A jesus fish for role players

[Imp]

Whaaaaat? So you're saying that people actually spit on you, and employees at a bookstore refused to handle, y'know, books? You're really saying that happened?

Pity our brothers in darkest Jockistan!

 

[Phaezen]

Whaaaaat? So you're saying that people actually spit on you, and employees at a bookstore refused to handle, y'know, books? You're really saying that happened?

People can be wierd like that sometimes, I have a freind who plays a multitude of games, including Vampire and Call of Cthulhu, which hhis family is fine with. Its his D&D books that were burnt for being evil

Phaezen

 

[sturmkraehe]

I guess I am fortunate. I have been called a geek for all kinds of reasons (RPG's aren't my only claim to geekish pursuits), but have never been spat upon or had people refuse to touch the books. You must be in deepest darkest Utah or some other place where weirdness takes on a whole new definition.

I think the general public left the "D&D=Satan" thing behind quite a while ago in these parts (Seattle, USA) and tend to look upon most role players with bemused indifference.

 

[Silverblade The Ench]

Pity our brothers in darkest Jockistan!

Just a note, Scots are often called "Jock", and our Sassenach neighbours may of course reffer to us as "Jockistan", if they want, I guess...rofl!

But I have to say there is a very great polarity in Glasgow/West central belt of Scotland, of love of art/culture/fun on one side, and a nasty culture of deliberate ignorance and hostility to anything the least bit intellectual, kind etc.

Silly, as pals of mine who play D&D, vary from an IT trainer for a major international, to a bouncer in Glasgow pubs (compared to which, I guess Undermountain would seem par for the course)


hm, I suggest using the HAGGIS as our symbol!! fish are boring! But the wily, deadly haggis..ah, there's a beastie for ye!

 

[Ginnel]

for someone who has partaked in the hobby of running around a university campus dressed as wizards and drow shouting quad, quad, quad! while waving latex weapons about, I think any negativity provided by rolling dice at a table is inconsequential.



I've given it up now honest

 

[Pbartender]

I for one REFUSE to be treated strangely when other people skydive or bungie for fun, or paint themselves blue and orange at a football game in 12 degree weather to cheer on their team.

That reminds me of one of my favorite articles from The Onion...

[bq]"Back in high school, there were a bunch of guys like that in my study hall. They'd spend the entire period talking about Alien Nation. I swear, they knew every line from every episode by heart," said Moreland, who can recite the batting average and on-base percentage of every member of the '86 Mets. "Who needs to memorize that kind of stuff? How useless is that?"[/bq]

 

[HellHound]

I'm a fan of the Go-Play triangle too. Planning on getting some printed for my "new" car... was hoping to do it in time for the "Go-Play Ottawa" mini-con, but I can't imagine getting it done in time now, since that's only a week or so away now.

 

[WhatGravitas]

for someone who has partaked in the hobby of running around a university campus dressed as wizards and drow shouting quad, quad, quad! while waving latex weapons about, I think any negativity provided by rolling dice at a table is inconsequential.

Of course, you're from the UK.

Cheers, LT.

 

[Nadaka]

Whaaaaat? So you're saying that people actually spit on you, and employees at a bookstore refused to handle, y'know, books? You're really saying that happened?

Welcome to Mississippi.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

There was the "go play" green triangle for a while a couple of years ago that tried to accomplish just this. It might be something that folks still recognize.

Apparently I'm too young. This symbol was just a green triangle? How is anyone supposed to get "play games" from a green triangle?

I have seen book burnings. I have seen people recoil in horror and spit on me knowing that I play D&D. I have had people tell me that I should not buy a computer because satan is in the machine. I have been called a devil worshipper, damned to hell for any number of so called sins. I have had book store employees refuse to service me and curse my name rather than touch D&D books I had intended to purchase (I am never going to set foot in a barnes & noble in my life, and I encourage everyone I know to do the same).

People who live in relatively liberal areas often have a hard time seeing the point of subtlety when dealing with gaming, but those of us who grew up in conservative areas understand the appeal of subtlety. I've never been cursed or spit on, but there are folks in my neck of the country that really do think D&D is some sort of Satan worship. And this is in the US; I'm sure in less secular country such attitudes are much more common.

So before you ask 'what's so hard about just asking someone if they role play?' consider other gamers' possible situations. If I meet someone who might be a closet gamer, it comes down to the question 'do I want to pander to his/her shame or fear, or do I want to lose a potential player?' Maybe others who live in game-rich areas have the luxury of losing potential players, but many of us live in socially desolate areas and don't have that luxury if we want to play.

TS