Does D&D provide a decent moral compass?

[jdavis]

Ah the tread is turning back, not that the post on post of long winded, let me explain this another way, ranting was bad, it just made my head hurt. By the way I have been playing for 25 years and I'm only 33, does that make me a expert or just somebody who likes to game and got started early? I could ask some fun questions like does being closeminded make you evil? but I wouldn't want to hear the answers.


Back to the question asked: It would depend on the children's age. The rulebooks do try to curve it to playing black and white good and evil. Orc's are evil, kill the orcs. It tries to approach the topic of hard work pays off, do stuff and you go up levels. It can teach moral heroism, the good characters protect the weak, but that depends on how it is played. So as far as moral values I'd have to give it the big It could but it depends on the children. I know alot of children would think evil is fun, they just don't have the development to mack the correct decision 100% of the time. D&D ran by a adult trying to keep it morally balanced towards good would probably teach good morals, D&D ran by a child would probably turn into a competition. My children, well they find it terribly boring.

I don't think D&D helps with math skills, the math just isn't that hard, it can help with creative thinking and problem solving, it can help to teach teamwork and it can develop the imagination.

D&D's greatest strength is that it is good for getting away from the real world, it is escapism, for a little while you can pretend you are somebody else, and get away. I really don't like comparing the real world to gaming because I don't want the real world in my game. I have never had a character who was a middle aged safety engineer with chidren and a bad back, I already know how dull that would be, I prefer to play characters who are fun and exciting and like to kill the orcs because orcs are evil, and 25 years ago when I started playing I had the same reason for loving it as I do now, it's not the real world it's something entirely different.

 

[Desdichado]

D&D's greatest strength is that it is good for getting away from the real world, it is escapism, for a little while you can pretend you are somebody else, and get away. I really don't like comparing the real world to gaming because I don't want the real world in my game.

Just because you get that out of gaming doesn't mean you can state that it's true for anyone else. I've always been fascinated with fantasy, even when I was a perfectly happy little 5-6 year old with nothing to escape from. I still like D&D and other roleplaying games because they're interesting and unique, not because I'm escapist. I actually prefer a heavy dose of reality to ground my games in.

 

[jdavis]

my apologies, I think that D&D's greatest strength is.......

I think that is actually the biggest point here, D&D is what you make of it. People like to say it is this or that but actually it's just a game. Everybodies Ideas may be different and everybody is right in thier ideas in their own game. I didn't mean to say that that was what everybody liked, just that that is what I thought.

 

[jgbrowning]

well now i can make the post here that i've been dying to make ever since this thread appeared...

"Does DnD provide a good moral compass?"

"Moral compass... my set didn't have one.... maybe they'll give me a refund or just send me an extra?"


boo hiss, boo hiss..

joe b.

 

[Rel]

I don't think D&D helps with math skills, the math just isn't that hard...

jdavis, I wouldn't contend that anybody is going to pass his calculus final as a result of playing D&D (it certainly didn't help me pass mine). But I do think that the math involved in the game can help hone basic math skills for the young.

Granted, if you are just rolling an attack roll, "I rolled a 14. My bonus is 5. 19 total." then you probably aren't learning advanced math skills. But what about other aspects of the game, like dividing a treasure:

"Let's see. We have 4,000 Gold Pieces. We have 12,375 Silver Pieces; divide that by 10 and to convert it to Gold. Divide by 100 to convert the 26,468 Copper into Gold. Now, the Wizard is taking both the 4th level scrolls. The market value on those is 4 times the caster level of 7 times 25 Gold Pieces for a total of...700 GP out of his share. The Fighter gets the +1 Greatsword, which has a market value of 2,350 (I'm just guessing about that number) Gold Pieces so we'll subtract that from his share. The Rogue gets the Potion of Cat's Grace which is worth 2 times the caster level of 3 times the potion cost of 50 GP for 150 GP total. Now we'll calculate how much cash we each get, and let's not forget those Gems we found..."

Any group of 12 year olds who are tallying up a treasure like that is getting an education.

 

[jdavis]

At 12 I was starting pre algerbra, but that was just me. It would help my 11 year old out but then again she thinks D&D is BORING and she thinks that Math is Worthless. It might be helpful for younger children but for the average 12 year old it's pretty basic stuff. It would help some with value skills, the old what can I get for my money. Now First edition D&D, that was a different story math wise.

 

[mmadsen]

I don't think D&D helps with math skills, the math just isn't that hard...

If you're young and mathematically inclined, I think you find ways to explore the game mathematically. You try to figure out probabilities, figure out if +1 AC is worth more then +3 hp, etc. If you're not mathematically inclined, you just roll the dice and curse your fate.

 

[jdavis]

Ok I'll agree that D&D will help with probabilities if the child likes math to start with, but I think that goes with most everything from the conversation, D&D will positively re enforce several good traits for those children who have a interest. You could say that D&D would help children with reading skills, if they liked to read in the first place.

 

[Sanackranib]

math

the most math help is going to be tallying up the dice in character generation quickly. unless they are gonna be shooting craps I don't think think thats gonna be much help. certinly not the "moral compass" that the question started out as (dice).
Its a game. can kids/adults learn somthing. sure they can. but IMO its not gonna teach morality to anyone.

 

[Celtavian]

Re

I started playing the game at the age of 7 and it definitely improved my ability to calculate math quickly. Even basic bonuses, damage dice, and experience. It also allows you to work with larger numbers than are often used in school.

It probably even helps some adults stay somewhat math literate. The kind of math that is done in D and D is more math than a great many people use over the course of a year. It may not be algaebra or calculus, but how much math does a person really do in a day that doesn't use it as part of their job?