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<blockquote data-quote="D1Tremere" data-source="post: 7773702" data-attributes="member: 61148"><p>Apologies, I will try to clarify. And try to keep in mind that I do not pretend to be an authority here, I am just reporting things as I see them.</p><p></p><p>D&D was born from wargames, through a move to expand the rules for a very niche (mostly white male) hobby. It didn't begin to take on more role playing elements until Dave Arneson expanded the wargaming rules into a role playing setting, but it still retained most of the mechanical emphasis that one could argue reached its peak in the 3.5 edition, and continued to be a niche hobby for white males in many (most?) areas from everything I have seen, heard, read, experienced, etc. “A 1978 survey puts the percentage of female fans at between .4 and 2.3 percent” (Cecilia D'Anastasio). Some have argued that the emphasis placed on competition (seeing the other players and/or DM as adversaries to be one-upd, out-thought, etc.) that comes along with the term game (where often people argue that it must be adversarial in order to be a game), is exactly what has kept it a niche hobby with an insular community (Tony Vargas's experiences seeming more exception than rule to many). </p><p>For some examples of what I base this on (outside of my own anecdotal experiences) see interviews with Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, and leaders of the modern OSR movement (more on that later). You can get a sense of some of the changes I refer to in 5e from interviews such as this these: (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqjLO6YNKV0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqjLO6YNKV0</a>) (<a href="http://slyflourish.com/three_years_with_5e_with_mearls.html" target="_blank">http://slyflourish.com/three_years_with_5e_with_mearls.html</a>). </p><p></p><p>So, to explain my points...</p><p></p><p>I consider it a revitalization movement as opposed to a resurgence because it is now (seemingly) reaching new audiences who are embracing it in different ways. A revitalization movement is a "deliberate, organized, conscious effort by members of a society to construct a more satisfying culture” (Anthony F. C. Wallace,1956). These audiences appear to be more diverse, both in character and in their expectations from the game. “Over half of the new people who started playing Fifth Edition [the game’s most recent update, launched in 2014] got into D&D through watching people play online,” says Nathan Stewart, senior director of Dungeons & Dragons. They are using the same tools to achieve new goals, and leading the evolution of new tools.</p><p></p><p>By spirit of the game I mean that, according to WotC, there is a difference between the way older players approach the game compared to new players. Older players tend to be more mechanically inclined, less open to change, and more likely to play in long standing home games with well-known friends. Newer players tend to be more diverse, more narrative driven, and more likely to play one shots or pick up games with larger groups of relative strangers. “we went from a community that focused on mechanics and expertise, to one focused on socializing and story telling.” (Mike Mearls, 2018).</p><p></p><p>As some have pointed out, nothing that I have mentioned is all together new. It is just becoming more of the norm than an outlier it would seem. The idea of using D&D as a therapy tool for example was explored in the past, now there are whole psychology practices built around it. Many cities have non-profits now that host pick up games and partner with local venues multiple times a week. Poscasts and streaming shows are many new players first exposure to D&D now, and their focus on narrative choice over mechanical resolution has increasingly taken hold. “This change is best described as fifth edition's focus on the story of our D&D games over tactical combat and heavy mechanics.” (Mike Shea, 2018). When I mention narrative and storytelling I should specify that I do not just mean the story inherent in a module or DM’s adventure, but the story and role that a player feels they are building around their character and identity. A sense of agency and efficacy unique to that player’s experience.</p><p></p><p>One piece of evidence that I consider when saying that this is a revitalization movement is the existence of counter movements. We see this with the explosion of OSR (Old School Revival) games, and the slew of bad publicity they keep drawing amidst controversies steeped in a resistance to change (see discussions on John “RPG Pundit” Tarnowski and Zak “Zak S” Smith) and reliance on an adversarial relationship between players and/or DMs. “Mechanical expertise is an element of the game, but no longer the sole focus. Ideally, it’s a balanced part of all the other motivators. If balanaced correctly, every has their fun. Enjoyment isn’t zero sum.” (Mike Mearls, 2018). This isn't to say that they are all bad, but that they do draw in some of the worst elements of older gaming culture. “Funny how many of the same “fans” who insist on gatekeeping via rules complexity and lore density also have a problem with women in tabletop gaming.” (Mike Mearls, 2018).</p><p></p><p>Maybe I am wrong, perhaps it is a fad, but I don't see D&D as being "short-lived and without basis in the object's qualities." (see Dictionary). In fact, it is exactly the qualities of the game, and of its changing player base, that create the intense and widely shared enthusiasm.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="D1Tremere, post: 7773702, member: 61148"] Apologies, I will try to clarify. And try to keep in mind that I do not pretend to be an authority here, I am just reporting things as I see them. D&D was born from wargames, through a move to expand the rules for a very niche (mostly white male) hobby. It didn't begin to take on more role playing elements until Dave Arneson expanded the wargaming rules into a role playing setting, but it still retained most of the mechanical emphasis that one could argue reached its peak in the 3.5 edition, and continued to be a niche hobby for white males in many (most?) areas from everything I have seen, heard, read, experienced, etc. “A 1978 survey puts the percentage of female fans at between .4 and 2.3 percent” (Cecilia D'Anastasio). Some have argued that the emphasis placed on competition (seeing the other players and/or DM as adversaries to be one-upd, out-thought, etc.) that comes along with the term game (where often people argue that it must be adversarial in order to be a game), is exactly what has kept it a niche hobby with an insular community (Tony Vargas's experiences seeming more exception than rule to many). For some examples of what I base this on (outside of my own anecdotal experiences) see interviews with Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, and leaders of the modern OSR movement (more on that later). You can get a sense of some of the changes I refer to in 5e from interviews such as this these: ([URL]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqjLO6YNKV0[/URL]) ([URL]http://slyflourish.com/three_years_with_5e_with_mearls.html[/URL]). So, to explain my points... I consider it a revitalization movement as opposed to a resurgence because it is now (seemingly) reaching new audiences who are embracing it in different ways. A revitalization movement is a "deliberate, organized, conscious effort by members of a society to construct a more satisfying culture” (Anthony F. C. Wallace,1956). These audiences appear to be more diverse, both in character and in their expectations from the game. “Over half of the new people who started playing Fifth Edition [the game’s most recent update, launched in 2014] got into D&D through watching people play online,” says Nathan Stewart, senior director of Dungeons & Dragons. They are using the same tools to achieve new goals, and leading the evolution of new tools. By spirit of the game I mean that, according to WotC, there is a difference between the way older players approach the game compared to new players. Older players tend to be more mechanically inclined, less open to change, and more likely to play in long standing home games with well-known friends. Newer players tend to be more diverse, more narrative driven, and more likely to play one shots or pick up games with larger groups of relative strangers. “we went from a community that focused on mechanics and expertise, to one focused on socializing and story telling.” (Mike Mearls, 2018). As some have pointed out, nothing that I have mentioned is all together new. It is just becoming more of the norm than an outlier it would seem. The idea of using D&D as a therapy tool for example was explored in the past, now there are whole psychology practices built around it. Many cities have non-profits now that host pick up games and partner with local venues multiple times a week. Poscasts and streaming shows are many new players first exposure to D&D now, and their focus on narrative choice over mechanical resolution has increasingly taken hold. “This change is best described as fifth edition's focus on the story of our D&D games over tactical combat and heavy mechanics.” (Mike Shea, 2018). When I mention narrative and storytelling I should specify that I do not just mean the story inherent in a module or DM’s adventure, but the story and role that a player feels they are building around their character and identity. A sense of agency and efficacy unique to that player’s experience. One piece of evidence that I consider when saying that this is a revitalization movement is the existence of counter movements. We see this with the explosion of OSR (Old School Revival) games, and the slew of bad publicity they keep drawing amidst controversies steeped in a resistance to change (see discussions on John “RPG Pundit” Tarnowski and Zak “Zak S” Smith) and reliance on an adversarial relationship between players and/or DMs. “Mechanical expertise is an element of the game, but no longer the sole focus. Ideally, it’s a balanced part of all the other motivators. If balanaced correctly, every has their fun. Enjoyment isn’t zero sum.” (Mike Mearls, 2018). This isn't to say that they are all bad, but that they do draw in some of the worst elements of older gaming culture. “Funny how many of the same “fans” who insist on gatekeeping via rules complexity and lore density also have a problem with women in tabletop gaming.” (Mike Mearls, 2018). Maybe I am wrong, perhaps it is a fad, but I don't see D&D as being "short-lived and without basis in the object's qualities." (see Dictionary). In fact, it is exactly the qualities of the game, and of its changing player base, that create the intense and widely shared enthusiasm. [/QUOTE]
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