Magic-User named Dagfinn Frode (p.47) who does the same thing.

I had a similar response to this game. I spent way more than I should have to get a hardcover made and shipped to Canada (before it was an option on Amazon), but I don't regret it. The game really is a gift, and my own book is intended as a gift back.

This is a great community of people and I'm glad you came to share this.
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toddlyons
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Re: The detours of the OSR or the Gonnerman and Goodman Effect.

Post by toddlyons »

PatB wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 5:05 am (Well, I'm just going to copy-paste a post written on Facebook — I don't really like the reactions of a certain audience.)
I reported that response to the Group Admins there. I hope you did, too. Trolling is not cool.
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Re: The detours of the OSR or the Gonnerman and Goodman Effect.

Post by Solomoriah »

A mod approved it (assuming you're talking about the sleepy emojis) but I questioned the commenter publicly there. Honestly not sure how to interpret the emojis; I've run into cultural differences before so I'm waiting for clarification from the commenter.
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Re: The detours of the OSR or the Gonnerman and Goodman Effect.

Post by Solomoriah »

... and he clarified. He found it boring. So I deleted his comment and warned him.

Honestly. If a post is boring to you, SCROLL ON. How hard is it not to be rude?

Naturally, considering the kind words, I rather liked the post... thanks!
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Dimirag
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Re: The detours of the OSR or the Gonnerman and Goodman Effect.

Post by Dimirag »

Solomoriah wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 9:19 am A mod approved it (assuming you're talking about the sleepy emojis) but I questioned the commenter publicly there. Honestly not sure how to interpret the emojis; I've run into cultural differences before so I'm waiting for clarification from the commenter.
That was me, I was going to ask openly about his comment but got caught in my work, didn't want to shush someone without explicit motive to avoid another "I got an admin angry post"
Sorry for any misspelling or writing error, I am not a native English speaker
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chiisu81
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Re: The detours of the OSR or the Gonnerman and Goodman Effect.

Post by chiisu81 »

Happy to see the post here (I'm not on any social media) and I've taken a similar journey, always coming back to the earlier/"core" OSR games. I do appreciate the artwork and design of the more recent games, but the few I purchase are more "coffee table" books to flip through. For actually playing, and creating material, I'm always back to Basic Fantasy. 8-)
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PatB
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Re: The detours of the OSR or the Gonnerman and Goodman Effect.

Post by PatB »

I may have overreacted with the troll, which I could have just ignored... But hey, let's forget about it.

Chilsu81, you're right, RPG books are meant to be used. There are very nice and heavy and rather expensive 500-page sets that look good on a bookshelf or coffee table, but they're useless. I have a friend who ordered the Old School Essentials books and it cost him a small fortune, but he doesn't want them used for fear they'll be damaged. I find it amusing. If a friend spills pepsi on the Basic Fantasy rulebook, I'm not going to cry murder. In fact, it will remind me with a certain nostalgia of the D&D books that were literally tortured during my adolescence.

Toddlyons, I just downloaded your pdf of NPCs last week, I find it very useful and it reminds me of The Shady Dragon Inn!
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toddlyons
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Re: The detours of the OSR or the Gonnerman and Goodman Effect.

Post by toddlyons »

PatB wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 1:23 pm Toddlyons, I just downloaded your pdf of NPCs last week, I find it very useful and it reminds me of The Shady Dragon Inn!
Really? I never owned that one. As it was, my kid budget (birthday money + lawn mowing + paper route) was pretty much depleted buying the few products I could afford back then: Basic Set, Expert Set, 1e DMG, RG, and the Fiend Folio. My friend had the 1e DMG, PHB and MM and a couple of modules. The rest we home-brewed. But I'm glad it's useful to you! :D
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Re: The detours of the OSR or the Gonnerman and Goodman Effect.

Post by onearmspence »

PatB wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 5:05 am (...) I fell in love with the artists of DCC and the magic system of the same game, but I never managed to exploit it well in a "cool" way, I felt like I was lost somewhere in the movie Heavy Metal (1981). Afterwards, after a kind of post-covid depression where I was jaded by everything (hard to explain), I decided to order the Basic and Iron Falcon softcovers and… I fell in love with it. Books are so pleasant to leaf through, to read, to smell (yes, I am like that). The texts are concise with a certain style, pleasant to read, and I think that Hemingway could have written certain paragraphs. Many of you remind him of this daily, but I think the contribution that Mr. Gonnerman has made to the international RPG community is extraordinary.
DCC is great game and the rich imaginary of its modules are great not only for running them but to mine images and ideas. Their emphasis in the appendix N fiction is inspiring. I dont think this conflicts in any way with the Mr Gonnerman or the Basic Fantasy community. Nonetheless I do understand that some of Goodman's books are not to be used at the table and are more a collector's thing like Judges Guild deluxe books or the Metamorphosis alpha's huge book. Still I dont see any reason to be divisive between two great communities that gives great vibes to the hobby.
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