The final “silver release” version of Microlite78: First Edition Lite is now available for free download. Like all my games, Microlite78 is completely free to download and play and, except for a few words (like “Microlite78” and my name), is entirely open game content under the OGL.

Microlite78: First Edition Lite was created at the request of a RetroRoleplaying Cancer Fund donor who asked me if I could piece together parts of Microlite74 to produce a complete single volume Microlite78: First Edition Lite and add a “few things” to make it more like the 1978 “First Edition” of the world’s most popular fantasy roleplaying game. It would have been simple to toss the rules from Microlite74 Extended with the descriptions from Companion II (Treasure), Companion IV (Bestiary of Monsters) and Companion V (First Edition Spells) together in one volume. However, the request is for a bit more: classes written up in more detail (as in Microlite81, including the more normal XP treatment) and some of the system altered a bit to make it more like 1e.

I agreed to do this on April 5, 2014. Unfortunately, five days later my wife’s mother passed away and we spent the next ten months dealing with the funeral, moving into her house which my wife inherited, selling our Waco house, and remodeling the new house to deal with my wife’s disabilities. This turned what should have been a one or two month Microlite78 project into a project that has taken three weeks short of a year to complete. My apologies to everyone who has been waiting and waiting for Microlite78: First Edition Lite for far longer than they (or I) expected.

I’d like to thank all the donors to the Retro-Roleplaying Cancer Fund who donated so generously while Microlite81 and Microlite78 games were being written. All the donors who requested to be listed are listed in the “Special Thanks to Our Sponsors” section inside the front cover. Fifty-eight donors are listed by name and thirty-five more wished to remain anonymous. I’d like to thank each and everyone one of you and I hope you have enjoyed the resulting games, the free donor downloads and, for those lucky enough to win one of our donor lotteries, any gaming goodies you may have won. Thank you very much for your help.

Now to the good part, the free download. You can download your free copy of Microlite78: First Edition Lite from the Download section of the RetroRoleplaying message board. Just click on the link below and it will take you directly to the page where you download your free copy:

• Download Your Free Copy of Microlite78 First Edition Lite 1.0 Silver