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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Gothmog" data-source="post: 369867" data-attributes="member: 317">I too was a gamer in the 80's- in fact I started gaming in 3rd grade during 1983.  I remember the BADD comments, the fuss parents made over D&D, and I remember showing my folks the D&D books and talking about it with them to calm their fears.  My parents are strong Christians, and if I can put to rest any of their doubts, I know there isn't much in the game that is objectionable.  Heck, my dad even gamed with us quite a few times and helped me pull off several pranks to scare people in the game (dressing up like a robed figure and coming out of the closet at one point.  I have a cool dad <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> )Anyway, compared to the 80's, in 2002 there is almost nothing to worry about.  Where D&D players used to be thought of as fringe weirdos, slightly deranged, and possibly in league with occult forces, we are now seen as smart geeks, with slightly retarded social skills, who are more into a more into a quiet night at home than raising hell at the local bar (whether this assumption is true or not, it is the popular stereotype of gamers).  Recent tv shows such as the Simpsons, Dexter's Lab, and the Christina Applegate show that was on a few years ago actually paint gamers in a harmless (if not fairly positive) light.  When I was in undergrad, I lived in the buckle of the Bible Belt (Springfield MO, the Assemby of God World HQ is there), and I had NO trouble finding new players or convincing them to give gaming a shot.  It doesn't even take much talking to get female players to my table (the majority of new gamers I have had have been female), and they never once thought that D&D was satanic, evil, etc.  One book, ten books, even 100 books about evil and its effects in the game won't have a significant dent in how the public percieves our hobby now.  The people who want to control what we see, read, and hear are more concerned about music, tv, and video games now.  If you don't like the idea of some more graphic/lurid themes in your game, then don't use them, but please don't try to restict what others can say or do in their games.  So I say, bring on the BoVD!</blockquote>

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