Back on November 2nd, when I was somewhat shamefully allowing this blog to go temporarily to seed, Cyclopeatron was busy ranking all the Old-School gaming blogs he could find -- 234 in total -- according to their number of followers. The Lands of Ara came in at #119, with 37 followers!
Actually, since that ranking was posted, we have gained three more followers, bringing our total to 40! This allows us to claim the named blogger "Level Title" of Thinker, according to Trey at From the Sorcerer's Skull. We're Level 5 bloggers!
Heady stuff and certainly very exciting in terms of what these rankings say about the active nature of the OSR blogging movement. For me, it has always been about quality, not quantity -- an ethos I assume I share with other Grognards, since our chosen passion constitutes a tiny minority (old-school gamers) within another minority (tabletop RPG'ers) -- yet it is fun to see our efforts and achievements quantified from time to time. Thanks, Cyclopeatron!
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The funny thing is, when counted all together, there are actually more people playing older games than newer games. Essentials was a reaction to the OSR and after the Mike Mearls interview at Escapist magazine it is clear that the market has swung onto a a new path.
ReplyDeleteCounted together 47% of the market is playing some version of 3.0/3.5 and back (Yes, that is now considered 'old school'). Even Paizo tied with Wizards for top rpg sales this last quarter.
The numbers are slim the further back you go but are compensated for with 'clone' versions of the White Box and 1st edition systems.
I came back into TRPG BECAUSE of the OGL. Now if only the big boys would realize there is gold in them thar archives and start releasing new material...think about it...be shopping for new stuff and find a fresh printing of the White Box and a boxed edition of the core 1st edition...I'd buy it! :)
Remember gamers-we ARE the game. The hobby rules over the industry in one of the few cases in history. The recent numbers say that the active current version D&D base dropped from 24 million to 1.5 million.
And I feel privileged to have made the Cyclopeatron list not once but twice and I'm still the new kid on the blog block (I have played/DM'ed for 30+).
Plus I have this site, along with 250+, more on my aggregator site:
http://eternalkeep.blogspot.com/
to help promote the blogs that are flying the banner.
Here's to better days ahead. I think the Internet just might have saved our butts...again...thank you Al Gore! :)
THANKS for the comment and for putting us on the ETERNAL KEEP list. I agree, WE ARE the hobby!
ReplyDeleteI mean, think about it...where else is the creator the user and vice versa? This is one of the few rare things in the world where anyone can do it, with a little imagination and research.
ReplyDeleteNot everyone can sit in front of a computer and code an rpg and then play it with his/her friends, but almost anyone can create an rpg adventure and share it with their friends.
I'm not trying to be egotistical here. It's just that even the founders knew this to be true. There are quotes of Gygax saying something to the effect of 'just don't tell the DMs they really don't need rules or we'll all be out of a job' or the writers of modules and supplements not believing that they got paid to do what anyone can do for themselves.
I don't think this is just an OSR...I believe we are seeing a gaming renaissance in general...just because it doesn't show up in retail sales reports doesn't mean it doesn't exist :)
btw-good to see you posting again-and that goes for all the community-cause this train needs all the steam it can muster :)
Keep it coming!