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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Al" data-source="post: 369830" data-attributes="member: 2486">In Defense of BoVDI applaud Buttercup's comments, but I just want to add to them.Regarding Camp A:What Buttercup says about ignoring the critics is quite correct, but I would go further than that.  The fact of the matter is that not only we, but most of the population will ignore them.  The ultra-conservative religious right is (in the UK at least) thrashing around in its death throes.  Our new Archbishop, Rowan Williams, is a liberal who admires The Simpsons.  The evangelical church is increasingly viewed as a bunch of crazy fanatics.  Maybe it's different in the South US Bible Belt, but over here, the evangelical church is struggling to survive, and is in no position to try to further invite accusations of fanaticism by lashing out at a game.  As for the mainstream conservative press, they are simply not bothered.   As has been mentioned, they have far bigger fish to fry.  And the press has become more liberal in the past twenty years: in the 80s, most of the big press barons would have been brought up before the 60s; nowadays, this is not true.  Certainly in the UK, I can't imagine any coverage whatsoever in any of the major national dailies.  Again, I don't know the situation in the US, but I'm just commenting from where I'm sitting.Regarding Camp B:Fair enough.  Those are your opinions.  Firstly, I'd just reiterate Buttercup's comments on censorship: if a book bothers you, don't buy it.  There's no need to make a huge fuss over it and try to prevent others buying it though.  Secondly, however, I'd pose a question back at you: if you were making a book like this, what would *you* put in it?  Now, you can answer that in two ways: the first is to say that you wouldn't make a book like this.  The problem with this is it does leave a void.  Even in a 'beer and pretzels' type game, it's useful to have some game mechanics on the evil guys.  In a mature game, it's almost essential.  Most of the sourcebooks have been aimed at the heroes, or at least just vanilla monsters for them to fight, so something which leads the villains to be that little darker won't hurt.  To those who say they would but would make it lighter- why?  Once the need for a book of this sort has been acknowledged, why not make it (reasonably) comprehensive.  You don't have to use all of it: just cherry-pick the pieces you want.There is a third camp I'd address: the 'lack of imagination' branch.  Those who claim that it is superfluous as any good DM can use his imagination to invent mechanics for sacrifice and what have you.  Perhaps.  But the same argument can be reverse-engineered.  Deities and Demigods is 'superfluous' if you can design your own pantheons and salient abilities without reading to refer to it.  Tome and Blood is 'superfluous' if you can roll off prestige classes and spells.  Indeed, the whole game is needless if you can design your own system (and if you can, good luck to you!)  Sure, you can make your own rules for sacrifices and eyeball stats for Asmodeus, but I (personally) would prefer a book detailing them, or at least giving some guidelines.As for me, I don't know if I'll get the book.  I won't get it just because it is THE BOOK OF VILE DARKNESS, any more than I buy any book from its title or rumours.  I think I'll just wait for the reviews and comments- then see whether it's worth my money.</blockquote>

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