Rules-Light, Rulings-Heavy: The OSR and FKR Spirit of FÄNG
FÄNG is a rules-light game, but that doesn’t mean it lacks depth. It was built with Old-School Renaissance (OSR) and Free Kriegsspiel Revolution (FKR) principles in mind—where player agency, immersion, and smart decision-making take precedence over complex mechanics.
Like the original Free Kriegsspiel system used by the Prussian military for battlefield simulations, FÄNG encourages rulings over rules. The Doomsayer (GM) isn’t burdened by endless tables or calculations. Instead, they use their judgment and common sense to interpret the world and present the players with clear, logical consequences for their actions.
- The world exists first. Players are not following a script—they are navigating a living, breathing environment.
- You don’t roll unless the outcome is uncertain. The Doomsayer can make a ruling at any time, using context and logic rather than mechanics to decide what happens next.
- Understanding the setting is understanding the rules. If your world has undead creatures vulnerable to silver, then players already know this without needing a rulebook to confirm it.
Doom6 System which Fang uses was designed to only to enhance immersion, not hinder it. The goal of OSR-style play in FÄNG is to let players explore, experiment, and problem-solve freely.
Now, with the Fun with FÄNG Adventure Jam, we invite you to design your own OSR-inspired location-based adventure—one that prioritizes player choice, discovery, and survival.
No Railroads—Only Meaningful Choices
In traditional adventure design, players are often nudged down a linear path, making choices that don’t really change the outcome. That’s not OSR play—and that’s not how FÄNG works.
A good OSR adventure is an open-ended challenge, where players make real choices that determine their survival. The game world doesn’t care if they succeed or fail—only their decisions will keep them alive, and hopefully bring back some copper pennies to help the village.
What Makes a Great OSR Adventure?
- Players control the story through their actions. No predetermined cutscenes or forced encounters—just an open world where player choices drive the events.
- Every challenge has multiple solutions. Can’t fight the ogre? Lure it into a trap. Trick it. Sneak past it. Bribe it.
- Information is a reward. Smart players ask questions, observe their surroundings, and use what they learn to their advantage.
- The world is neutral. The Doomsayer sets up a consistent world and let actions and consequences play out naturally.
This means that a great FÄNG adventure should present an intriguing, dangerous space where players can explore, interact, and make meaningful choices.
Build Worlds, Not Stories with the 3E’s
Instead of designing a rigid storyline, think of your adventure as a space filled with opportunities. That’s where the 3E’s comes in—guiding you to craft a rich and interactive world using Evoke – Enrich – Elicit.
1. Evoke a Mood or Feeling
A great OSR adventure draws players in with strong sensory details:
- “The stone passageway smells of damp earth and old blood. Your footsteps echo, swallowed by an eerie silence.”
- “Faint torchlight flickers from the ruined chapel, illuminating the rusted armor of those who fell before you.”
Details like these don’t just set the tone—they clue players into their surroundings. A rusted gate might mean it hasn’t been opened in years (safe passage?)—or that whatever’s inside has been trapped for a reason (danger?).
2. Enrich the Space with Items
A great OSR environment is full of objects, details, and clues that players can interact with:
- A broken sword buried in the dirt—was it discarded, or is it cursed?
- A wooden mask hanging on the wall—does it grant visions, or is it a warning?
- A half-burned letter—who wrote it, and why was it destroyed?
Small details like these make the world feel alive—and give players tangible things to investigate, experiment with, and use.
3. Elicit the Imagination of Players
Don’t tell players exactly what to do—give them just enough information and let them take the lead:
- Instead of “You see a goblin hiding behind the barrels,” say “The barrels shift slightly, and you catch a glimpse of yellow eyes peering from the dark.”
- Instead of “The passage is blocked,” say “The tunnel has collapsed, but a faint draft suggests there may be another way through.”
By giving suggestive, open-ended descriptions, you spark curiosity and encourage creative solutions.
Create an OSR Adventure for the Fun with FÄNG Adventure Jam!
Now it’s your turn. Design an explorable, open-ended location filled with secrets, dangers, and strange discoveries. Whether it’s a forgotten ruin, a cursed village, or a nightmarish dungeon, make a place where player choice matters.
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