Texas and the OSR



Yes, this is an actual Texas highway sign.

Although this has turned out to be mainly a wargaming blog, I also play roleplaying games.  The granddaddy of them all, of course, is Dungeons & Dragons.  Although now in its fourth edition with dozens of books and supplements, earlier editions of D&D still retain their popularity.  And now, thanks to the Internet and the Open Gaming License, there has been a resurgence of interest in these Older Sets of Rules.

(Sorry, I can't remember the name of this movement at present.  Maybe it will come to me in a minute or two).

Various approaches to intellectual property have allowed authors to create new games with familiar mechanics, duplicating out-of-print versions of the rules (retroclones).  This movement has lead to more gamers, including me, picking up where they left years ago and going Out Slaying Reptiles. 

(There's even some sort of acronym--three letters, I think.)

Locally, several gamers/bloggers have taken an interest in Our Stuff Revisited, and I've had opportunities to game with a couple of them:  I'm a regular in the San Antonio exploits the Hill Cantons campaign, run by the author of that eponymous blog.  I also successfully ventured into--and back out of--Skull Mountain, run by the creator of The Contemptible Cube of Quazar.  One of these days I hope to earn Gold & Glory at the table of the Troll and Flame proprietor.  There's even a Texas gaming convention dedicated to On-Site Retrogaming, North Texas RPG Con. 

(I remember now: TSR!  Wait, that was the name of the company...)

Some say this trend of playing Old Systems Re-examined is some sort of renaissance, or a revival--a return to the roots of role-playing, as opposed to all the new-school gaming out there.  Whatever it is, it seems to have picked up a lot of momentum around the 'Net.  I'm curious about local interest: Who else here in the Lone Star State is into this whole Other Sort of Recreation?  Let us know in the comments.

(Old-School Renaissance?  Nah.  Can't be.)

By the way, if you're curious about where that road sign came from, this picture will give Texans another hint: