tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post1696477753333392199..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: ShillsAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-57531633829531138322012-06-25T15:06:09.740-06:002012-06-25T15:06:09.740-06:00Damn, I love Thucydides.
I have always dreamed of...Damn, I love Thucydides.<br /><br />I have always dreamed of the brilliant historical fiction in three massive volumes based upon the Peloponnesian War.<br /><br />The first ending with the death of Brasidas and Cleon, obviously both in love with the same woman.<br /><br />The second with the taking of Syracuse - where the same woman has taken refuge.<br /><br />And finally with the end of the war, and the woman, now a cougar, obsessed with Alcibiades and Lysander.<br /><br />Sigh. I don't think I'm a good enough writer to put it together.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-18950918836455437412012-06-25T13:20:41.700-06:002012-06-25T13:20:41.700-06:00This post fills me with a warm, happy feeling that...This post fills me with a warm, happy feeling that is difficult to describe but absolutely awesome nevertheless. I always thought the professors in <i>Big Bang Theory</i> spent too much time being <i>geeks</i> as opposed to <i>nerds</i>. There is a difference. Real nerds usually don't have infinite amounts of time to waste on pop-culture obsessions. Granted, I'm a college professor and I still like comic books, D&D, and anime. However, I'm more interested in (and invested in) being up on Homer and Thucydides (because I have to teach them) than Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet. I'm not getting paid to talk about <i>The Avengers</i> in front of twenty college students. Somehow, I doubt the writers in <i>Big Bang Theory</i> realize that.Dave Cesaranohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01454928720043301400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-66737583457273443932012-06-24T13:46:17.922-06:002012-06-24T13:46:17.922-06:00I myself will be a shameless shill for a company t...I myself will be a shameless shill for a company that puts out goods I enjoy. But there's the rub: "putting out goods I enjoy". The company has to actually produce the product I buy using their time, talent, and resources. The product has to be enjoyable. I don't read books or watch films the creators had to clear with my friends and I, why should games be any different?JDJarvishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07691101939920824546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-61365100125861954362012-06-24T07:05:44.060-06:002012-06-24T07:05:44.060-06:00And there we see the programming of the constituen...And there we see the programming of the constituency; if you despise the <i>commercialization</i> of your hobby, it is the same as despising the hobby itself.<br /><br />A whole community, too stupid to recognize it's been programmed to be mules.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-39274826817304822532012-06-24T03:55:39.759-06:002012-06-24T03:55:39.759-06:00Did you sign up for the play-test? Do you even pla...Did you sign up for the play-test? Do you even play any version of D&D? I just don"t understand why they would want you opinion considering how bitter and hateful you about the hobby and the establishment that is in it.Eric Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01960656309497897771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-83524433845452234542012-06-24T00:36:09.513-06:002012-06-24T00:36:09.513-06:00Alexis: You're awesome.
It's funny...I ne...Alexis: You're awesome.<br /><br />It's funny...I never considered myself a nerd as a kid because I identified "nerds" with those kids in Revenge of the Nerds and those earlier films...and I didn't resemble 'em. But over the years, with the re-branding of the archetype you describe, I've had sneaking suspicions about myself in the back of my mind. That can undermine a person.<br /><br />Thanks for giving me some peace of mind back. I'll try to repay it by not be a fucking shill. Even though a person CAN fit in, that's no excuse not to be authentic to yourself.JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-25766075430266441332012-06-23T11:57:06.470-06:002012-06-23T11:57:06.470-06:00Yes, but once again, Angus is sexually retarded, i...Yes, but once again, <i>Angus</i> is sexually retarded, incredibly disneyfied, supported by a "nerd" friend who acts in no way like a nerd (informed status) and ultimately Angus wins the heart of Melissa who likes him because he's "kind to others."<br /><br />Ugh. Same shit. Hollywood makes him fat so he can be a "nerd" when in fact a lot of fat people are not.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-79300904488040157122012-06-22T22:01:03.773-06:002012-06-22T22:01:03.773-06:00I haven't seen _Angus_ in years - according to...I haven't seen _Angus_ in years - according to imdb, it was released in 1995 - but it features an intelligent nerd who's also a good athlete and who isn't defined by fandom or consumption patterns.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00155926145150934199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-60322842891837606592012-06-21T14:45:07.943-06:002012-06-21T14:45:07.943-06:00Interesting. It does seem a bit silly to send thi...Interesting. It does seem a bit silly to send this request your way. Silly being a bit of an understatement of coarse.<br /><br />I'm not going to lie, I've got some of their next ed. materials via connections here and there, and am looking them over. Perhaps I'll even try them, but I'll be honest, it's not because I have any impression out of the gates it will be good. I've been approaching the whole project rather pessimistically myself.<br /><br />I'm doing it because I love systems, I love seeing how people succeed and fail and I love tearing them down and considering how I would fix them.Oddbithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12091924105175846386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-32277925148752364162012-06-21T11:51:47.509-06:002012-06-21T11:51:47.509-06:00For only $29.99, you too can run the best adventur...For only $29.99, you too can run the best adventures of all time!<br /><br />Well, Kickstarter makes that sound more like:<br /><br />For only $29.99, you might get to run the best adventure of all time!Anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02363226867428219723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-8527473056487944122012-06-21T11:32:45.103-06:002012-06-21T11:32:45.103-06:00It's a clever thing, to take the character of ...It's a clever thing, to take the character of a materialistic idiot, call them a genius and make *purchasing* their primary mode of interacting with the world. It makes people feel smart when they buy more bullshit. This is the era we live in: we think we can buy intelligence.Giordanistihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18375496443176258588noreply@blogger.com