tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post7627949800363905733..comments2024-03-29T00:46:13.625-07:00Comments on B/X BLACKRAZOR: The Weekly RantJBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-22753588324874510112018-10-25T15:42:07.265-07:002018-10-25T15:42:07.265-07:00@ Rob:
I wasn't judging the industry by what ...@ Rob:<br /><br />I wasn't judging the industry by what they were doing, so much as I was judging it for what they were NOT doing.JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-56051664136552827172018-10-25T12:34:08.087-07:002018-10-25T12:34:08.087-07:00Judging the industry because they produce adventur...Judging the industry because they produce adventure paths and modules is a bit unfair. The existence of these products doesn't mean folks aren't creating their own adventures, it just means *some* are willing to pay for ideas to loot, and that *some* don't have time to properly prep but still want to game.<br /><br />Having said that I've never read a good 'how to DM' by any of the big publishers.Ruprechthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00139664977453444000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-18831383145792550982018-02-02T09:25:22.236-08:002018-02-02T09:25:22.236-08:00I've taught Pathfinder and 5e (and 4e) to begi...I've taught Pathfinder and 5e (and 4e) to beginners. They have served as decent entry level games. They are more widely played and just generally more widely available. 5e is recruiting loads of people under 30 into the hobby who simply weren't being reached five years ago.<br /><br />I don't really have a beef with 5e. It seems to tick a lot of the boxes for most people. Is it the best edition of the game ever? Not sure about that, but it seems to have satisfied both the grognards and newbies I play with. Apart from the RuneQuest hard core of course!Stuarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01863160473105489597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-64913613031136757802018-01-30T04:38:25.107-08:002018-01-30T04:38:25.107-08:00Regarding "how to make good DMs" that is...Regarding "how to make good DMs" that is an interesting question. A lot of the Original Edition DMs were war gamers as well as readers of the pulps, classic fantasy literature and even real mythology. This gave them a grounding in the source material that I am afraid most people today lack (and probably always will - reading more than two paragraphs is 2hard for a lot of kids with their ADD). Whether or not they were 'good DMs' more broadly they did understand the concept of refereeing and fantasy/myth with a deeper meaning than the current Vidya Game approach where everything is about statistics, because that's all a 'magic sword' is to most of them - a +1.<br />Now it also behooves me to mention that a lot of the kids playing D&D in the 80s were just about as ignorant of classic fantasy and Norse mythology as anyone playing it today, and I've certainly heard tell of endless arguments about stat-mongering and Munchkinism. So it's possible that most DMs have always kind of sucked, from a literary and adjucation point of view. I'd pretend to not be elitist but nobody would buy it.<br /><br />There _are_ some books out there that can give you useful advice as a DM. The Odyssey "Guides" to Campaign Management and Session Prep, "Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering", and the "Kobold Guide to Worldbuilding" all offer insights on how to practice the DMs craft that might not occur to a neophyte or experienced DM. They're also a lot better than some of the older TSR GM books that were basically just random tables with terrain geomorphs. But the only people likely to read and profit from these books are DMs that already have a grasp on their craft and are looking to improve it.<br /><br />You can't make good game masters, any more than you can make a good fencing referee. You can explain the rules, you can demonstrate the technique, but what it really takes is someone who's been there, done that, and wasn't asleep on their feet and pawning all the responsibility off onto their overworked GM. In other words, becoming a good GM means being a good player first, and good players are hard to come by.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-76377730947923825772018-01-30T04:26:51.792-08:002018-01-30T04:26:51.792-08:00"No, I'm angry about Dungeons & Drago..."No, I'm angry about Dungeons & Dragons. Probably for stupid reasons (if being "angry about Dungeons & Dragons" wasn't stupid enough)."<br />Dude, nothing pisses me off more than D&D and economics books. Emotional triggers are built around your passions, which are pretty arbitrary no matter what they happen to be.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-29170909025431184672018-01-28T05:23:20.320-08:002018-01-28T05:23:20.320-08:00I agree with some of this - industry leaders are m...I agree with some of this - industry leaders are more concerned with profit margins than love of the game and creative potential. But that's corporations for you.<br /><br />5th edition, in and of itself, is not the problem. But 3rd, 4th, and Pathfinder surely are... or were.<br /><br />I've done my part by writing How to Game Master like a Fucking Boss. Plus, GMing for noobs. But there's always more that can be done. Venger Satanishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04447932700800930510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-84349811130876339472018-01-26T10:58:51.382-08:002018-01-26T10:58:51.382-08:00And here's a few more thoughts about it. Botto...<a href="https://crossingtheverse.wordpress.com/2018/01/26/a-reasonable-concern/" rel="nofollow">And here's a few more thoughts about it.</a> Bottom line: in every hobby or activity, new participants learn from someone. If there's a lack of leadership or guidance, then it's perfectly reasonable for an interested party to get involved, to take up the slack, to teach new members how to play the game.Ozymandiashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01065642299277380465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-43342806162709183462018-01-26T08:27:45.807-08:002018-01-26T08:27:45.807-08:00"Isn't there more important shit to worry..."Isn't there more important shit to worry about," being a rhetorical device, a redirection of the conversation.<br /><br />"We need better government programs to help legal and illegal immigrants improve their situation." "Shouldn't we be more worried about homeless American citizens?" No, we should be worried about both and given that there are millions of people living in America, I'm quite certain we have enough resources to address both issues with equal concern.<br /><br />That other thing you said, however... "Are we supposed to jump in...?" That's worth exploring...Ozymandiashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01065642299277380465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-631603613513973402018-01-26T08:16:38.400-08:002018-01-26T08:16:38.400-08:00Hey, man, I'm not criticizing JB. I love his p...Hey, man, I'm not criticizing JB. I love his posts. I'm just not sure why he was upset at these women playing a game. Were they having fun? If they were, then who cares how they learned or what they've watched? Are we supposed to jump in and tell them that they are playing their game of pretend wrong? Would you stop kids who are playing dress-up to tell them that they are doing it wrong? I'm mean seriously. Isn't there more important shit to worry about, folks?The Angry Monkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17075199616086876028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-82030564862405197412018-01-26T08:10:51.029-08:002018-01-26T08:10:51.029-08:00I don't think I'm cynical, I think I'm...I don't think I'm cynical, I think I'm realistic. Look if you bought a Coke, and then wrote to the company to complain that your Coke didn't taste like Pepsi, then I doubt Coke would do anything for you. They might refund your money, but Coke is super rich. So you buy D&D 5e and don't like the taste or you want it to taste like AD&D or BX...is that really a valid criticism? Why do you want WotC to change their game to fit your taste? Just play the version you like. Nobody is stopping you. There are way more products out there for older games now than there has ever been. I would say that because of the interest in WotC's version(s) of D&D, smaller old-school producers (like Mr. Blackrazor himself) are making a little dough as well. That's great! I don't understand what you're investment in WotC's version of D&D is. If you don't like the taste, stop drinking it. Maybe writing posts and sending letters to WotC to make them change the flavour will work. But I would spend my time playing a version of the game I love. <br />Oh, I am also a big fan of Basic Fantasy Roleplaying Game, which is free and the best damn version of BX D&D (IMO) and has tons of free supplements and modules and house rules. You should try it.The Angry Monkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17075199616086876028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-68763479829477505052018-01-26T07:59:27.039-08:002018-01-26T07:59:27.039-08:00You're right. My familiarity with early D&...You're right. My familiarity with early D&D did make it more difficult to understand and less enjoyable for me. I'm not blaming the game. It's my stupid head. The folks that patiently tried to show me love 3.5. That's good. I'm not sure how many people actually learn how to play by reading the books. I know I didn't learn to play by reading the books. I learned to play from a friend's older brother. And I'm sure his games had all sort of personal quirks that weren't by the book. So what if people are learning to play from somebody on the internet. They're playing and that's the point. And if they enjoy what they're playing then that's good enough in my books.The Angry Monkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17075199616086876028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-25010143664893125632018-01-26T07:57:02.254-08:002018-01-26T07:57:02.254-08:00"This thing is impossible because I say it is..."This thing is impossible because I say it is, why are you wasting your time?"<br /><br />I know, I should probably let the whole thing go, but it seems like so many responses to this post are predicated on the same mistaken belief: that expressing a passionate (or expert) opinion about your hobby is an illegitimate use of your time if said opinion makes the reader uncomfortable.<br /><br />Fuck that bullshit. Keep up the good work JB, know there are people out there who aren't swayed by these distractions.Ozymandiashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01065642299277380465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-22272447757891326682018-01-26T07:46:24.433-08:002018-01-26T07:46:24.433-08:00That's pretty cynical.
You know, I can write ...That's pretty cynical.<br /><br />You know, I can write to Parker Brothers today and express my feelings about Monopoly, and I will receive a very considerate reply. If I wrote to them and told them the corner of my monopoly board was damaged inside the packaging, they would probably offer to replace the board immediately, WITHOUT asking me for a receipt or proof of purchase. My Lady Love has a penchant for following up with companies when she is unhappy with the product, and they NEVER ask for such things. I'm always agog when a six-pack of Pepsi shows up at the door, because she complained about the taste of one bottle, or we get a $25 gift certificate for toothpaste, because one of the tubes came out of the box with a tear.<br /><br />I don't think you are as wise about the ways of companies as you pretend, Mr. Monk. Businesses USUALLY want happy customers; they are USUALLY quite disturbed at the idea that there are people online complaining about how the company is doing. It is this kind of complaining that took down Blackberry and Yahoo. Don't think for a moment that the WOTC is safe; if they think they are, they're being quite stupid.<br /><br />When the tide rolls over them, because masses of people suddenly quit playing in frustration, because the company (according to Bill) decides to do less and less, it won't matter if they're greedy pigs or not. They will be broke greedy pigs.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-11294149313667231802018-01-26T07:12:24.037-08:002018-01-26T07:12:24.037-08:00I guess I would counter that you are expecting gre...I guess I would counter that you are expecting greedy pigs not be greedy pigs. Good luck with that.The Angry Monkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17075199616086876028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-90349002298126469562018-01-26T07:05:09.744-08:002018-01-26T07:05:09.744-08:00Angry Monk,
JB's argument has been, many time...Angry Monk,<br /><br />JB's argument has been, many times, that you're only able to understand the 3e books because you were grounded in B/X and Advanced. You had a strong idea what the intent was and what was expected of you. But people who have NEVER played before, picking up the 5e books, are lost, because those books, by themselves, are not sufficient to teach people how to play the game. They have to go to the internet and scramble, and gawd only knows what sort of game that leads to - which is made worse by a company so aloof it doesn't care.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-14270194860947014582018-01-26T07:01:40.925-08:002018-01-26T07:01:40.925-08:00Angry Monk,
All companies that sell products are ...Angry Monk,<br /><br />All companies that sell products are subject to the opinions of its market; aren't we told that capitalism is about the consumer "voting" to decide whether or not a company is entitled to be in business? Well, that's what we're doing. The WOTC has some extraordinarily questionable business attitudes and behaviours, and because of that we are holding their feet to the fire.<br /><br />The fact that they're a bunch of greedy pigs in a business world full of greedy pigs isn't much of a defense for their attitudes towards players, many of whom are children.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-35173643848082314632018-01-26T06:42:00.808-08:002018-01-26T06:42:00.808-08:00Sorry, but I don't get the analogy to professi...Sorry, but I don't get the analogy to professional sports. The only people who don't want to pay athletes because it besmirches the intent of true competition are the millionaires running the show (I'm looking at you Olympic committee). All sports are entertainment. That's why we pay people millions of dollars to play games. So we can wear the jersey and pretend like the SuperBowl matters (a circus to distract from the insanity around us). Why do we like sports? Because there are rules, and people are (sometimes) punished for breaking the rules, and so we can hear about the struggles little Tommy had to make it to the top, and so we can share in a teams glory or defeat. So who cares if people get paid to play or run RPG games? If you think it's easy then try to monetize your game. Or if it doesn't matter, post it anyway for free. These are games we are taking about! Stop taking it so seriously. Find something to really get upset about.The Angry Monkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17075199616086876028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-54983825165896312282018-01-26T06:33:54.421-08:002018-01-26T06:33:54.421-08:00Let's be honest. TSR was trying to sell it'...Let's be honest. TSR was trying to sell it's products and sent out lots of cease and desist orders to maintain control of their brand. That's why Gygax wrote AD&D. Games Workshop was the same. Any company that is trying to stay in business wants you to buy their product. The tabletop gaming industry isn't a frigging charity! So what if WotC wants you to buy their overpriced hardcover campaign books. Don't! By the three core books (or download the free set of beginners' rules--TSR never did that!) and make up your own stuff. But let's not pretend disgust when someone wants to make money off of their intellectual property.The Angry Monkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17075199616086876028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-18801883715696726472018-01-26T06:28:07.016-08:002018-01-26T06:28:07.016-08:00I have to kinda agree with Jeremy Murphy (although...I have to kinda agree with Jeremy Murphy (although not his tone). BX and Advanced D&D (not 2 ed.) was as far as I got before university put me into hibernation. When I defrosted and started playing again, I tried to jump into 3.5 ed. but it was just too complicated for me (same with Pathfinder). I withstood the lure of 5th ed. until I started running a gaming group at my high school, and all the kids played D&DNext or 5th ed. Finally, I bit the bullet and bought the 3 core books. And you know what? I really like it. WotC has paired away all the stuff that I wasn't interested in, and made it so everyone could do some cool stuff. I like the way it still keeps some of the 1 action and 1 movement mechanics (keeps the power gamers under control) but it allows for stories. Now granted I haven't converted any of my own personal adventures and have been playing the free intro adventures that WotC and posted, but I like that, too. I don't have the time to come up with grand campaigns, and to be honest, they certainly aren't any worse than my BS. JB, I think you would enjoy it if you played with some folks of a similar age and mindset. And, let's face it, you can always find someone who enjoys a particular game system no matter how crunchy or old-school or whatever it is. That's the beauty of being a tabletop gamer these days. Lots of choices.The Angry Monkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17075199616086876028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-85876298473544082712018-01-26T05:27:36.431-08:002018-01-26T05:27:36.431-08:00In other words: "those kids are jumping off b...In other words: "those kids are jumping off bridges and eating laundry detergent, but who cares? You're better than that because you're older and more experienced. Just keep it to yourself and let them live their lives. Why bother?"<br /><br />Because somebody cared about American football, or baseball, or fencing, cricket, Olympic sports, etc. And their passion and dedication led to something greater.<br /><br />Or maybe this comment is another among millions of drivel designed to make the commentator feel better about his/her lot in life (I'd speculate more but that would be rude and disingenuous).Ozymandiashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01065642299277380465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-75586810335449865692018-01-26T01:25:04.141-08:002018-01-26T01:25:04.141-08:00less drinking, more playing! or drink as much as y...less drinking, more playing! or drink as much as you want, but definitely play more! you know you want to. i know you need to. :)<br /><br />maybe even dare to play with some of those young folks. you might be surprised and actually have fun with the game. remember having fun with the game? that's something that has been lacking from your blog for a while. simple enjoyment of the game. think about that.<br /><br />as some have already pointed out, there's so much info about "how to play the game" available today, there has never been a better time to start out. some good, some bad, most mediocre, as one would suspect.<br /><br />and as one poster already said... with all due respect, it is not "them". it is you. and me. and all us folks getting older. while we might think that the kids are doing it wrong, they are only doing it in their own way. let them. they are having more fun than you are. i wonder where the anger is coming from. ;)<br /><br />sure, some of them might have bad info and run bad games. guess what, most of the games we played many, many years ago weren't that great. think of your first campaigns and judge them with what you know now. they where complete crap! and we loved them! it's their turn now.<br /><br />i have so many games going now (both as player and gm), i can't find the time for all of them. it's a great time for roleplaying. don't stand on the sidelines and grouch.<br /><br />play the game!<br /><br />ps: the bigger companies are in it for the money. fuck them, who cares about what they do?shlominushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10230735173349001611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-62639649172750649072018-01-25T22:26:18.981-08:002018-01-25T22:26:18.981-08:00I mean, the only other games that people pay other...I mean, the only other games that people pay other people to run for them are dealers for gambling games. Nobody pays somebody to run Monopoly for them. GMing an RPG has become something almost mythical to many people. It's strange. I really think we need a simple guide to GMing that's simple and has concrete steps and takes all the mystery out of it.Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01248905587983891548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-39845469747427511062018-01-25T22:02:56.154-08:002018-01-25T22:02:56.154-08:00Isn't it the responsibility of 'the game&#...Isn't it the responsibility of 'the game' to teach one how to play, rather than chasing down internet learning? DMs are the purchasers and the big corporate do not make an effort to teach and build their arsenal of skills. The argument on if you freaked the gamers out is a red herring, they were playing in a fucking nerd-a-torium, a public place.<br />I am of the opinion that companies like WotC don't give a crap about their customers. Just to provide regular consumables (adventures, crunch). If a DM really knew how to run a gun they probably would not be buying the quarterly corporate railroad.<br />JB, I see your fire building you have a clear mission.Johnny F. Normalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13290656343479879897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-16982612850741119422018-01-25T17:54:29.766-08:002018-01-25T17:54:29.766-08:00Critical role is nothing but contempt. Oh, yes, i...Critical role is nothing but contempt. Oh, yes, it is loved, phenomenally loved, but is it real gaming? Or is it a bunch of paid-for participants mugging for the camera. Do these participants really care about their characters? And Mercer - who even when he is paid, can't say he's a DM first; no, no, he's a "voice actor and a DM," like DM is an afterthought, not worthy of being a status above "voice actor."<br /><br />But people see what they want to see. They desperately crave the sort of interplay a bunch of voice actors can manage, so THIS is great DMing.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-29547528389718966582018-01-25T17:37:17.035-08:002018-01-25T17:37:17.035-08:00Methinks the lady doth protest too much...Methinks the lady doth protest too much...Ozymandiashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01065642299277380465noreply@blogger.com