the game

[whartung]

Another opinion ...

How many of you remember Patricia Pulling? She was an anti-occult campaigner from Richmond, Virginia and the founder of Bothered About Dungeons & Dragons (BADD), which was a one-person advocacy group dedicated to the elimination of Dungeons & Dragons and other such games.

How about William Schnoebelen? His essays portrayed Dungeons & Dragons as a tool for New Age Satanic groups to introduce immoral concepts and behaviors.

How about James Dallas Egbert III? After an unsuccessful suicide attempt, he hid at a friend's house for approximately a month. His parents hired private investigator William Dear to find him. Since this detective knew nothing about D&D at that time, he speculated to the press that Egbert had gotten lost in the steam tunnels during a session of a live action RPG. The press largely reported the story as fact. Steve was later found working in Texas.

My point is this: AD&D, rightly or not, acquired a reputation as something dangerous to the minds and morals of young people, thus enhancing its cachet as a 'forbidden' game (much like the game of pool in "The Music Man"). Traveller has no such reputation. Thus, people (especially rebellious teens) looking for the thrill of doing something that their peers and parents would not approve of, will gravitate toward something 'naughty' like AD&D - and not 'thoughty' like Traveller.

Is any of this germane today? Besides old school folks like us that lived through the 80's, does anyone even recall this stuff any more?

 

[Thanos]

Is any of this germane today? Besides old school folks like us that lived through the 80's, does anyone even recall this stuff any more?

Germane in that it explains to a large degree DnD's continuing market dominance. They simply have the momentum.

 

[aramis]

Is any of this germane today? Besides old school folks like us that lived through the 80's, does anyone even recall this stuff any more?

Most recent RPG bookburning I heard about was when D&D 4 Essentials came out. Pastor Jerry Prevo, Anchorage Baptist Temple. (Note: Dr. Prevo is NOT affiliated with any other groups of Baptists, and his actions are not reflective of others using the label "Baptist".) He held book burnings prior on the release of 4E, and the release of the Book of Vile Darkness and FATAL.

This is bordering on a pit topic. I'm stating merely facts known to many gamers in Anchorage. The owner of Anchorage's largest comic shop once commented "I love book burnings. People buy more copies from me." (John W., talking to a TV News crew.)

Yes, the "Satanic Panic" still exists in some subpopulations. Yes, it does occasionally get ugly. And it applies equally to Rifts, D&D, Pathfinder, and most other fantasy RPGs.

On the other hand, there are counter-movements, too. Do a search for Dragon Raid RPG.

 

[pendragonman]

Not to be casting shade (well, not too much anyway) Shouldn't 4E be burnt as a matter of heresy?

 

[aramis]

Not to be casting shade (well, not too much anyway) Shouldn't 4E be burnt as a matter of heresy?

It's a decent enough game.... it doesn't feel like any other edition of D&D, but it plays fine.

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

Is any of this germane today?

Yes, because AD&D and other FRPGs have retained some of the same (undeserved) reputation to this day as a game that could (allegedly) corrupt your morals and fill your mind with heretical - and potentially blasphemous ideas. Just ask any fine, upstanding member of any mainstream evangelical/fundamentalist church.

Besides old school folks like us that lived through the 80's, does anyone even recall this stuff any more?

Yes. I attend a church here in SouCal, and I've brought up the subject of RPGs in general. The reactions are similar to when the topics of recreational drug use, alcoholism, Las Vegas, West Hollywood, strip clubs and ⌧ography are even mentioned in passing. That is, the church people react with nervous laughter, discomfort, revulsion, and even open anger toward the very thought of these things existing.

Traveller, on the other hand, must be explained, and the explanation will go on until someone says, "Oh, it's like Dungeons & Dragons!" Then someone else will change the topic of conversation.

So, back to the original topic ... what was it again?