Elitist old guy vs. Wrong Fun - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Elitist old guy vs. Wrong Fun

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
pschirf
Jul 18, 2009 16:31:03 My little girls recently discovered my 1st edition monster manual and started to play a game with it. The kids understand that Mom and Dad still play make-believe using the D&D books and wanted to take part, so they invented their own game. Their game is called “Save Mr. Rogers”. We believe this is based on their belief that Mr. Rogers has a land of make believe somewhere near his house (where King Friday rules).

The best part of the game is how it’s played. The 6 year old opens the Monster Manual to a random page and announces “Can THIS monster be the one who took Mr. Rogers?” If the 4 year old agrees, the 6 year old reads aloud as much of the text as she can manage, and they then run off into the back yard to pretend that they’re fighting the beast to save Mr. Rogers! It’s not the same game that I play. In fact, it has more value than the one I play. And oh, how I love them dearly for it.

But here is my problem… In another thread I just attacked a DM looking for a program that can "auto-sell" loot for his players. I admit it; I'm an elitist old guy. I feel there are many right ways to play D&D, but I feel there are incorrect ways as well. This isn't to say that the other ways are vile or ethically wrong, but I do de-value some perspectives. When I see people treating the rules as more important than the role-play I look down on them. I'm disheartened when I hear that some people feel role-playing is beneath them or not worth the time investment. I find the character optimization threads to be enjoyable, but scoff and huff at people who claim that they can’t make class X fit concept Y because it results in a character that is “sub-par” mechanically.

I cringe when people tell me that my attitude is just that of a grumpy old man telling kids that they're having "wrong fun". The truth is they're right; that's what I am saying. But I do wish that they could spend an afternoon playing Save Mr. Rogers and reflavor their approach to the rules from that perspective.
#2
pigknight
Jul 18, 2009 16:57:32 How old are you? And do you have a neck beard?
#3
oxybe
Jul 18, 2009 17:16:30 i posted in that thread... his issue was with the character generator software, not doing something in-game. it's entirely pre-game stuff.

some people have certain requirements for their characters. if i have a concept but unable to make it keep up with the party (IE: under-par)... i'm going to be a liability. there's an unwritten rule in my group that you carry your own weight, since being unable to do so adds that much extra strain on the party when someone has to pull a "double shift".

for me, making sure my concept works well in-game as well as it does on paper mean being respectful towards the other players around the table.

the other reason (myself at least) like working on the mechanical aspect is that a dead PC doesn't affect the plot (at least not normally. a DM can have that PC do his own quest in the ghost world while waiting to be resurrected but it doesn't happen often).

another is mechanical accuracy on certain aspects. myself and other like things to work out of the box. i don't mind reflavoring, but i want it work as soon as the GM starts the session with as little hassle as required.

probably the most important thing is that instead of having 2 young girls playing a concentual game of "Mr.Rogers" is that you have 7 guys with their own ideas on how things should work. having well-written and clear rules puts everyone on the same page and stops confusion. i know what that's like. i have twins for younger siblings and we played lots of pretend games in our mazes and huts made in the overgrowth of the backyard with the neighborhood kids. we had some unwritten rules though, and i'm sure your daughters do to.

as for RP being beneath someone, i don't think i've met any D&D player who would say that. their RP might be different from yours or mine, but never just put RP beneath them

@PK: technically i could have a neckbeard, but i keep it shaved to a nice goatee. a 24 year old with a shaggy neck isn't pretty.
#4
The_White_Sorcerer
Jul 19, 2009 1:33:50
@PK: technically i could have a neckbeard, but i keep it shaved to a nice goatee. a 24 year old with a shaggy neck isn't pretty.

Bah! I'm 23 and I've had a shaggy neck for almost ten years now, and will have for many years more. And I feel pretty as a peach.

And to stay on topic, I've also been a grumpy old man for about ten years, and I've never felt the need to tell people their fun is wrong unless it's actually harmful for them. I might try to give advise on how to potentially improve the fun of certain activities but, in the end, to each their own.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 pschirf Jul 18, 2009 16:31:03	My little girls recently discovered my 1st edition monster manual and started to play a game with it. The kids understand that Mom and Dad still play make-believe using the D&D books and wanted to take part, so they invented their own game. Their game is called “Save Mr. Rogers”. We believe this is based on their belief that Mr. Rogers has a land of make believe somewhere near his house (where King Friday rules). The best part of the game is how it’s played. The 6 year old opens the Monster Manual to a random page and announces “Can THIS monster be the one who took Mr. Rogers?” If the 4 year old agrees, the 6 year old reads aloud as much of the text as she can manage, and they then run off into the back yard to pretend that they’re fighting the beast to save Mr. Rogers! It’s not the same game that I play. In fact, it has more value than the one I play. And oh, how I love them dearly for it. But here is my problem… In another thread I just attacked a DM looking for a program that can "auto-sell" loot for his players. I admit it; I'm an elitist old guy. I feel there are many right ways to play D&D, but I feel there are incorrect ways as well. This isn't to say that the other ways are vile or ethically wrong, but I do de-value some perspectives. When I see people treating the rules as more important than the role-play I look down on them. I'm disheartened when I hear that some people feel role-playing is beneath them or not worth the time investment. I find the character optimization threads to be enjoyable, but scoff and huff at people who claim that they can’t make class X fit concept Y because it results in a character that is “sub-par” mechanically. I cringe when people tell me that my attitude is just that of a grumpy old man telling kids that they're having "wrong fun". The truth is they're right; that's what I am saying. But I do wish that they could spend an afternoon playing Save Mr. Rogers and reflavor their approach to the rules from that perspective.
#2 pigknight Jul 18, 2009 16:57:32	How old are you? And do you have a neck beard?
#3 oxybe Jul 18, 2009 17:16:30	i posted in that thread... his issue was with the character generator software, not doing something in-game. it's entirely pre-game stuff. some people have certain requirements for their characters. if i have a concept but unable to make it keep up with the party (IE: under-par)... i'm going to be a liability. there's an unwritten rule in my group that you carry your own weight, since being unable to do so adds that much extra strain on the party when someone has to pull a "double shift". for me, making sure my concept works well in-game as well as it does on paper mean being respectful towards the other players around the table. the other reason (myself at least) like working on the mechanical aspect is that a dead PC doesn't affect the plot (at least not normally. a DM can have that PC do his own quest in the ghost world while waiting to be resurrected but it doesn't happen often). another is mechanical accuracy on certain aspects. myself and other like things to work out of the box. i don't mind reflavoring, but i want it work as soon as the GM starts the session with as little hassle as required. probably the most important thing is that instead of having 2 young girls playing a concentual game of "Mr.Rogers" is that you have 7 guys with their own ideas on how things should work. having well-written and clear rules puts everyone on the same page and stops confusion. i know what that's like. i have twins for younger siblings and we played lots of pretend games in our mazes and huts made in the overgrowth of the backyard with the neighborhood kids. we had some unwritten rules though, and i'm sure your daughters do to. as for RP being beneath someone, i don't think i've met any D&D player who would say that. their RP might be different from yours or mine, but never just put RP beneath them @PK: technically i could have a neckbeard, but i keep it shaved to a nice goatee. a 24 year old with a shaggy neck isn't pretty.
#4 The_White_Sorcerer Jul 19, 2009 1:33:50	@PK: technically i could have a neckbeard, but i keep it shaved to a nice goatee. a 24 year old with a shaggy neck isn't pretty. Bah! I'm 23 and I've had a shaggy neck for almost ten years now, and will have for many years more. And I feel pretty as a peach. And to stay on topic, I've also been a grumpy old man for about ten years, and I've never felt the need to tell people their fun is wrong unless it's actually harmful for them. I might try to give advise on how to potentially improve the fun of certain activities but, in the end, to each their own.