I am not a huge OST gamer. I do not get overly nostalgic for games that have nothing going for them other than history, so what gives at the moment?

My last few purchases include an ebay grab of the old Marvel Saga card based super hero rpg, that fortuitously had the bits I lacked, a second rule book and only one of the smaller books I already had (and I have the cards), the even more ancient FASA Star Trek Combat Simulator, a Star Fleet Battles scenario book, even though I have Fed Commander, ACTA and Starmada, and the 30th Anniversary edition of the original d6 Star Wars RPG.

Add to that my habit of tracking down and hoarding recently discontinued games and my stated preference for older RPG systems in general (d100 based usually), and I guess that well, I probably do have a problem and I suppose I am a bit of a retro gamer.

The reality is, old is not genrally worse. Some games grow and improve, some just grow and plenty of great games that people fondly remember simply disappeared for reasons other than poor quality.

I am not alone here either. Plenty of game makers are looking backwards intenting to either re-release stock product (Star Wars d6) or try to harmonise and perfect with minimum intrusion.

The 1st edition Pathfinder to Savage Worlds blend or Glorantha as 13th Age are highlights, plenty of OST d20 clones and the resurgence of d100 games generally have kept me interested in a space I have struggled with of late.

Some though have been expensive near misses. The 4e Warhammer system tried hard to revisit the classic feeling of the original and improve the system, but even though it now ranks as my most expensive recent RPG collection (I decided to finish the Enemy Within campaign that I missed first time around, companions and all), I will likely play it as either a Zweihander, WHFRPG1e or straight d100 game or just heavily truncate the system as provided.

X Wing is similar for me. The 2e rules suit the TFA period, but I actually prefer the 1e take on “classic” Star Wars.

Another is the One Ring. The changes seem to be just changes. I actually, and this hurts to say, like the 5e based AIME version more than either edition of TOR.

Newer is not always better. Marvel has had several classic RPG’s, the original still considerred a classic, the later ones also ground breaking, but the latest has mixed reviews.

A huge field with now a long and complicated history, one of whih I am happy to have been a part of, I just wished I had played more games.