Book of Vile Darkness

[Furn_Darkside]

Sorry, Furn, meant to say congressman. A bit busy and distracted over here...

Not a problem- I just don't think the senate wants to be insulted by a suggestion that Condidit is a member.

And I doubt Condidit wants to be insulted by suggesting he is a member of the senate. haha.

Con-did-it?

A mistype-- honestly..

FD

 

[Gizzard]

I'm going to give BoVD a look; and I'd be just as interested in the Book of Exalted Deeds that people have mentioned earlier in the thread. So its not about me "liking evil" or being "obsessed with goodness". I just want source material for great villians and great heros.

As for the larger arguement, it seems those opposed to this book are really opposed to the whole idea of a "Mature Audiences" rating for any WotC product rather than being specifically opposed to BoVD. (I suppose that makes sense, since we dont know much about BoVD other than that it will be for "Mature Audiences"!)

Would spinning off an "adult brand" (like Disney spun off Touchstone to handle non G-rated films) of WotC help? It seems that this is the idea WotC is working on, trying to figure out how to publish more adult material while giving fair warning to consumers.

What do the anti-BoVD people think of Touchstone-izing WotC?

 

[Nathanael]

Well, that is what I suggested.

I want the book distanced from the D&D brand name. Not censorship, telling you how to run your game or anything else I've been accused of. I just don't want it called D&D for many reasons for which I have already given much argument.

I feel that this would be an excellent middle ground on the subject...

 

[Furn_Darkside]

What do the anti-BoVD people think of Touchstone-izing WotC?

I am not anti-BoVD (yet- tee hee), but I think this is a cheap trick. If they are going to print it, then print it under their own name.

As for the Mature-Audiance line question, I would prefer WOTC leave that to a third party. It would allow them to keep themselves clean and the audiance can still get what they want.

FD

 

[Hakkenshi]

I guess the thing to remember is that WotC itself does NOT want the book distanced from its D&D brand name. Maybe that's an indicator of the fact that it's not as bad as many seem to expect.

 

[Ristamar]

I think before this line of discussion can truly evolve, the term 'mature' needs to be defined and agreed upon.

 

[Nightfall]

Okay two thoughts for the day.

1. I STILL can't figure out how someone can compare R&R I and R&R II to a book about vile darkness. Sure it's a gritty world that the Scarred Lands are set in. BUT there's also some nice happy parts too. The Paladin spell list should prove that point pretty well. I just can't wrap my brain around that one.

2. While I understand Nath's concern, I guess the reason I don't care is because I believe, both a person and a Christian, God judges us by our ACTIONS, not our reading material. Am I to believe that He will accept Hilter merely because he read the Bible, and that made him acceptable? Or that Stalin's policies of mass starvation and killings of his enemies didn't mean he was exempted from justice or judgement merely because he also tried to occasionally follow the Russian Ordothodox Church? Fanaticism is equal to fantasy, in terms that people believe what they believe, not matter what the actual facts may be before them. It doesn't matter if Monte wrote a book about Angels and Insects, some one would STILL condemn this book as being "heretical" and "Anti-whatever" Why? Because people fear what they don't believe or understand. Thus they rather see it burn.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

I think before this line of discussion can truly evolve, the term 'mature' needs to be defined and agreed upon.

Well, the MA rating I had in mind was from video games-

http://www.esrb.org/esrb_about.asp

It seems clear enough for me.

FD

 

[Hakkenshi]

I don't expect there to BE a "Mature Line" of products. Because honestly, if it were to go much beyond the type of horror that you have in CoC or that we can reasonably expect out of BoVD, WotC would be shooting itself in the foot.

Such things are pointless. You already have material saying that zombies devour flesh; if you want Resident Evil, just describe the slam attacks as tearing into the flesh with putrid nails, a character has his brain consumed after his death, etc. etc.

What I expect from the BoVD, however, is more along the lines of how certain historical evils translate into a fantasy world. What demonic plots and summoning rituals do the Inquisitors discover? How does a character's soul (whether PC or NPC) interact with these evils? My current campaign is very much concerned with these things, and to be honest I don't always have a good answer ready, nor the time to come up with one.

 

[Buttercup]

I want more 'normal' people playing D&D. This kind of publicity only ensures that the vast majority of people you have to play with are going to fit the stereotype.

Gee, all the people I play with are normal. We all have graduate degrees, professional positions, and families. We mow the grass, go to the grocery store, walk the dog.

Like Furn, I don't play evil characters, nor will I allow my players to. That doesn't mean that there is no evil in my games. It's what the PCs fight against. I'll be buying the BoVD to help me throw more stuff at my players. Believe it or not, it's possible to want to purchase the BoVD and still be a decent human being.