tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post7607767492923862881..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: The Angry DMAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-50547392478400666462020-12-31T07:08:24.920-07:002020-12-31T07:08:24.920-07:00I gave up on this guy the second time I went to hi...I gave up on this guy the second time I went to his blog because the title of a post was a subject I was interested about and.... He spends literally the entire blogpost, up to eight paragaphs, explaining the problem in random but minute detail, and then ends with: "Next post I'll tell you how I solved it!"<br /><br />Yeah, no. I can handle cutesy personality affections if you are giving me good (or at least interesting) content, but if you can't even get to the point quicker than ten paragraphs of dense text, why should I bother?Griffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14365659989927783999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-62598608405844552752018-03-09T09:19:10.416-07:002018-03-09T09:19:10.416-07:00Gawd, and I still got your name wrong. Matthias. ...Gawd, and I still got your name wrong. Matthias. There. I did it.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-30866223774204630392018-03-09T09:15:27.499-07:002018-03-09T09:15:27.499-07:00I'm sorry, Mattias. I shall be more careful w...I'm sorry, Mattias. I shall be more careful with those two vowels.<br /><br />Please know that I'd like to produce the sort of work you crave continuously. However, as verbose as I am, I am not creative enough to come up with something truly meaty every day. A lot of my days in game creation are pure gruntwork: move the blog, crunch these numbers, draw that map. Not very interesting for a blog post, particularly when I've written that post already.<br /><br />Criticism gives me something to write about; it is, as you say, part of my creative process; it's popular; and there is a cathartic pleasure in railing against things that make me unhappy.<br /><br />When I have something deeply inventive to write, rest assured I shall.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-44322889503049321932018-03-09T08:29:26.211-07:002018-03-09T08:29:26.211-07:00Looking forward to our conversation, later today.
...Looking forward to our conversation, later today.<br />: )JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-24795818050751069962018-03-09T06:07:43.378-07:002018-03-09T06:07:43.378-07:00Thanks for your response, Alexis. (And it is Matth...Thanks for your response, Alexis. (And it is <i>Matthias</i>, rather than <i>Matthais</i>. I usually don’t mind, but I think this is the third or fourth time you spell my name thusly, so I guess it’s not just a typo).<br /><br />I understand your comparison to film criticism, but I think that what you do is more akin to higher brow literary criticism (your focus on precision of language, clarity) and design criticism (your attention to structural elements in game design). <br /><br />So, rather than the local newspaper’s film critic, forced to write about the latest crappy movie because your editor believes that is what the paper’s reader want to read, I see your position as more akin to an author – with your own voice and literary production -- that occasionally writes a review of a book in a more serious publication, say the London or New York Review of Books. Criticism isn’t your main activity, as I see it. In my mind, your core contribution is the creation of your own materials (still speaking for myself, of course… don’t know if anyone else sees this as I do). <br /><br />The reason why I decided to post my previous comment is that, as an avid reader, I feel like the time you spend writing about poor quality material all over the internet means less time available for the really interesting stuff you produce and share with us all. Its an opportunity cost concern. ‘Clutter’ was an inappropriate image. <br /><br />I understand that ‘digging out this crap,’ as you put it, may have a cathartic function in your general work flow, or might be a kind of general research activity that gives you some negative perspective from which to react. And, of course, I realize that I have no claim over your time, and that it is ultimately selfish of me to suggest you spend your creative time in ways that interest me. No one is perfect.<br /><br />For whatever its worth, you don’t need to put on your cap to wade into that sludge for this particular reader. As far as I’m concerned, the more time you spend producing a positive example of what role-playing ought to be, rather than drawing on the limitless pool of negative examples to demonstrate what it shouldn’t be, the better. <br /><br />But that’s just my personal take… your blog is quite successful regardless of what I think.<br />Matthiashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09466641291398176421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-22398072093277293362018-03-08T14:54:47.037-07:002018-03-08T14:54:47.037-07:00Hell, JB, there's a vast difference between yo...Hell, JB, there's a vast difference between you and him. Your posts are an investigation, a puzzling through of uncertainty and a lack of conceit. He writes that he is the cock of the walk, though he's clearly faking it with all his pandering. You don't pretend to have the answers. You admit that it's hard. He covers up his shortcomings with click-baity titles, then attempts to double-down with, "Yeah, this is what I said it was; this is EVERYTHING, just like I said it was."<br /><br />I'm not even beating up on him, here. I'm throwing out some sarcasm, identifying his patterns, deconstructing his own words ... and letting his paragraphs do most of the condemnation. I am beating up on his readers; so we can save our sympathy for them. Except, like the metaphor goes, the great and powerful Oz here is a charlatan making a paper head puff out fire and smoke, while the curtain is wide open. They're not players, they're stooges. They ought to be shown up.<br /><br />You and me, JB, we are trying to give them direction. But sometimes, between shifting over my wiki and doing important work, I need to pause and kick the <a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Christmas%20Tiger" rel="nofollow">Christmas tigers</a> out of the way.<br /><br />Besides, I just quoted Robert Frost and used his poem to deconstruct and defend my dissatisfaction. How much more direction can I give?Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-66788943579341163902018-03-08T14:38:21.113-07:002018-03-08T14:38:21.113-07:00A little, here and there.A little, here and there.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-84004603498426936472018-03-08T13:23:28.199-07:002018-03-08T13:23:28.199-07:00I read this and snicker out loud, even as I realiz...I read this and snicker out loud, even as I realize most everything you've written here can apply to half my own blog posts.<br />; )<br /><br />It's tough, man, when the academic study of D&D is still, pretty much, in its infancy. Those of us who are analyzing (or are ruminating over it) have approached it from a variety of sides: historical (how and why its evolved), design (how it works), "narratively" (how gaming does or does not create "stories")...but most of us are pretty ignorant about how to go about doing so in a methodical, academic matter. As you've pointed out more than once, there just isn't a lot of (what I'll call) the right type of brain power working in our "field of study."<br /><br />Not saying it's wrong to beat up on people like Angry GM (or me, for that matter). Hell, I'm not even asking for you to "have compassion;" someone needs to call folks out and ask them to do better! But even though heaping on the scorn is good fun (I enjoy it), is scorn alone constructive? Folks have their heads up their asses, and it's right to say "try harder," but we can also give them some direction, some possible avenues to explore.<br /><br />[which you've done in past posts, sure]JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-37734618088370841562018-03-08T09:47:16.849-07:002018-03-08T09:47:16.849-07:00When you say "build a wall," Shelby, I g...When you say "build a wall," Shelby, I go right to Pink Floyd. Walls are sometimes a very bad things.<br /><br />Or if you prefer Robert Frost,<br /><br />"Before I built a wall I'd ask to know,<br />What I was walling in or walling out,<br />And to whom I was like to give offence.<br />Something there is that doesn't love a wall,<br />That wants it down. I could say "Elves" to him,<br />But it's not elves exactly, and I'd rather<br />He said it for himself. I see him there<br />Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top<br />In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed."<br /><br />But you will note, Shelby, that I don't comment in the Angry DM's field either. Shouting and shouting IS useless, and it brings bad things. Like Frost says, we'd rather he called it Elves and not us. For the unprepared, it is better to build walls than throw stones; the others are likely to throw stones back.<br /><br />I'm an old stone-thrower at heart ... and even I have surrendered the ground outside the field wall surrounding this post. But I will stand here, behind my wall, and shout Elves, because it is my way. It is fair that it is not your way, or the way of my readers; only, sometimes, I don't understand how my readers can bear it.<br />Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-42863924199193624432018-03-08T09:36:32.037-07:002018-03-08T09:36:32.037-07:00I don't know, Matthais. I have an extremely l...I don't know, Matthais. I have an extremely large brain. It has corners enough to sustain a little clutter.<br /><br />You're right about idiotic people being celebrated being old hat. Try to think of it this way; if this were a film-review blog, you would expect me to say something about the Oscars each year. And each year, I would talk about the stream of mastubatory shit being lauded to the skies, in just the same way as I talk about other content on surrounding RPGs on the internet.<br /><br />I'm paying attention because it is my responsibility not to cover myself with a shell. Writing is the field I'm in; and op/ed pieces are the bread and butter of a journal, because opinion ~ even about dreck ~ serves the interest of the reader. I dig out this crap and write about it so that you, gentle reader, don't have to, and yet occasionally you can receive a visceral thrill from feeling superior over it. You don't have to get your boots muddy, because I'll put on my press cap and get muddy for you.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-87118382694331614892018-03-08T07:28:51.370-07:002018-03-08T07:28:51.370-07:00I think the reason we don't see much if any ra...I think the reason we don't see much if any railing (of any substance) in the comments sections of these kinds of bloggers is that those who are inclined to speak up have probably spent their fire elsewhere, previously, and seen no hope of change from their efforts and so, like me, might get worked up about an article, think about writing an excoriation, and then despair that our effort would be wasted, pearls before swine as it were. And maybe that needs to change. If the thinking gamers could be induced to put in the effort to shout and shout and shout until the world hears the message that "crap advice is not welcome anymore." Unfortunately, I don't know that most of them would be willing unless the majority of humankind could be made to change by reasoned arguments rather than emotional manipulation. It seems a losing prospect, so the energy that might be spent tearing a mountain apart is used to build a wall instead.Lothar Svenssonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03195099273437009840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-14276048404804675852018-03-08T05:46:17.120-07:002018-03-08T05:46:17.120-07:00I sometimes wonder what you get out reading and li...I sometimes wonder what you get out reading and listening/watching to this stuff online, Alexis.<br /><br />I really enjoy your content, and appreciate you sharing your views on what the game is (or ought to be), and what it means to you. But these posts? I don't quite understand them. <br /><br />I mean, wading into the comment section of any medium -- traditional written press or new media alike -- is generally an exercise in existential dread. Even more so in the hobby/entertainment corners of the internet; RPGs were not the brainchild of extremely cultivated people. The cultural references, and depth of knowledge of these creators were nothing really impressive. But they did create an interesting constellation of games which, in the rights hands, can produce some incredibly valuable interactive experiences. And that is all that matters if you're into this kind of experience.<br /><br />That mediocre and often idiotic people are lauded and celebrated isn't new. Celebrity culture is just the most spectacular version of the phenomenon. Being constantly confronted by the stupidity and tastelessness of internet commenters is terrifying and, as far as I'm concerned, discouraging. That one would occasionally dip one's toe into these waters, on the pretext of deconstructing or, even more prosaically, venting deeply held frustration, is understandable. But to do it often is surprising to me. Which is why I ask, why do it at all? Doesn't it clutter your brain?Matthiashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09466641291398176421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-10257891911629256602018-03-08T03:15:05.927-07:002018-03-08T03:15:05.927-07:00I read the guy on occasion as I find him entertain...I read the guy on occasion as I find him entertaining, though definitely not a source of elevation for the discourse on the state of the craft.<br /><br />His shtick is good for an idle chuckle and makes me notice the obvious, as I'm the kind of person to ever so often miss it.<br /><br />The comments section I do avoid (and I can't be kind here), as it's home to an embarassing herd of fawning newts who haven't noticed they're being long-conned by a guy clearly making a living of playing videogames off the back of their patronage while shell-gaming them with the flimsiest pretense of caring about tabletop. Drainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09724863160300686402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-22034547746002665962018-03-08T00:43:09.374-07:002018-03-08T00:43:09.374-07:00I stole stuff from about 2 or 3 of his posts on ga...I stole stuff from about 2 or 3 of his posts on gaming mechanics, but find he takes way to many words to say what's needed for the sake of a cheap laugh. I pretty much ignore everything else.<br /><br />Since I found your site however long ago, I read everything and go back through old posts when I have the time. And stolen (or intend to steal) a lot more from here :)J. Cormierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06775658681126093604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-84039005199971430702018-03-07T22:48:09.540-07:002018-03-07T22:48:09.540-07:00I generally like his stuff (after he gets past the...I generally like his stuff (after he gets past the nonsensical "introduction") but I think that's because I see a lot of "water is wet" advice about the game.<br /><br />And yet I'm not one to read his work consistently. Proof in the pudding, and all that...Ozymandiashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01065642299277380465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-710777009159001502018-03-07T22:00:07.049-07:002018-03-07T22:00:07.049-07:00I used to enjoy his articles when he would post ab...I used to enjoy his articles when he would post about mechanics (ways of changing monsters, initiative variants, etc.). His abstract/theory articles are all the same, nonspecific crap with way, way too many video game references. <br /><br />I listened to his podcast he puts out the other week and it seems his entire mental model for what makes a good D&D campaign has more to do with what makes a good video game than anything else.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17587469359634906146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-53352988887259360922018-03-07T20:52:35.252-07:002018-03-07T20:52:35.252-07:00People just want to read something that sounds dee...People just want to read something that sounds deep without threatening their deeply-held beliefs, so they can feel intelligent for "getting it."<br /><br />Since D&D is a "game," very few players and DMs think getting better is a valuable use of time. Even if they don't admit this, their behaviors reveal it. <br /><br />I remember when I first started DMing, all the advice I read was worthless. "Say 'yes, and having fun is the most important thing!" What does that even mean? "Having fun" isn't a goal, it is a byproduct. Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02846071799831004752noreply@blogger.com