About RetroRoleplaying

RetroRoleplaying.com devoted to out-of-print, unsupported, and/or out-of-style tabletop roleplaying games. While we specialize in classic roleplaying games published before D20 games came on the scene, we also provide support for OGL D20 system-based retroclones of classic roleplaying games. While it may surprise many people, the earlier editions of classic RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons sold many more copies than the newer D20 versions. These once very popular games are available in hardcopy on the RPG MarketPlace, Amazon, or eBay -- and are still being played today. Retroclones are much less expensive, however (often free in PDF form).

Many people prefer pre-D20 tabletable roleplaying games because of their less complex, easier to modify rules and their "feel." While D20 games feel more like playing a computer game around a table with much emphasis on optimal character building and detailed tactical combat, pre-D20 games feel more being in a movie or novel -- the emphasis is what the characters do in the campaign world as opposed to what skills and feats are on their character sheet.

RetroRoleplaying Site Features

Game System Introductions: There are a lot of different out-of-print RPGs available. The Game Systems section of this site will introduce you to classic roleplaying games like Basic Dungeons & Dragons, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Runequest, and others. It will help you find low cost sets of rules and adventures to play with those rules. There will be reviews so you can decide what to buy, advice on finding affordable playable copies on eBay, links to free rules and adventures on the web, and more to help you get started playing these classic roleplaying games.

Reviews: Finding reviews of Old School products (both old and new) by Old School reviewers can be a chore. There are a lot of reviews out on the Web, but finding them can be a pain. The Reviews section of this site will be a growing collection of reviews. A few reviews may be published here, but most will be published elsewhere on the Web, and linked to here. The plan is for this section of the site to slowly become an index to Old School product reviews.

Retro-Clone Introductions: Thanks to the Open Game License (OGL) and a number of System Reference Documents (SRD) released under that license by publishers, fans of out-of-print game systems have been able to produce a number games that "clone" the rules and systems of popular out of print games in "new" games. These retro-clone or simulacrum games were originally designed so that individuals and companies who want to produce new adventures and supplements for the original game can do so, referring to the retro-clone to avoid legal problems with trademarks. However, many of these games have proved popular with gamers as they are free to download which means every player in a game can have a copy without having to track down an affordable used copy.

Microlite74: Microlite74, like its parent game, Microlite20, is a trimmed down, sub-miniature version of the Primary Fantasy SRD rules that has been designed to be quick and easy to play. The goal of Microlite74, however, is to recreate the style and feel of that very first ("0e") fantasy roleplaying game published back in 1974. You can find out more about Microlite74 and download a free copy of the game in the Microlite74 section of this site.

Forum: This site also features a message board where players of out-of-print and unsupported RPGs can support each other with their collective expertise and help new players learn the joys of older RPGs. While game companies may wish they could kill off older games and prior editions of their current games, the fact of the matter is that lack of official support is no reason to quit playing a favorite old game. A game is not truly dead if it can still be played -- and a lot of people are still playing these older games (or retro-clones of them). With luck, our message board will bring a lot of players together to share their ideas and expertise.

Blog: The webmaster maintains a blog, creatively named Retro-Roleplaying: The Blog, whith information on this site and commentary on RPGs from the point of view of someone who started playing D&D in 1975 with a third printing brown box set and the first supplement.