This isn't actually the usual debate of whether or not D&D is a 'wargame' or a "role-playing game'. Instead, I want to step back and view its merits in both fields.
I think I've talked before about my background with war games, and how I initially felt every activity possible in a game had to have a rule. That's the nature of the war games I'd played, and I'd played a lot of war games in which "anything was possible", and thus they had very complex and all-encompassing rule sets. It was my impression then, that role-playing games were just a sub-genre, in which you took on the "role" of a single character. This is mostly because I started with BattleTech, and in this case, that's true. In MechWarrior (the BattleTech RPG), you simply assume the role of a single unit, or pilot.
When I did finally get into role playing games, I looked for BRP, because it had the "simplest" rules, that could still cover every situation. I looked at the game master, as just another player, who just handled all of the "other stuff". That's why I fell in love with OD&D. I feel it actually utilizes the game master in a way that makes role playing games unique. In fact that's why I've started to gravitate more towards the original term of Referee; as in the game master "referees" actions, and can act as an impartial mediator. This means players get to do things "outside of the rules", and everyone can use logic, problem solving, and critical thinking to overcome obstacles in the game.
To me OD&D, and the games that follow it's spirit (early or rules-lite AD&D, B/X, retro-clones) are D&D as a role-playing game. I don't want to get in a fight with anyone over terminology (as if anyone reads this blog lol (except my three loyal readers, I know you're there guys)), so don't think too deeply about what I'm saying here. I feel like those games are role-playing games in the truest, and original sense. However, I feel like other forms of D&D make great war games, and that's a good thing.
There's a whole lot of discussion about specific terminology, and technically OD&D, even played like I describe is the literal definition of a war game (a game about conflict), but I don't care about that. What I care about is, OD&D lets me truly assume the role of my character, and role-play the scenario, with less regard to rules. Games like 3E, and even later AD&D however, are really fun war games, in the sense they have fun combat mechanics for killing stuff.
Personally, 3rd Editions failing is there attempt at making it a role playing game. I think there's an awesome war game to be had in 3E, and I realize that's what I had been trying to do with my "dungeon crawl" project. After playing "Dungeon!" tonight with some friends and my wife, I can genuinely see the fun in just killing stuff, and looting treasure. There was no "real" role playing going on tonight, but we had fun regardless. However, Dungeon!'s combat system was very tedious, and rather annoying (it took ages to kill some monsters because of the 2d6 bell curve).
A few times my one friend and I commented that this concept would be awesome played out with the actual D&D rules. I think you could take it further and actually utilize the d20 system for something it would be great at. Make it a true "game" in the original sense, something more like a board game. Something where you're not trying to cover every situation, and you're not intending to "role-play", and you do just want to roll dice, kill stuff, and loot the treasure. Then the DC system, and having rule for everything (in the game) would be useful, and maybe even fun.
Personally I'd take the d20 system, and just include the Attack Roll, Trap Rules, and Saving Throws. I might even just start with Swords & Wizardry because I know it better, and just tack on whatever is absolutely necessary for dungeon crawling. I talked about this a few times, one most recently, with how I could make a d20 Dungeon! game, by stripping out everything, including ability scores. I think this train of thought, and actually getting to play Dungeon! has helped me to see the versatility, and almost inherent "beauty" of D&D.
That's all for now.
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