Braunstein! on Drivethrurpg?

[Havard]

There is a game available on Drivethrough RPG called Braunstein.

Braunstein was the game created by David Wesely, that was one of the pillars of the Blackmoor Campaign.

I wonder if this version has anything to do with the original, or just an attempt to capitalize on the name? :?

-Havard

[Havard]

Dave Wesely just confirmed that he has nothing to do with this game. It also looks like the game itself has very little to do with the way Wesely ran his Braunstein games.

The blurb reads:

A Drive-Thru exclusive in digital format only!

Role-playing began with the Braunstein games of the late 1960s. These converted war-games emphasized personal interactions and setting over complex rules and excessive mechanics...

Braunstein! is written in this style, being designed for historical adventure games in the 4th through 15th centuries, but expandable through the early 16th if so desired. The judge need only choose a historical book(s) on the period they wish to chronicle and use these rules to create characters and resolve unpredictable situations using extremely simple (just 18 pages) mechanics. The rest is pure interaction!

History is the best, most richly-detailed setting around, but Braunstein! also has simple rules for introducing real magic and witchcraft - perhaps the easiest ever! History or historical fantasy - it's your game now!

The reference to gaming in the 1960s combined with the name makes the whole thing seem pretty misleading to me. I have suggested to Wesely that he contact Drivethru about it.



-Havard

[Neko Princex]

:mrgreen: Interesting bit of history here. I am going to have to buy just to see what I can learn from it.

[Havard]

:mrgreen: Interesting bit of history here. I am going to have to buy just to see what I can learn from it.

At this point, I would advice against buying this product. David Wesely, a friend of Dave Arneson, created the original Braunstein games. He was not consulted or even asked if it was ok to use the name for this publication. It might not be a copyright violation, but it does seem like this is ethically problematic at best.

-Havard

[Rafael]

What Havard said. This one is vulture marketing at its worst.

[Rafael]

...Has been removed from DTRPG. Good work, Havard!

[Havard]

...Has been removed from DTRPG. Good work, Havard!

Not sure I can take credit for this. Apparently Wesely contacted the publishers. Initially he seemed very unhappy with the situation, but apparently he is now in talks with the company to try to find an out of court sollution.

Here are some more thoughts of mine on this matter: Braunstein! Do Ethics Matter in OSR Publishing?

-Havard

[Havard]

Bundle product which included the core rules and the sci fi supplement has now been removed from Drivethru as well.

-Havard

[chirine ba kal]

:mrgreen: Interesting bit of history here. I am going to have to buy just to see what I can learn from it.

Dave didn't - and still doesn't - run his games anything like this. (I'd suggest looking up a copy of the 'Free Kreigspiel' sort of game - it's a lot closer to how Dave - and 'the other Dave' actually played.) I've been playing with him in his games off and on since 1975, and the description of this product sounds nothing like what I've been playing in. Nor, for that matter, does it sound anything like the 'Braunstein' - style games that I've been running over the same period, like the infamous Great Mos Eisely Spaceport Raid.

I've e-mailed Dave to see what he has to say, and I'll pass along any news from him.

- chirine

[chirine ba kal]

Well, I saw this this morning after I got home from work, and I have to say that I am NOT amused. What it looks like we have here are a couple of would-be game authors hearing about Dave Wesley's 'Braunstein' games, and then trotting off to write a game of their own.

Ya know, Dave's in the phone book; they could have called him, and gotten his advice and help - and then come up with a really cool product. Instead, we get something that - from their own description - sounds nothing like the games that Dave ran (and still runs). In the interests of full disclosure, I am a friend of the good Major (retired) and I find this whole matter pretty darn tacky. And yes, I do hope that they work with Dave to get this fixed.

annoyed,

chirine