Old School vs. New School Definitions: Meaningless

The expression “old school style” directed at some currently published adventure modules is a disservice to those same adventure modules, and to all contemporary adventure modules.

There are some companies claiming their current line of adventure modules are designed/written in an “old school style” (though they may use different phrasing). And there are some individual adventures published in Dungeon magazine lauded as being “old school design.” And some folks on Internet message forums claim that some of the great classic modules are great because of their “old school design.”

There are some great older adventure modules. But there are also some terrible older adventure modules. Being “old school” is not a guarantee of quality.

And what, exactly, is “old school style”? Do all old/classic adventure modules have the “old school style”? Both Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh and White Plume Mountain are old/classic adventure modules, but they are vastly different in design style and play style. Is one “old school style” and the other not? How about Dragons of Despair and The Keep on the Borderlands? Both are old/classic adventure modules, but they are vastly different in design style and play style.

What if a long-time Player’s “old school” experience included the Saltmarsh series, the Sentinel/Gauntlet series, All That Glitters, and Beyond the Crystal Cave.

Compare this to another Player’s “old school” experience that included In Search of the Unknown, Palace of the Silver Princess, Hidden Shrine of Tomoachan, Ghost Tower of Inverness, Mordenkainen’s Fantastic Adventure, and Tomb of Horrors.

And another Player’s “old school” experienced the full run of the Dragonlance series.

The above three Players all played the “old school” classic adventures, but they have vastly different experiences with the “old school” days of D&D. If they liked their personal experiences in the old days, would they enjoy a contemporary adventure module with the marketing label of “old school style”?

There are some great adventure modules written and published in this day. If Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh was published today, would/could it get the label “old school style”? How about Dragons of Despair? In Search of the Unknown?

Does labeling an adventure module with an “old school style” label help it sell more? Has it become the “New and Improved” tag of contemporary adventure modules? And is this really ironic?

Does labeling a good adventure module with “old school style” do a disservice to contemporary adventure modules and writers?

If an author, today, writes a really good adventure, something (unintentionally) comparable to The Keep on the Borderlands, should it get, does it need the label of “old school style”?

If an author, today, writes a really good adventure, something (unintentionally) comparable to The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, should it get, does it need the label of “old school style”?

Would the label for either be accurate/appropriate?

Every time I’ve read someone’s description of “old school style”, the description only describes maybe a third of the actual old/classic adventures, including some real stinkers. The definition seems to exclude some real good old/classic adventures. So why is “old school style” some kind of positive buzzword? Does it suggest that the style wouldn’t exist today if it were not intentionally emulated?

Saying something is “old school” implies there is a “new school.” But if so many new adventure modules are being written in the “old school” style, where’s the “new school”? I’d suggest that there is no “school” style at all. Adventure modules, old and new, can be both good and bad, similar and different, and all combinations of these adjectives.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com