We got 78 responses to our Old School analysis survey which is just awesome! I can't thank you guys enough for your input which is really really interesting. We definitely have some trends that can be examined though I think in hind sight I should have made the first question: What sort of games do you prefer? Which would have been infinitely valuable to me as a game designer because if all I have to do is include some randomly generated background tables to make 62% of gamers get that nice old school twinge of nostalgia, then I'd do so in a flash because really, that sort of thing doesn't compromise setting or system integrity and GM's never really have to use them.
So without further adieu, the Results!
CHARACTER LEVELS
Old School 24 31%
New School 7 9%
Not Old School or New School 36 46%
Antiquated and Obsolete 6 8%
Fundamental in All Games Old and New 5 6%
Other 0 0%
This first result was really interesting, the fact that 6 people said character levels are antiquated and 5 people said they're fundamental is fascinating to me. I personally think they're antiquated but I understand they have their up-sides. I'm not sure what to make of people saying character levels are new school, though the fact that almost 10% of the voters do is telling... maybe they are people who are used to point-based systems and see level advancement as a carry over from computer games. The Old School and "Neither" results are about what I expected, but they really do showcase the differences in opinion on what Old School is very well.
Randomly Generated Character Backgrounds
Old School 48 62%
New School 2 3%
Not Old School or New School 20 26%
Antiquated and Obsolete 6 8%
Fundamental in All Games Old and New 1 1%
Other 1 1%
These are pretty much clear cut. The vast majority of you guys believe that randomly generated character backgrounds are Old School, which I agree with. Not a lot of people consider them obsolete but I'd be guessing that those people that do are fairly strong narrativist gamers. I think this is an important result for any game designer looking to create an old school product because there isn't a lot of agreement at all on what defines old school but this is one of the few items there's a majority agreement on.
Open-Ended Variety of Skills/Abilities
Old School 13 17%
New School 23 29%
Not Old School or New School 32 41%
Antiquated and Obsolete 6 8%
Fundamental in All Games Old and New 3 4%
Other 1 1%
These results surprised me because this is a trait all the games I consider Old School have. To me the idea of finite and set abilities is a new thing but I'm in the minority. This is a tough question and one I don't know if I asked correctly, it certainly could warrant another post to explain further and get more feedback.
Hit Location Mechanics
Old School 23 29%
New School 8 10%
Not Old School or New School 42 54%
Antiquated and Obsolete 5 6%
Fundamental in All Games Old and New 0 0%
Other 0 0%
Another interesting result. As a medic I'm a big fan of hit location because I honestly believe it models damage better, but it is an extra level of clunk so not very good in a game that's meant to be played fast and loose. I think this question could benefit especially from a question of people's preferences as well.
Random Encounter Tables
Old School 62 79%
New School 1 1%
Not Old School or New School 8 10%
Antiquated and Obsolete 5 6%
Fundamental in All Games Old and New 2 3%
Other 0 0%
These show another obviously Old School consensus which I agree with. Personally I feel that Random Encounter Tables have some value in exhibiting the common wildlife in a region but they rarely represent the actual behavior of such animals. Thus I find the balance between a realistic system of encounters and one that's actually playable lies in the "just leave it out and make it GM's discretion" territory. For those of you who disagree please leave your flames in the handy comment box at the bottom.
Crit Tables
Old School 33 42%
New School 4 5%
Not Old School or New School 36 46%
Antiquated and Obsolete 4 5%
Fundamental in All Games Old and New 1 1%
Other 0 0%
These results are fairly odd, if I could hazard a guess I'd say the even divide between the Old School and "Neither" results are from people that have only played versions of D&D and no other games and thus marked Crit Tables as "Neither" being some oddity other games had, and the other crowd that remembers all those old games with the crit tables and figures they're old school and voted accordingly. I could be wrong, but that's my only explanation for such weird results.
Detailed Example Adventure Module
Old School 8 10%
New School 12 15%
Not Old School or New School 33 42%
Antiquated and Obsolete 1 1%
Fundamental in All Games Old and New 24 31%
Other 0 0%
I've noticed in more than one pet peeve questionnaire that "lack of an adventure module" is usually mentioned several times so game designers need to take heed there. As a side note I think that game supplements that are just one adventure storylines have a distinctly old school feel to me.
Boxed Sets
Old School 47 60%
New School 0 0%
Not Old School or New School 20 26%
Antiquated and Obsolete 9 12%
Fundamental in All Games Old and New 1 1%
Other 1 1%
If I could find a cheap manufacturer of for a line of boxed sets you can bet your mother's apple pie that I'd go that direction.
Multiple Core Books
Old School 10 13%
New School 20 26%
Not Old School or New School 36 46%
Antiquated and Obsolete 4 5%
Fundamental in All Games Old and New 7 9%
Other 1 1%
The validity of multiple core books ultimately depends on the setting and game design principles in my opinion.
Highly Detailed Maps
Old School 19 24%
New School 9 12%
Not Old School or New School 37 47%
Antiquated and Obsolete 1 1%
Fundamental in All Games Old and New 11 14%
Other 1 1%
I think that some maps have a more old school look than others. I love maps. Game books don't have enough of them.
Social Interaction Mechanics
Old School 5 6%
New School 49 63%
Not Old School or New School 19 24%
Antiquated and Obsolete 4 5%
Fundamental in All Games Old and New 1 1%
Other 0 0%
This is perhaps the most obvious but also the biggest surprise for me. The idea that social mechanics are decidedly new school is pretty much the universal consensus it seems... but the fact that only 1 person called them fundamental surprises me greatly. I consider social systems extremly important for a balance role-playing experience. But I'm a simulationist. Makes me wonder if I could do a gamer political satire article about how Old schoolers are the gamer equivelant of Libertarians, Narrativists are Liberals, and Simulationists are Republicans... I must dwell on this further... I think there is much humor to be made there.
Emo Elves
Old School 4 5%
New School 39 50%
Not Old School or New School 22 28%
Antiquated and Obsolete 8 10%
Fundamental in All Games Old and New 4 5%
Other 1 1%
The species Ellifus Saddius - or "Emo Elf" as it is colloquially known - is an offshoot of the Ellifus Gaius which originated in the Tolkeen novel The Hobbit, both of which are far removed from their distant cousin species the Ellifus Chrismatica.
The first sighted Ellifus Saddius was in a dark hole depicted in a R.A. Salvatore. Dark places are the Emo Elf's natural habitat, though they do venture into the light occasionally to gain further Emo'ness because sunlight makes them sad. They gain an especially sublime sadness from sunrises and sunsets.
The primary food of the Emo Elf is goblin guts seasoned with the Emo Elf's own tears, though the Ellifus Saddius is also known to derive sustenance from Orc's frost giants, and demons, never humans or other Ellifus genii.
Emo Elves can interbreed with normal humans, the offspring of such unions is always an Anime or Manga protagonist. It is believed that these offspring are sterile, but this cannot be proven because none have ever been witnessed actually breeding.
