I do have to wonder why I keep buying new versions of the same game over and over just because I like the art.
On the left "White Box - Fantastic Medieval Adventure Game" in its first edition (version 1.4) which i already had, on the right is version 2. I'm not actually sure what the difference is besides some art.
The game is your run of the mill #dnd white box #osr clone based on Swords & Wizardry. The main point is the price though, this was under 7eur on Amazon. And it's a complete game.
I think what this might be most useful for is introducing people to the hobby. This is cheap enough a price to just buy multiple copies, throw in a few cheap set of dice, and print out a few character sheets, and presto! everybody now has everything to play the game. Which is I think exactly what this is intended for.
thinking about the name, one thing White Box doesn't do, and neither does any other #osr game, is to be a proper emulation of the original content of the #dnd white box. which were meant as more of a campaign system for wargames.
all the osr-games are basically just retrofitting the later Holmes/Moldvay rules to fit the original white box, but it seems to me they are leaving out a lot of content.
@chgowiz I am a bit fascinated with the way this supplement for wargame campaigns became the origin point for roleplaying games as such. I think a lot of people just misunderstood what the box was supposed to do and most of the hobby grew out of that. it was supposed to be a wargames supplement, not something where people just stopped wargaming altogether.
I just want to point out that while retroclones typically model the roleplaying aspect, the wargame campaign aspect gets left out.
On my shelf I have the collector's version of Classic Fantasy, the collector's version of Advanced Fantasy, the Classic Fantasy boxed set, the Advanced Fantasy boxed set, and the Czech version of Classic Fantasy, which I got as an author's copy for translation.
There are never enough different versions of the same rules!
@muzzug I haven't even gotten to OSE yet. It's kind of intimidating to even look at the whole line. especially when I already have perfectly usable alternatives that do basically the same thing.
(the art in OSE is quite well done though, and the adventures are often quite inspired)
(and I also just bought a second copy of a ruleset I already have in three to five variations)
I came across OSE and OSR in general by complete accident. First everyone in my area switched to 5E, so I stopped playing. And then I happened to come across a mention of OSE, looked it up, fell in love with it, bought the collector's version of the rules, and started making a fan translation that eventually came out as the official one.
I'm looking at other systems, but if it's too similar to OSE, I probably don't need it. Probably just like you don't need OSE if you have White Box.
@muzzug well. I would use Labyrinth Lord, which is less faithful to B/X than OSE but I like it. Also I have been writing my own rules based on that for ages so maybe I'd use those.
I still am wondering if I can use White Box somewhere, because it is nice and compact. It might be great for some pickup games. It's so cheap one could just buy a few copies and hand them out to players.
(that is also what I started writing my own rules for)
@Andomonir well, I have to admit even though I own nearly all BFRPG I never was so fond of it's specific mix of D20 sentiment with OSR sensibilities. Also I find the presentation of it a bit bland (I have the same problem with the Iron Falcon rules, even though I like them better)
BFRPG definitely is cheaper though. I do like this one being smaller though.
@kyonshi The pre-FMAG version is pretty different, it's more like actual 3LBB but cut down S&W style. FMAG makes some more radical almost B/X-ish changes. There's minimal changes except different stock art in each version of it, but there's an errata sheet somewhere on their site. Handy as a pick-up game book, tho, and fits in a big pocket.
@mdhughes yeah, I noticed there are some rules in there which are not very white boxy. And of course there's single saving throws, which is kind of the hallmark of SnW games.
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