As I got ready to travel cross country this morning, I wondered what I should take as reading material.
As I got ready to travel cross country this morning, I wondered what I should take as reading material. I left behind my electronics texts and philosophy books and instead grabbed a stack of gaming magazines. Mostly from the early 80.
It got me thinking.
Far too often I hear from the young that there is no role playing in D&D. That the system doesn't allow for it and other poorly fashioned arguments based on a lack of study. Looking into the pages of old it is plainly simple to me today as it was in my youth. The games incouraged character by getting out of the way. The system was an action based one that left character to the imagination of the player.
There is little to no need to explain playing at pretend to the vast majority of gamers. But it seems that some folk crave it. To me it seems about as use full as instructions for blinking or a detailed explanation of the top 10 ways to resperate atmosphere.
But hey, maybe it's just me and the thousands of gamers I have talked to at length over the decades. The fellows who would talk to no end about their favoured 17th level paladin. People who would create drama and conflict with narry a roll of the dice. The countless hours of sitting on a stone floor and telling stories that took place inside and out of dungeons.
So maybe I'm wrong or my years of gaming have made me myopic.
What say you?
Is there more character development and less murderous intent due to different rules? Or is this mild to severe inflammation coupled with nostalgia?
It got me thinking.
Far too often I hear from the young that there is no role playing in D&D. That the system doesn't allow for it and other poorly fashioned arguments based on a lack of study. Looking into the pages of old it is plainly simple to me today as it was in my youth. The games incouraged character by getting out of the way. The system was an action based one that left character to the imagination of the player.
There is little to no need to explain playing at pretend to the vast majority of gamers. But it seems that some folk crave it. To me it seems about as use full as instructions for blinking or a detailed explanation of the top 10 ways to resperate atmosphere.
But hey, maybe it's just me and the thousands of gamers I have talked to at length over the decades. The fellows who would talk to no end about their favoured 17th level paladin. People who would create drama and conflict with narry a roll of the dice. The countless hours of sitting on a stone floor and telling stories that took place inside and out of dungeons.
So maybe I'm wrong or my years of gaming have made me myopic.
What say you?
Is there more character development and less murderous intent due to different rules? Or is this mild to severe inflammation coupled with nostalgia?
What I think that a lot of gamers are looking for, and not finding in some older RPGs, is something that directly supports their efforts at story. Back when I played Dungeons and Dragons there could be a LOT of story - there were plots, scheme and romances, all going on while the party trooped it around Hell and gone looking for treasure. But if you wanted to get any better at what it was you did - you needed to fight something - because the guy who taught us how to play didn't read the rules completely, the threw out some things that he didn't like. And that contributed to the baggage of the game, baggage that said "If you don't fight and kill, you don't advance." And so talking your way out of a combat meant that you'd just robbed the characters at a chance at some XPs. And that, I think, is where the trope of "There's no roleplaying in gaming," (said in a Tom Hanks voice) came from.
ReplyDeleteI think its how the group as a whole approach whatever edition they decide to play. Sure some editions focus more on the battle map/grid or tend to lean to an MMO style of gaming but its up to the group to decide how and what they want to play - else most folk are moving to the door if disatisfied. Having said that, I believe, due to less codification of the earlier versions this can allow for more 'freeer form' of playing as there is less chance of ' but the rules allow...' mentality. After all the players just want as much as they can get to survive, be successful and famous (infamous) within their role playing group and gaming world. Isn't that part of character development? Hmmm perhaps I have talked myself into a circle here. Ah well... just ante up and roll the dice Game on!
ReplyDeleteI guess most people respond to tangible form of reward.
ReplyDelete