But, yeah, it’s a crap system. Rather than deal with Star Frontiers, I threw together an E6-based system to run some friends through SFKH2 Muntiny on the Eleanor Moraes a while back. Because there just aren’t that many other good whitewater-rafting-race-against-the-clock adventure modules.

I think Outdoor Survival where the drawn map is hidden behind the screen, so the players never know their true position, is also close to the heart of all D&D. It’s not your placement on the OS board, but the DM’s map that matters. The board allows for rough visual limits of local terrain variations regardless of the actual Terrain Type and true map (so the board can be used for mountains, swamps, and deserts too). Not to mention food and water foraging, lost outposts, etc. (which can be dropped or altered depending on the current regional makeup)

Also, in oD&D the ref is tracking character knowledge, so if the PCs become lost the ref alerts the players to the characters realizations. Any trailblazing game, which I account Outdoor Survival to be, should probably include most of the scenarios it does on the green cards.

1. The characters become LOST and then also seek character reorientation.
2. The characters seek to SURVIVE by finding life supporting resources in an area where they may become lost (the area too big to wholly sense).
3. The characters SEARCH for a lost person, place, or thing in an area where they too may become lost and try and survive.
4. The characters PURSUE an actively evading person, place,… ditto #3
5. The characters are the EVADING party from pursuer persons, place,… ditto #3

These wilderness dungeon scenarios are every bit as applicable to an underground dungeon, but those standard dungeon exploration rules take precedence due to close terrain. Allied and neutral cities, where getting lost has few consequences, can have extra travel times built into overland movement until characters gain proficiency with the area (particular city). Most cities provide next to no difficulty for getting Survival supplies and Searches, but typically contain their own unique challenges (especially wandering monsters). Urban long term (tracked) Pursuit & Evasion in a city is a different story. Following Outdoor Survival rules makes for an almost impossible challenge. The players will almost certainly go through local NPCs/knowledge maps to search or hide.

Stumbled onto this blog from Boingboing (http://boingboing.net/2013/05/06/old-school-dungeons-dragons.html#more-227306) and noticed a review about OA1…

Then imagine my surprise to find a comment by the first DM that I ever played AD&D with (Sam Curry), back in the day! Even more surprise to find him describe a campaign set in Kara-Tur that we played together all those many years ago. Bear in mind, we haven’t gamed together in decades. Best part of my day, by far :)

And yes, to concur, OA1 was truly a great product! TSR in the glory days… back before splat-books, d20 systems, etc.