Look, I'm a Monster...

[Greylock]

Wow. You took that video way too seriously.

Like many others, it ticked me off when I first saw it, and I dislike it being continuously trotted out by folks who don't 'understand' how it offends people. I like gnomes. Quite a bit actually. The video was made BY the people who took away the gnome I and my friends liked, and then made fun of the pseudo-gnome they propped up in his place. It's got a whole "nah-nah-nah... In your face, loser!" childlike vibe to it.

That was my reaction when I first saw it, and it was similar to the reaction of the rest of my game group. Personally, I want that video to die in a fire.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

It's pretty clear that the big result of this video was that the 4e gnome is much more popular than 3e and previous gnomes, and while the MM gnome doesn't quite live up to the awesomeness of the video gnome, it's a sure bet that the picture next to the PHBII gnome looks VERY familiar...

It's telling that the header video that was up (is still up?) at the official site flashed book covers but ended on the 4e gnome.

There will always be a certain percentage of people who don't like cookies, but 4e gnome was definitely a WotC win.

I look forward to purchasing my Rawr the Gnome and Dire Francis miniatures this time next year.

What he wrote. Unlike previous D&D gnomes, this one is actually endearing, and makes me actually consider using them. (But not 4e )

 

[Brennin Magalus]

Like many others, it ticked me off when I first saw it, and I dislike it being continuously trotted out by folks who don't 'understand' how it offends people. I like gnomes. Quite a bit actually. The video was made BY the people who took away the gnome I and my friends liked, and then made fun of the pseudo-gnome they propped up in his place. It's got a whole "nah-nah-nah... In your face, loser!" childlike vibe to it.

That was my reaction when I first saw it, and it was similar to the reaction of the rest of my game group. Personally, I want that video to die in a fire.

I do not care for 4e, but no one took away your gnomes. You are free to use the gnomes of your choice in your game.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

And I'm not the only one, there were plenty of other people who felt slightly offended by the video when it was published.

I know Michael Morris didn't mean any offense, and I figure WotC didn't mean offense, either. But, seriously. Dude, not funny.

Right. He is just a victim of institutionalized, deep-seated racism against gnomes! It's like the other day, when someone assumed my gnome adventuring companion guarded a garden when he is, in fact, a high-level sorcerer!

 

[Obryn]

Like many others, it ticked me off when I first saw it, and I dislike it being continuously trotted out by folks who don't 'understand' how it offends people. I like gnomes. Quite a bit actually. The video was made BY the people who took away the gnome I and my friends liked, and then made fun of the pseudo-gnome they propped up in his place. It's got a whole "nah-nah-nah... In your face, loser!" childlike vibe to it.

That was my reaction when I first saw it, and it was similar to the reaction of the rest of my game group. Personally, I want that video to die in a fire.

Look... I won't go into it any further, after Xath asked me/us not to... But it seems to me like you're projecting a lot of unnecessary baggage into an internet cartoon.

-O

 

[pawsplay]

Right. He is just a victim of institutionalized, deep-seated racism against gnomes! It's like the other day, when someone assumed my gnome adventuring companion guarded a garden when he is, in fact, a high-level sorcerer!

No one cares that they are insulting the gnome. It's not even a real gnome, it's Ed Norton disguised as a vampire. The video is basically a dig at some players.

Let's dissect the cartoon, because that makes everything less funny.
- Gnomes are nerds.
- We should be happy for the gnome that he is in the MM.
- The gnome doesn't know any better, anyway; he's actually happy to be demoted.
- So basically, the gnome is lucky to be a loser.
- Tieflings are diabolic sociopaths and made of win.
- The new edition kills the old edition and takes its stuff.
- Funny voices are funny.
- Interviewing the gnome is a pointless waste of time, in the view of the tiefling.

So if we take the tiefling to represent 4e and the gnome to represent 3e, we can try to divine what the designers are thinking. To me it looks like:

- 4e is obviously very awesome.
- We feel hostile toward people who disagree.
- But we think it's better to cloak our hostility in humor than to just tell people to get over it.

 

[Psion]

FWIW, I concur with Greylock and Pawsplay.

 

[williamhm]

I like tieflings, and have never really liked gnomes that much. In fact Im playing a tiefling fey pact lock right now. Who is not even that emoish, mostly cheerful, but very secretive, and never answers a question straight. Though I must say I like the new gnome more than the old, but then again I like most of what they changed in 4e.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

I like tieflings, and have never really liked gnomes that much. In fact Im playing a tiefling fey pact lock right now. Who is not even that emoish, mostly cheerful, but very secretive, and never answers a question straight. Though I must say I like the new gnome more than the old, but then again I like most of what they changed in 4e.

I do not care for the tiefling's current incarnation. (Nor do I care for the lame ass name.) I prefer the 3e take.

 

[Vocenoctum]

Like many others, it ticked me off when I first saw it, and I dislike it being continuously trotted out by folks who don't 'understand' how it offends people. I like gnomes. Quite a bit actually. The video was made BY the people who took away the gnome I and my friends liked, and then made fun of the pseudo-gnome they propped up in his place. It's got a whole "nah-nah-nah... In your face, loser!" childlike vibe to it.

That was my reaction when I first saw it, and it was similar to the reaction of the rest of my game group. Personally, I want that video to die in a fire.

It was the same as back a while when folks were complaining about not getting enough gnome figures in DDM. So on April Fools, they had some garden gnomes, it was all a good laugh....


Except, like this video, it doesn't address gnome fans seriously, instead showing utter disregard for them, really. It's not a matter of "listen, we appreciate that you like gnomes, but when we needed to make room, they didn't make the cut". It's "I'm a monster, roar!".

It's a mark of 4e. If they can't figure out how to do something, they simply cut it or bump it to a different book. "You can play a gnome, just buy <insert next book, MM or PHB2 or whathave you>" or have a friend send it, or ask the DM...

(I was actually surprised that the gnome wasn't immediately released as a web enhancement for the PHB.)


The funniest part of the video was how Draenei-ish they made the tiefling. The accent, even. (But, if it was intentional satire, then they failed the perform check, or I failed my Insight roll, or something.)


So, yeah, the "You've got Mail" quote about fits. If gnome-fan's generally find it an insult, and those applauding the anti-gnomite 4th edition also find it quotable, then we can see where it fits.

The fact the Forest Gnome is now the official gnome, rather than the older Gnome of Inspiration, just means that they REALLY don't get it.