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2020: The Year That Wasn't
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<blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 8151976" data-attributes="member: 3285"><p>2020 has been a weird year that has had some unexpected results for tabletop gaming. Here’s a look back.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">[ATTACH=full]130275[/ATTACH]</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">Pictures <a href="https://pixabay.com/illustrations/dumpster-fire-flames-garbage-bin-5829914/" target="_blank">courtesy </a>of <a href="https://pixabay.com/illustrations/dragon-fire-figure-fantasy-2356250/" target="_blank">Pixabay.</a></p><p></p><p>For those paying attention to the origins of many series, role-playing games lurked behind just about every major geek pastime as an influence, be it virtual reality gaming (<a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/how-a-rpg-company-launched-virtual-reality-gaming.669963/" target="_blank"><strong>Battletech</strong></a>), <strong>Firefly </strong>(<strong><a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/was-firefly-inspired-by-a-rpg.669703/" target="_blank">Traveller</a></strong>), <strong>He-Man </strong>(<a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/d-d-conan-and-he-man-toys-that-never-were.672956/" target="_blank">D&D</a>), <strong>Onward </strong>(<a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/onward-a-d-d-movie-for-kids.671909/" target="_blank">D&D</a>), <strong>Star Control (</strong><a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/the-rpg-origins-of-star-control.669632/" target="_blank"><strong>Star Frontiers</strong></a>), or <strong>The Witcher</strong> (<a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/was-the-witcher-inspired-by-an-ad-d-campaign.670138/" target="_blank"><strong>Advanced Dungeons & Dragons</strong></a>).</p><p></p><p>All these role-playing influences are descendants of or directly influenced by <strong><strong>Dungeons & Dragons</strong>,</strong> and as the venerable game entered its sixth year, questions arose about <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/the-last-edition-of-d-d.670519/" target="_blank">when the next edition would arrive</a>. For good reason: using past editions as a guide, we're fast approaching the age when D&D shifts to a new edition, so at this point we're in the bonus rounds. <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/meet-the-daughter-of-hideous-laughter.674765/" target="_blank"><strong>Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything</strong></a> offered a glimpse of just how far Fifth Edition can stretch and what it could potentially become.</p><p></p><p>As D&D’s arc continued to soar, tabletop gaming increased along with it. Kickstarters, Patreon, and other crowdfunding options offer the tantalizing possibility of <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/making-it-in-the-rpg-industry.673231/" target="_blank">making a living off of game design</a> … even if <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/retiring-as-a-game-designer.673371/" target="_blank">retiring from the industry is still out of reach</a>.</p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/when-pandemic-isnt-just-a-game.670892/" target="_blank">Then the pandemic struck</a>. It was a surprising boon for <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/vtts-feel-the-strain.671166/" target="_blank">virtual gaming platforms</a> and <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/tabletop-game-companies-step-up.671884/" target="_blank">D&D in general</a>. Tabletop gaming is uniquely flexible in that it can be played virtually at any time thanks to the aforementioned virtual platforms or huddled together in-person with those in your pandemic bubble. It’s also good for our emotional and mental health, <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/when-gaming-saved-the-world.672289/" target="_blank">a boost we could all use in trying times</a>.</p><p></p><p>On a more personal note, <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/take-care-of-your-players.675828/" target="_blank">I lost one of my long-time players this year</a>. <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/working-through-grief-with-role-playing-games.675868/" target="_blank">Gaming helped me work through his loss</a>, but I’ll never really get over someone several years younger than me passing away so soon. I had hopes of offering my players a deluxe boxed set of the <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/i-wrote-a-book-starting-over.666451/" target="_blank">fantasy novels their characters inspired</a> … instead, those novels are now a eulogy to my friend Joe.</p><p></p><p>The end of the year is an opportunity to count our blessings, and I am certainly blessed to work with so many talented writers who write for the EN World Columnist program. If you haven’t read their work, I encourage you to check them out: <a href="https://www.enworld.org/members/brimmels.6919689/" target="_blank">Beth’s review of Wizards of the Coast products</a>; <a href="https://www.enworld.org/members/charles-dunwoody.17927/" target="_blank">Charles’ print roundups, reviews, and interviews</a>; <a href="https://www.enworld.org/members/corone.6806393/" target="_blank">Corone’s game design master classes</a>; <a href="https://www.enworld.org/members/egg-embry.6808965/" target="_blank">Egg’s crowdfunding roundups and interviews</a>; <a href="https://www.enworld.org/members/lewpuls.30518/" target="_blank">Lew’s opinion articles about the history of gaming and what the future holds</a>; <a href="https://www.enworld.org/members/longgonewriter.6857996/" target="_blank">LongGoneWriter’s Paizo reviews and roundups</a>; and <a href="https://www.enworld.org/members/m-t-black.6782171/" target="_blank">M.T. Black’s Dragon reflections</a>, along with many others who have contributed throughout the year. Please consider following them and if you like their work, <a href="https://www.patreon.com/enworld" target="_blank">chipping in on Patreon</a>.</p><p></p><p>As we wrap up this year, there’s a lot to be thankful for. Sadly, the bar is low enough that if you’re reading this, congratulations: you made it! We made it! Here’s to a 2021 where we can see our friends in-person again, roll some dice, have some laughs, and share a toast with those still with us to those we lost.</p><p></p><p>Stay safe, and we’ll see you in 2021!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="talien, post: 8151976, member: 3285"] 2020 has been a weird year that has had some unexpected results for tabletop gaming. Here’s a look back. [CENTER][ATTACH type="full" alt="goodbye2020.jpg"]130275[/ATTACH] Pictures [URL='https://pixabay.com/illustrations/dumpster-fire-flames-garbage-bin-5829914/']courtesy [/URL]of [URL='https://pixabay.com/illustrations/dragon-fire-figure-fantasy-2356250/']Pixabay.[/URL][/CENTER] For those paying attention to the origins of many series, role-playing games lurked behind just about every major geek pastime as an influence, be it virtual reality gaming ([URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/how-a-rpg-company-launched-virtual-reality-gaming.669963/'][B]Battletech[/B][/URL]), [B]Firefly [/B]([B][URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/was-firefly-inspired-by-a-rpg.669703/']Traveller[/URL][/B]), [B]He-Man [/B]([URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/d-d-conan-and-he-man-toys-that-never-were.672956/']D&D[/URL]), [B]Onward [/B]([URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/onward-a-d-d-movie-for-kids.671909/']D&D[/URL]), [B]Star Control ([/B][URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/the-rpg-origins-of-star-control.669632/'][B]Star Frontiers[/B][/URL]), or [B]The Witcher[/B] ([URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/was-the-witcher-inspired-by-an-ad-d-campaign.670138/'][B]Advanced Dungeons & Dragons[/B][/URL]). All these role-playing influences are descendants of or directly influenced by [B][B]Dungeons & Dragons[/B],[/B] and as the venerable game entered its sixth year, questions arose about [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/the-last-edition-of-d-d.670519/']when the next edition would arrive[/URL]. For good reason: using past editions as a guide, we're fast approaching the age when D&D shifts to a new edition, so at this point we're in the bonus rounds. [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/meet-the-daughter-of-hideous-laughter.674765/'][B]Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything[/B][/URL] offered a glimpse of just how far Fifth Edition can stretch and what it could potentially become. As D&D’s arc continued to soar, tabletop gaming increased along with it. Kickstarters, Patreon, and other crowdfunding options offer the tantalizing possibility of [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/making-it-in-the-rpg-industry.673231/']making a living off of game design[/URL] … even if [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/retiring-as-a-game-designer.673371/']retiring from the industry is still out of reach[/URL]. [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/when-pandemic-isnt-just-a-game.670892/']Then the pandemic struck[/URL]. It was a surprising boon for [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/vtts-feel-the-strain.671166/']virtual gaming platforms[/URL] and [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/tabletop-game-companies-step-up.671884/']D&D in general[/URL]. Tabletop gaming is uniquely flexible in that it can be played virtually at any time thanks to the aforementioned virtual platforms or huddled together in-person with those in your pandemic bubble. It’s also good for our emotional and mental health, [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/when-gaming-saved-the-world.672289/']a boost we could all use in trying times[/URL]. On a more personal note, [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/take-care-of-your-players.675828/']I lost one of my long-time players this year[/URL]. [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/working-through-grief-with-role-playing-games.675868/']Gaming helped me work through his loss[/URL], but I’ll never really get over someone several years younger than me passing away so soon. I had hopes of offering my players a deluxe boxed set of the [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/i-wrote-a-book-starting-over.666451/']fantasy novels their characters inspired[/URL] … instead, those novels are now a eulogy to my friend Joe. The end of the year is an opportunity to count our blessings, and I am certainly blessed to work with so many talented writers who write for the EN World Columnist program. If you haven’t read their work, I encourage you to check them out: [URL='https://www.enworld.org/members/brimmels.6919689/']Beth’s review of Wizards of the Coast products[/URL]; [URL='https://www.enworld.org/members/charles-dunwoody.17927/']Charles’ print roundups, reviews, and interviews[/URL]; [URL='https://www.enworld.org/members/corone.6806393/']Corone’s game design master classes[/URL]; [URL='https://www.enworld.org/members/egg-embry.6808965/']Egg’s crowdfunding roundups and interviews[/URL]; [URL='https://www.enworld.org/members/lewpuls.30518/']Lew’s opinion articles about the history of gaming and what the future holds[/URL]; [URL='https://www.enworld.org/members/longgonewriter.6857996/']LongGoneWriter’s Paizo reviews and roundups[/URL]; and [URL='https://www.enworld.org/members/m-t-black.6782171/']M.T. Black’s Dragon reflections[/URL], along with many others who have contributed throughout the year. Please consider following them and if you like their work, [URL='https://www.patreon.com/enworld']chipping in on Patreon[/URL]. As we wrap up this year, there’s a lot to be thankful for. Sadly, the bar is low enough that if you’re reading this, congratulations: you made it! We made it! Here’s to a 2021 where we can see our friends in-person again, roll some dice, have some laughs, and share a toast with those still with us to those we lost. Stay safe, and we’ll see you in 2021! [/QUOTE]
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