When did We Stop Trusting Game Designers?

[Fifth Element]

Seth Godin has some interesting thoughts on that. Essentially, he believes people should post with their real names and stand by their words for just the kind of reasons described above.

I know some people on Yoggie have requested their username changed to their real names. It can be easy to see that people would attach more weight to posts attributed to real names than pseudonyms.

That's an interesting point, um...Paul, I guess?

 

[Fifth Element]

Easy.
Wotc does not design a game. They are handling a market of support of a certain product-trend: D&D. EGG holds a special position regarding this trend: he is considered his creator.

Mr. Gygax invented the first game of its type, which now includes more than just D&D.

To give him credit for "designing" 4E is rather far-fetched. Perhaps there is a language barrier?

 

[PaulofCthulhu]

That's an interesting point, um...Paul, I guess?

My name is Paul Maclean. I live in Bradford (UK). I own Yog-Sothoth.com. I like roleplaying games.

I stand by my words. I will admit when I'm wrong (it happens). i endeavour to be courteous and civil.

How's that?

 

[Ydars]

I agree that people did say things against EGG, even back in the day.

But the answer to the OP goes alot deeper than that. The real question is "When did we stop trusting." The fact we extend this to game designers is a consequence of a breakdown in trust between people in general. In the 1980s the world was just alot less sophisticated and alot more trusting.

Back then, people were generally alot more open and the DM was much more in control of the game than most DMs are now. The problem is, most people can't give up control nowadays and are, by the standards of the 1980s, very spoilt and childish. Just look at the outrageous ways people address each other on these boards; people always have to win and be right. I am not looking at other people either; I see it in myself as well.

And we call it progress...........................

 

[Fifth Element]

My name is Paul Maclean. I live in Bradford (UK). I own Yog-Sothoth.com. I like roleplaying games.

I stand by my words. I will admit when I'm wrong (it happens). i endeavour to be courteous and civil.

How's that?

Slow down. Remember that on message boards, tone is hard to read. I meant my post as a friendly jab, nothing more.

I agree with your post (my name is in my sig). Please extent me the courtesy of reading my posts in the best possible light, and requesting clarification where I am unclear, rather than assuming I am trying to insult you.

 

[PaulofCthulhu]

Sorry! I should have put a smiley on the end. I didn't expect you were at all. It made me realise that you made a very good point!

As such I've asked for my username to be changed, it seems only fair.

 

[Fifth Element]

Sorry! I should have put a smiley on the end. I didn't expect you were at all. It made me realise that you made a very good point!

As such I've asked for my username to be changed, it seems only fair.

Since changing a username can be a PITA, do you think including one's name in one's sig is an acceptable compromise?

 

[CharlesRyan]

I agree that gamers have always had issues with the pronouncements of game designers; letters columns and photocopied fanzines are just less convenient media. That said, my first-ever published bit of writing was a long letter to Dragon Magazine arguing against something EGG had written.

I also am a strong believer in using your real name on the internet. I wouldn't obscure my identity if I got into a conversation with you at a cocktail party, and I don't do it here on the net.

 

[Darrin Drader]

As a game designer, I find the notion of unquestioningly trusting every piece of rules that comes from any game designer troubling. If Gary wants to say that in Greyhawk, gunpowder doesn't work, which is why he didn't include guns, that's cool. If the player wants to include it, that's cool too. If Gary says that guns can's work in D&D, that attempts to take choice away from the DM.

I'm all in favor of DMs tinkering with their own games and making decisions about what does and does not appear/work in their own games. Because these are roleplaying games, I consider any rule in the game as optional (keeping in mind that if you decide to change something, you must then deal with the ripple effect throughout the rules of all changed things). For that reason, if someone were to take a prestige class, spell, monster, or some other thing that I wrote and declare it broken, overly complicated/not complicated enough, incompatible with the flavor of your game, then I'm in favor of not including it in their game. My philosophy is that the game mechanics were tailored for you to use, not use, or modify as you see fit. Once I've done the best I can with them and put them out there, it's out of my hands and in yours.

 

[NN]

Mr. Gygax invented the first game of its type, which now includes more than just D&D.

To give him credit for "designing" 4E is rather far-fetched. Perhaps there is a language barrier?

I think what he means is:

EGG co-wrote OD&D, wrote AD&D, and founded TSR.

So in ye olden days, his pronouncements had an authority, that the interjections of todays jobbing designers can never have.

Then, D&D players could tolerate being 'lectured' by EGG, even if they disagreed with him.