How Does D&D Influence American Culture?

[Reynard]

I am also aware of the influence it has had on Computer games, but it's also possible that these computer games would've developed independently of pen and paper RPGs. For millions of people play MMORGs as opposed to the pen and paper. But I don't know for certain, I am simply speculating.

Not likely. Look up Dungeons and Dreamers. It's a good book and goes to show how D&D was effectively essential in the development of the computer game. Also, Masters of Doom shows that without their D&D campaign, the original id guys would never have developed their particular brand of game that led to the most popular (aside from sports) sort of game ever, the FPS.

D&D is a form of entertainment and so it's impact is felt most powerfully in entertainment. Whether its regular mentions in 80s films and television -- good or bad -- or its effect on the look and feel of every fantasy film made since 1976, D&D has had a powerful impact on American entertainment.

 

[Croesus]

So, I'd like to know more about how D&D has influenced American culture beyond what I know.

To be honest, I'm finding it very difficult to come up with anything other than computer RPG's, which clearly tend to use many of the D&D tropes. But American culture is far more than CRPG's.

The occasional reference to "D&D" in a TV show displays pretty much zero impact on culture. I suspect if the game has had any significant impact, it's far more subtle. The types of stories that get written, for instance, or the unconscious elements that current writers bring to shows that originated in the gaming of their youth.

But overt elements in today's culture that tie directly back to D&D, outside of the small niche of actual players? I just don't see it. I'd argue something like Star Trek or baseball or simply the concept of "Spring Break" has far more influence, by a factor of about a million or so.

 

[Diamond Cross]

Well, the thing about Star Trek's main influence is that it has helped inspired some technologies that we have today, or at least predicted it.

The influence of D&D isn't in catch phrases, though there are a few known to geekdom:

But that's the distinction. Geekdom is pretty much a niche. How well known is D&D outside of the niche other than what critics have negatively commented on it? Many times it does crop up in TV shows and movies, but is usually a negative inflection, such as Shreks "Way to fit in Guys", but I see this more as a reference rather than an actual influence.

Just think, if D&D was the Nations' past time, instead of sports like baseball. We could have the D&D world series. Competing teams in tournament style play for half a million bucks plus all the girls would be hooting and a hollering for your manly manhood, and all the big corporations would be after you to be their spokesperson.

And of course people would be sleeping on pillow cases with their favorite Drow, Drizzit, or their favorite mage Elminster.

You generally don't see D&D having that kind of influence on things.

You do see an occaisonal reference to it though.

 

[Cyronax]

Well, the thing about Star Trek's main influence is that it has helped inspired some technologies that we have today, or at least predicted it.


But that's the distinction. Geekdom is pretty much a niche. How well known is D&D outside of the niche other than what critics have negatively commented on it? Many times it does crop up in TV shows and movies, but is usually a negative inflection, such as Shreks "Way to fit in Guys", but I see this more as a reference rather than an actual influence.

Just think, if D&D was the Nations' past time, instead of sports like baseball. We could have the D&D world series. Competing teams in tournament style play for half a million bucks plus all the girls would be hooting and a hollering for your manly manhood, and all the big corporations would be after you to be their spokesperson.

And of course people would be sleeping on pillow cases with their favorite Drow, Drizzit, or their favorite mage Elminster.

You generally don't see D&D having that kind of influence on things.

You do see an occaisonal reference to it though.

Wow lots of hyperbolic analogies there. Its apples and oranges when comparing different cultural touchstones. Of course D&D isn't as widespread as baseball, football, or other big sports. Why would it be?

I would put D&D at nearly the same magnitude of Star Trek, Star Wars, Marvel and DC comics, and probably Harry Potter. Its not as widespread as it was in the 70's and 80's but D&D shaped a lot of kids and adults. Its the leading brand of a pretty big type of game. Sure kids won't have Elminster or Drizzt on their bedsheets.....those characters aren't animated, the'yre in books that older kids, teenagers, and adults read.

D&D is more of an engine for personal imagination than it is a full blown marketing and toy line like all those other brands I mentioned earlier. Most people who play D&D dream about their own character being in the spotlight, not some NPC.

Why is it so hard to accept that this hobby of a major part of American mainstream entertainment culture?

I also disagree with that D&D hasn't inspired new technologies. What about this:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VTE6ErZ3EQ&feature=player_embedded]YouTube - Self-Loading LEGO Dice Tower[/ame]


(Thanks to the poster named 'reveal' on Circvs Maximvs for the link)


C.I.D.

 

[Diamond Cross]

Why is it so hard to accept that this hobby of a major part of American mainstream entertainment culture?

Because it isn't. It's just wishful thinking to say it is.

What about this:

Ironic since you mentioned apples and oranges.

Doesn't compare to something like speech software. It's only the first step in being able to simply talk to a computer to give it commands of what you want it to do.

And another thing people also seem to forget, is that D&D also drew on many other literary influences to make the game.

 

[Tonguez]

However, D&D's influence is generally elsewhere. Every stinking RPG console game would not exist were it not for D&D. Say goodbye to the Final Fantasy series, World of Warcraft and a host of other games; they would have never existed.

I'm not sure this is correct. It may well be that something like Mario 64 (or any basic sidescroller) could have developed to include 'roleplaying elements' without D&D. So something like Final Fantasy would still exist and be the precursor to a different kind of PRG console game.

D&D's fantasy novel line, starting with Dragonlance, created much of the explosion for love of fantasy novels. The fantasy section would be awful small these days (and its authors much less well-known) if it weren't for the D&D novels

Gee so where did guys like Tolkien, Lewis, Burroughs and all the others get their inspiration before the advent of DnD? I was reading fantasy novels before I discovered DnD and I'm sure many others did too (I've never actually read Dragonlance or any other DnD series except the Rose of the Prophet series)

Also, D&D has a strong influence on fantasy art. Elmore, Parkinson and others helped advance the look of fantasy art alongside Valero and others, bringing a high quality to the visual look of D&D and fantasy overall.

Valejo was painting scense from Tarzan, Conan back in the 60's, Elmore started as an illustrator for Heavy Metal and Parkinson sites Frank Frazetta as one of his influences. These guys may have gone into comic books or some other are rather than DnD but again the existence of fantasy art is not dependent on DnD


So nope DnD doesn't have the same wide appeal of influence as Star Trek, Star Wars or Comic Books. Movies, Books and TV are universal media known (if not appreciated) by all, DnD isn't.

 

[TarionzCousin]

If D&D were more influential, I could Find/Disable Traps before going in to my boss's office.

 

[Momeeche]

It doesn't, except to serve as a whipping boy.

 

[Filcher]

I would submit that D&D played a vital link in the chain of events resulting in an Austrian winning the election for governor of California.

 

[Filcher]

I'm not sure this is correct. It may well be that something like Mario 64 (or any basic sidescroller) could have developed to include 'roleplaying elements' without D&D. So something like Final Fantasy would still exist and be the precursor to a different kind of PRG console game.

Wait ... so the answer is, "Yes, but in D&D's absence something else might have come up with D&D-esque elements"?

How do you argue against that? By your reasoning Einstein, Ford, Pasteur, Newton ... none of them count for squat because, eventually, someone else could have figured it out.

(Lol. I really to think twice before I post to these sorts of threads. I always regret it. Carry on.)