After a seven-year absence, OD&DITIES is returning – hopefully better than ever! I've spent the last few years watching the retro-clone movement with interest, and lately I've been feeling the itch to write again. I finally decided to yield and get going at the start of the year, and have been working on OD&DITIES Thirteen since the beginning of the year. I'm now at the point where I can announce a launch date: OD&DITIES Thirteen will be published by Wednesday 24th February.
What was OD&DITIES?
Back in 2000, I began OD&DITIES as a fanzine covering OD&D; back in the day, there was very little OD&D on the internet, and it is strange to think just how much things have changed since then, with a lot of quality product now available. The magazine showcased some amazing articles, and had some excellent writers; issues 1-12 are available in various places around the internet if you want to see the 'first generation'.
What is OD&DITIES?
Today, OD&DITIES is pretty much the same basic idea – a semiprozine covering OD&D, published in PDF format monthly, this time with compilations to be published on a quarterly basis through Lulu. The plan is that the magazine will be available through RPGNow, and will cost $2; each issue will contain between 20 – 24 pages.
What is the release schedule?
Monthly. A new issue of OD&DITIES will be available in the last week of every month, generally on the last Wednesday of every month. I'm going to stick rigidly to this, and plan a substantial article backlog to make sure of it; as I write this, Issue 13 is a couple of days away from being 'put to bed', and I'm already working on Issue 14.
What version are you supporting?
The original OD&DITIES danced around this issue somewhat, looking back; a lot of articles were for slightly different versions of OD&D. This time, I'm setting the 'default' version as being for Labyrinth Lord, but the intent is general compatibility with Basic/Expert D&D. I don't think there will be any serious difficulty – or any difficulty at all – in using the articles with Swords & Wizardry, OSRIC, or any other of the retro-clones.
What's in the next issue, then?
Each issue will have a mixture of themed articles, with the theme changing each week, and regular columns. Issue 13's feature is 'The Keep', referencing the famed 'Keep on the Borderlands' module. Two articles cover PC construction of strongholds, and a DM designing such a structure to use as a home base. There's a four-page article on the 'Illusionist', including new spells, and an article on 'Man's Best Friend' – dogs in D&D. Regular features include 'Surviving the DM's Wrath', a 'Player's Advantage' feature, and 'Inside the Magical Vault', a collection of detailed, special, magical items. There will be regular reviews in each issue, and the issue is rounded out by our mystery columnist.
Future issues?
Issue 14 will revolve around 'The Thief', and have articles on boosting the Thief, Thieves Guilds', alternate Thieves' skills, and a Thief-based adventure, as well as a four-page article on the 'Psionicist' as a class. Issue 15 is currently planned to be based around 'The Fighter', but this is still in the very early planning stages.
It's really good to be working on this again; I hope to produce something you'll all enjoy.
Yours,
Richard Tongue
Once Again, Editor, OD&DITIES
Hooray for the return of OD&DITIES. I cut my teeth on Moldvay D&D, but stopped playing around the time the initial mags came out. Since then, I've collected all 12 and eagerly look forward to issue 13.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading those pdfs and I'm looking forward to it's return.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back! Was wondering if you were ever going to bring back OD&Dities.
ReplyDeleteVery good news and indeed, welcome back! It's good to see that you'll be publishing again.
ReplyDeleteSuperb! I am looking forward to seeing the forthcoming issues!
ReplyDeleteWhen I started my blog one of my spells reminded someone of O&Dities and I had to hunt those pdfs down and check them out. I had to voraciously read them after that.
Fantastic and exciting news.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, the issues I read were a big influence to me when I re-discovered D&D.
ReplyDeleteGreat news!
ReplyDeleteI wouldnt mind more BECMI oriented material (Immortals, War Machine, Weapon Master etc), but I see the point in aiming for the broadest possible audience.
I will post about this on the Piazza :)
Havard
Nice to have you back bud! 8)
ReplyDeleteThis is great news. I loved OD&Dities back in the day and helped greatly when we were playing Basic D&D like fiends! Perhaps my never before seen articles will finally appear and not get bumped by E. gary Gygax again! ;)
ReplyDeleteexciting news. added a post to my blog. hopefully we have it for 120 issues or more... 12 was just too damn short ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's definetly welcome news to have more articles etc. Published. Honestly though, you would probably do just as well to write for one of the currently well established fanzines such as knockspell, fight on, or kobold quarterly, which cover the same ground, rather than attempt to compete with them. The other thing is you've got a name problem. OD&D has come to be more or less universally understood to refer to Original edition (1974) D&D, not the significantly different Classic D&D that you focus on, so it's confusing. Nevertheless, lots of us will check out your mag for sure as there was definetely some great stuff in the old ones.
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