Geek Confessional Thread 2024

[Bayushi_seikuro]

Hm.
This is an interesting thought, insofar as, if you take out the business of D&D, you probably wouldn't call the rest of it an "industry". It is then one or two small businesses, and a bunch of "cottage industry".

I feel if you take the monolithic juggernaut of D&D out of the industry, we'll be buying rpgs basically on Etsy.

It boggles my mind, because I feel if D&D were to bite it now and WotC vanish, who's going to pick up the infrastructure and continue things on the level of Gencon - $75M economic impact on a city is a LOT of jobs not related to pdfs and dice (Gen Con breaks attendance record, extends Indy contract through 2030)

 

[TheSword]

I'll never watch any live-play TTRPG streams. I'd either be jealous of the GM for his players, or I'd be very, very, grateful for mine. And I'd probably be bored out of my mind as well.

I thought that, until I watched Dice Camera Action Curse of Strahd and watched Chris Perkins DM his own product. Changing things considerably to match his players and having a supportive but firm style. I thought it was a masterclass in DMing. Haven’t watched any other streaming really but I thought that was excellent, and definitely improved the way I ran that campaign.

 

[Alzrius]

I like the look and feel of anime, but in general (with exceptions, of course) I do not enjoy anime produced in Japan. I think I just prefer Western (geopolitical, not genre) storytelling tropes and beats. I can get behind Castlevania most of the other Netflix Anime, though.

I don't know if Blue Eye Samurai is Western or Japanese but I love it.

Forgive my nitpicking, but I majored in Japanese Studies in college, with a fairly strong focus on anime, and the question of defining what "anime" is was a recurring topic. (And, I should note, one that's premised on America and other countries beyond Japan using "anime" in a different context than how it's used in contemporary Japanese language, where it just means "animation").

I mention that because the best answer to that question that I'm aware of acknowledges that "anime" is not any sort of stylistic presentation of the animation itself. Having particularly large eyes or open/closed lip movements or anything similar doesn't make something "anime" per se. Rather, the idea is that "anime" is animation which is made by the people of Japan for their own domestic consumption (i.e. its the particular set of cultural ideas, values, and history that are present in the works that they create for themselves).

Obviously, this particular definition has its own problems (particularly as foreign money, and with it influence, on Japan's anime industry grows larger), but as far as I know it's still the best one there is.

 

[Reynard]

I've never seen any of the Aliens franchise; and have no interest in them. (And yet I know the plots, twists, and meme-worthy scenes just from exposure).
Ditto Futurama and the Simpsons.

This is such a strange inversion of the usual format, where folks have never seen a thing but know it from The Simpsons jokes.

 

[Reynard]

Forgive my nitpicking, but I majored in Japanese Studies in college, with a fairly strong focus on anime, and the question of defining what "anime" is was a recurring topic. (And, I should note, one that's premised on America and other countries beyond Japan using "anime" in a different context than how it's used in contemporary Japanese language, where it just means "animation").

I mention that because the best answer to that question that I'm aware of acknowledges that "anime" is not any sort of stylistic presentation of the animation itself. Having particularly large eyes or open/closed lip movements or anything similar doesn't make something "anime" per se. Rather, the idea is that "anime" is animation which is made by the people of Japan for their own domestic consumption (i.e. its the particular set of cultural ideas, values, and history that are present in the works that they create for themselves).

Obviously, this particular definition has its own problems (particularly as foreign money, and with it influence, on Japan's anime industry grows larger), but as far as I know it's still the best one there is.

That's interesting but it doesn't really change anything. I like cool animation and much animation out of Japan is very cool. But I don't like the pacing, plot, or characterization,and can feel when I am not getting a trope the Japanese audience would get. I prefer anime produced with Western sensibilities.

 

[Alzrius]

That's interesting but it doesn't really change anything. I like cool animation and much animation out of Japan is very cool. But I don't like the pacing, plot, or characterization,and can feel when I am not getting a trope the Japanese audience would get. I prefer anime produced with Western sensibilities.

Which is fine, I'm not knocking your preferences; my entire previous post was a long-winded way of saying "anime produced with Western sensibilities isn't 'anime' at all."

 

[Zardnaar]

Wow, this thread is revealing. My 5 confessions…

I find Babylon 5 cringeworthy and never liked it. Despite having a housemate who loved it and therefore watching many episodes.

I really like Alien 3. I love the Britishness of it and the style.

I‘ve not found a single Pathfinder adventure path that improved as it progressed. Latter parts always let down the promise of the earlier parts. (I’ve ran or played in 2/3 of them).

Baldurs Gate 3 was massively overated. Was really good in part one. Got dull in part two. Got really dull in part 3. Kind of like a Paizo adventure path.

I think a lot of Geeks, and in particular roleplayers, are often their own worst enemy.

Heh I've noticed that a bit. I think all APs break down a bit later.

Think it's just more a high level thing.

 

[payn]

Heh I've noticed that a bit. I think all APs break down a bit later.

Think it's just more a high level thing.

For sure. The final chapters are always megadungeon slogs because the PCs are packed with not just quality options, but an abundance of quantity too.

System aside, its pretty tough to have 6 different folks write a piece of the same campaign. Not making excuses for the execution, just saying. I still think despite the numerous legit criticisms, Paizo APs are the best product on the published campaign market; bar none.

 

[Zardnaar]

For sure. The final chapters are always megadungeon slogs because the PCs are packed with not just quality options, but an abundance of quantity too.

System aside, its pretty tough to have 6 different folks write a piece of the same campaign. Not making excuses for the execution, just saying. I still think despite the numerous legit criticisms, Paizo APs are the best product on the published campaign market; bar none.

Generally yeah they nailed level 1-7 or so and no one really does high level well.

WotC struggles. Mediocre is the default with a few exceptions. Plus side they avoid dross as well.

 

[pukunui]

Hmm. Where do I start?

I've never watched Dr Who.

I've never played M:TG.

I've seen the old BSG movie but not the newer show.

I don't enjoy watching other people play D&D (but then I don't really enjoy watching other people play anything - I'd much rather be a participant than a spectator).

I've never watched Big Bang Theory or Community but I have watched The IT Crowd.

The only superhero comic I've ever read is Watchmen and only because a friend gave it to me as a gift.

I got my start with AD&D 2e but I don't really remember much about it. Haven't played it in more than 20 years. I've never played BECMI and have only played 1e briefly once. I've only ever played one session of Pathfinder 1e and didn't enjoy it.

I've never played any of the Mass Effect, Fallout, or Bioshock games. Nor I have I played BG3.

I still play Nintendo 64 and Wii games. Don't own a Switch or any non-Nintendo consoles.

I resisted reading Harry Potter when it was new and didn't watch any of the movies when they were new either. I only gave in and read/watched them when my children wanted to.

I have not yet watched Star Trek: Picard, but I really liked Strange New Worlds and mostly liked Discovery.

I've only watched the first season of The Witcher and have not read any of the books or played any of the games.


That should suffice for now.