I have to say I am thrilled that WotC is offering a limited-run reprint of the AD&D core rulebooks. I've got my set already reserved at the Fantasy Shop. Those guys are great.
While I did manage to snag the AD&D Monster Manual, Monster Manual II, and Fiend Folio at their Used Gaming Auction last weekend, I was outbid for the Players Handbook and DM Guide. I'm definitely looking forward to getting brand spanking new copies of these core books.
What does this mean for the OSR? I'm not sure. I think a lot of these copies will be snatched up quickly by folks already involved in old-school gaming. The price point is too high to lure in new players, and I don't think they'll be sitting on the shelves for very long at all. Perhaps all the talk of a new edition will sell some of these to folks who haven't played since the 80s, but who knows?
I hope they sell out quick. I hope WotC makes a bunch of money to share with the Gygax Memorial Fund. If WotC comes out ahead on this one, I bet we'll see more of the old material re-released pretty quickly. Hey, if there's a market for it (and the fact that the OSR exists is proof of that), some penny-pincher at Hasbro will figure out a way to make some money off all those old files taking up space on their hard drives. The market for these books is certainly driven by more than nostalgia. These are products that will see use at a lot of game tables.
My money's on a big fat Ravenloft book next. A hardbound reprint of several of those modules would move quickly. I'd plop down $50 or $60 in a heartbeat.
Happy to see the re-release of the 1e books too. Unfortunately, I can't go so far as spending $35 for the PHB and MM, or $45 for the DMG. Disappointed by this fact I spent the last couple of days searching for the old DMG on Ebay and lucked out, landing one for $7.50 with free shipping, woot. So while not one of the new copies I will be joining everyone in perusing the good word of Mr. Gygax again.
ReplyDeleteOne other thing that would be neat to see, and mentioned by others already here and there, is a collection of adventures (modules), like the A-series, B-series, G-series, etc. in one book.
I was looking through some of my old high school goodies and noticed that I had the original Ravenloft 2nd Edition copy. I thought it was pretty cool that they are revising some of that stuff. I would like to take 2nd out for a spin, but I don't know how to play it anymore. LOL!
ReplyDeleteToo much to do, not enough time to do it in.
Thanks for commenting guys. I don't think I could play 1st or 2nd Edition AD&D "straight", but I have found that all the material I have from those systems are easily adaptable to Microlite, or any of the other retroclones on the market.
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