1983 & Beyond: Defending Basic Dungeons & Dragons

This excellent article at Grognardia convinced me to finally get round to writing brief defence of, what to me is, the original Dungeons and Dragons.

 

The 1983 set's focus on self-teaching and simple language probably made sense from a marketing standpoint. Given how well the set supposedly sold, I can't really fault TSR for going in this direction. At the same time, though, there was clearly a shift happening, away from adults and teenagers as the target audience and away from initiation as the means of entering the hobby. Likewise, the adoption of a unified esthetic (all Elmore and Easley artwork) that, while attractive, seemed to narrow rather than broaden the scope of the game. In short, the 1983 Basic Set marked a definite change from what had gone before. (James Maliszewski)

 

I briefly discussed my initiation in D&D here. In short as a person in my very early teens I got the red box Basic Dungeons & Dragons after reading an advert at the back of Proteus magazine. Fighting Fantasy for me was my gateway drug to nerd heaven.

 

[caption id="attachment_544" align="aligncenter" width="439" caption="D&D Basic Set (Source The Acaeum http://www.acaeum.com/)"][/caption]

My Appendix N

D&D had an appendix N, even Runequest had one. They are both excellent lists and I have read many of the books listed on both. Most of them seem to be aimed at people a bit older than myself.

I thought I would do my bit and make my own Appendix N: The Doug List.

Hopefully this will point some people towards forgotten classics, leading to prices going through the roof on eBay, giving me the opportunity to make a killing with my old copies.

Appendix N: The Doug List

Fake Factual

Steven Cadlwell, The Terran Trade Authority books

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terran_Trade_Authority

http://www.khantazi.org/Rec/TTABooks/TTABooks.html

http://www.digitalwaterfalls.co.uk/ttabooks.html

 

RPG Breakout: Pa[CENSORED]ia RPG

The computer is your friend. Everything is fine. Every version of Paranoia is perfect and could not be improved. Knowledge of other versions than the computer approved version is treasonous. Indicating knowledge of other editions is treasonous. What is an edition? The computer is your friend. Have a nice daycycle.

Paranoia

[caption id="attachment_890" align="aligncenter" width="475" caption="Paranoia RPG"][/caption]

The Role Playing Game

Current Publisher: http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/rpgs/paranoia.html

RPG Geek: http://rpggeek.com/rpgfamily/378/paranoia

RPG Net: http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=2217

RPG Net: http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=755

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia_(role-playing_game)

There is but one version of this game, the current one. Previous editions that do not exist include the 1st, 2nd and 5th. Knowledge of the 5th edition is considered more treasonous than normal (*). This game is a creation of the computer, your friend.

RPG Breakout: Mutant Chronicles

Everybody loves mutants. Mutants and guns. Here is a brief summary of the influence a not quite forgotten Scandinavian RPG has had.

Mutant Chronicles RPG

[caption id="attachment_880" align="aligncenter" width="417" caption="Mutant Chronicles RPG (1st Edition)"][/caption]

 Roleplaying Game:

RPG Geek Link: http://rpggeek.com/rpg/513/mutant-chronicles-1st-2nd-editions

Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutant_Chronicles

"Mutant" is one of the three first seminal Swedish role playing games, together with Drakar och Demoner and Chock.

The original Mutant was based on Basic Roleplaying System and was released in 1984. It was set in a post-apocalyptic future where most of the human race had been eliminated by a disease. The survivors hid away in subterranean enclaves and genetically experimented on humans and animals and sent them up above ground to see if they could survive. A following nuclear war between the enclaves eradicated humanity more thoroughly, technology was forgotten, and the only survivors were these humanoid mutants and humans in cryo-sleep. The country has now broken down into smaller societies, technology has been forgotten and is now on pre-industrial revolution level. But there are still the "forbidden zones", where lost technology still lies untouched but where the radiation levels are lethal.

"Mutant 2" was released as an expansion in 1986, and changed the die rolling rules to reflect those of Drakar och Demoner Expert, where the designers left Basic Roleplay and changed into a system based on icosahedric dice.

In 1989, "Mutant 2089", or "Nya Mutant" was released. Not only were there several rules changes, inspired by the cyberpunk wave, the setting was changed from a pre-industrial revolution technology society to large mega-cities, controlled by huge corporations. Designers suggested that the old Mutant setting existed in between these cities.

Mutant R.Y.M.D. in 1992 took another step from the basic setting and was more a space-travel science fiction roleplaying game. The ruleset was very similar to Mutant 2089 and the settings were officially compatible. This version was short-lived, though, as it soon was transformed into Mutant Chronicles.

Mutant Chronicles further enhanced the setting of Mutant RYMD, but added creatures and other ideas from the successful horror RPG "Kult".

In 2002, when Target Games has ceased to exist, another publisher called Järnringen published "Mutant - Undergångens arvtagare" (The Inheritors of the Apocalypse). With this, they reverted back into the first setting with a pre-industrial revolution setting populated by mutants and mutated animals. "Järnringen" (Iron Ring) was also the title of one of the very first scenario modules for the first "Mutant".

Järnringen ceased publication of "Mutant - undergångens arvtagare" in 2008, while continuing with their space travel RPG "Coriolis". (from RPG Geek)