gonyaulax
Level 3 Conjurer
I still miss the 1970s . . . @:^/
Posts: 66 
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Post by gonyaulax on Jan 31, 2024 20:03:47 GMT -6
Maybe this is too similar to the other recent thread that I've just started, but after thinking about it, I decided not to combine the two.
Who has had great influence over how the OSR developed and progressed?
I'm not talking about Gygax, Arneson, Bob Bledsaw, etc., but rather like . . .
Matt Finch
our own Finarvyn (Marv Breig)
and Justin Alexander (who has published a GREAT book, by the way).
There are so many. Who would you "nominate"?
While I'm not trying to do a history of the OSR, both of these threads will help me "fill in the gaps" as I'm sure that there are both people and blogs I've overlooked!
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Post by rredmond on Jan 31, 2024 20:26:15 GMT -6
Stuart Marshall belongs on the list for sure.
Jim Kramer (RIP) also played a hand in OSRIC.
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Post by Piper on Jan 31, 2024 20:31:32 GMT -6
Nobody
In my humble opinion, the spirit of 1974 gaming is in the hands of the players and referees out there, old and new, and not in the hands of any one person.
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gonyaulax
Level 3 Conjurer
I still miss the 1970s . . . @:^/
Posts: 66
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Post by gonyaulax on Jan 31, 2024 21:02:48 GMT -6
NobodyIn my humble opinion, the spirit of 1974 gaming is in the hands of the players and referees out there, old and new, and not in the hands of any one person. Hey, Cameron! Not to disparage your opinion (you are not necessarily wrong), but seeing as how I've got a fair amount of material with your name on them, I would count you as at LEAST on the fringes! But thanks for your reply. |
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Post by Piper on Feb 1, 2024 0:23:09 GMT -6
Hey, Cameron! Not to disparage your opinion (you are not necessarily wrong), but seeing as how I've got a fair amount of material with your name on them, I would count you as at LEAST on the fringes! But thanks for your reply. Well, I so appreciate the kind words and I’m perfectly okay with different opinions. I am glad what I’ve written has helped you. |
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Post by waysoftheearth on Feb 1, 2024 18:24:25 GMT -6
Who has had great influence over how the OSR developed and progressed? Perhaps "great influence" isn't the best term? IMHO the (so called) OSR is a pretty fuzzy label that kinda-sorta covers certain creative efforts of a bunch of people who generally like to do their own thing rather than be influenced by influencers  Perhaps you're reaching for something like the "thought leaders" rather than "influencers" (in the youtube sense)? Just thinking out loud.... |
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gonyaulax
Level 3 Conjurer
I still miss the 1970s . . . @:^/
Posts: 66
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Post by gonyaulax on Feb 1, 2024 18:43:08 GMT -6
Who has had great influence over how the OSR developed and progressed? Perhaps "great influence" isn't the best term? IMHO the (so called) OSR is a pretty fuzzy label that kinda-sorta covers certain creative efforts of a bunch of people who generally like to do their own thing rather than be influenced by influencers Perhaps you're reaching for something like the "thought leaders" rather than "influencers" (in the youtube sense)? Just thinking out loud.... OK. "Great Influence" or "Leaders" or whatever. I didn't mean to infer deep meaning. I just meant that some people, either through the products/documents that they were developing or other writings (blogs, etc.) seemed to greatly spur a number of other folks in the development of what we think of as the OSR. For example, Jason (Philotomy Jurament) Cone's document of collected posts labeled "Philotomy's Musings" seems to be quoted and referred to quite a bit. I've read it and re-read it a number of times and I still learn from it. Truly a worthy work. I would name him as one of the entries on my list. Surely he meant to inform, but not necessarily to "influence". Does this help? |
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Post by jeffb on Feb 1, 2024 19:24:41 GMT -6
For me- the people who really mattered over the years:
The Authors of- S&W (Original and Whitebox),OSRIC, LL, & BFRPG. Really, Matt Finch is the Catalyst as S&W and OSRIC were his babies.
In the BLOGOSPHERE- James Malizewski (sp)
Jerry Mapes (RIP) over at K&K Alehouse*
Dave and Steve Chenault (C&C was the first major attempt at getting back to old school using the SRD/OGL)
And I cannot recall his name, but the original brother who started up Dragonsfoot*- DF was about the only place to go and talk TSR D&D once 3.0 and the D20 Boom happened.
And over the past IDK, 15 + years? this place right here.
*Both of these places inspired me in their infancy, and eventually drove me away after a few years.
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Post by rredmond on Feb 1, 2024 20:08:20 GMT -6
Jerry Mapes (RIP) over at K&K Alehouse Ah you’re speaking to my heart right there Jeff. 🖖🏼 And I cannot recall his name, but the original brother who started up Dragonsfoot Mark O'Reilly, who passed a little over twenty years ago. Stuart Marshall did a write up in Footprints on him about ten years back. |
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Post by Greyharp on Feb 2, 2024 6:17:05 GMT -6
I'd definitely go with the authors of the big four clones - BFRPG, OSRIC, LL, S&W, James for his blog and Marv for this forum. The people behind Dragonsfoot yes, for providing a place to discuss, although there was plenty of antipathy towards the OSR from some of its core members, as well as at K&KA, unlike here where tolerance and encouragement prevailed. I think there were a lot of influential bloggers who've been forgotten, although some have never stopped. And of course, those behind Fight On! and Knockspell. While many laud G+ as the glory years, I always saw it as the decline of the OSR as people turned from blogs and a small number of forums to the ever growing, ever niche splintering platform that was the doomed G+. The feeling of the OSR being almost a cohesive movement died after that. I think the torch is still being carried by some who I'd still regard as influential, but for the most part that feeling of excitement and wonder that we now owned the older versions of D&D and could bring them back to life despite the rejection and disinterest of the corporate owners, well that seems to have long gone.
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Post by rredmond on Feb 2, 2024 8:07:47 GMT -6
Hey Dave, always great to see you!! You had a part to play in the Old School Renaissance too my friend!  |
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Post by rredmond on Feb 2, 2024 8:08:18 GMT -6
Love that Finarvyn is getting big ups in this thread too  |
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Post by grodog on Feb 10, 2024 0:15:23 GMT -6
I definitely go with the authors of the big four clones - BFRPG, OSRIC, LL, S&W, James for his blog and Marv for this forum. The people behind Dragonsfoot yes, for providing a place to discuss, although there was plenty of antipathy towards the OSR from some of its core members, as well as at K&KA, unlike here where tolerance and encouragement prevailed. I think there were a lot of influential bloggers who've been forgotten, although some have never stopped. And of course, those behind Fight On! and Knockspell. A good list! While many laud G+ as the glory years, I always saw it as the decline of the OSR as people turned from blogs and a small number of forums to the ever growing, ever niche splintering platform that was the doomed G+. The feeling of the OSR being almost a cohesive movement died after that. Well-spoken!—G+ was never the draw for me that the forums and blogs were, and things are even further fragmented now…. Allan. |
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