D&D 5E New York Times remembers early days of D&D

[Oofta]

Well, an article about how everything is fine and while it's not exploding in popularity it's doing well won't generate much interest.

The article plays to both nostalgia and a bit of fear mongering. What else is new? It's actually ends on a very positive note.

As far as D&D never hitting the peak numbers it once had, get over it. The same way no TV sitcom will ever hit the numbers of the "golden age" of broadcast TV, D&D simply has more competition. Not only other P&P games, but older editions as well. Not to mention computer/console/phone games.

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

The same way no TV sitcom will ever hit the numbers of the "golden age" of broadcast TV, D&D simply has more competition.

That, assuming the numbers back it up as I expect them to from my own experiences, is a good point.

 

[Shasarak]

When I was a kid, probably 7 or 8, so this would have been early 80s, I had a CCD teacher who talked about going to book burnings where they burned anything that was considered "dangerous" or pertaining to black magic or some nonsense. The teacher told me how they heard the screams of the demons coming out of the D&D books that they burned.

That teacher would make a great gamer because he has a fantastic imagination.

 

[iserith]

When I was a kid, probably 7 or 8, so this would have been early 80s, I had a CCD teacher who talked about going to book burnings where they burned anything that was considered "dangerous" or pertaining to black magic or some nonsense. The teacher told me how they heard the screams of the demons coming out of the D&D books that they burned.

I remember getting in big trouble for disagreeing with the teacher.

"That wasn't screaming," I told him, eyes wide with terror. "It was laughter. For yea, thou hast released the demons from the books to which they were bound so that they might stalk the shadows and prepare for the arrival of the Prince of Sorrows! Give unto me a cat-o'-nine-tails so that I might scourge the sins from thy sinful flesh for thou has brought ruin upon us all!"

Or that's what you should've said - 20/20 hindsight and all that.

 

[crashtestdummy]

Back in the early 80s, I was a member of the Melbourne University Dungeons and Dragons Association (MUDDA), a registered student group at the university. A number of us used to play at lunchtimes or in the afternoons in the union building, taking over half of one of the lounges. There wasn't any problems as far as I recall. MUDDA even organised a successful convention at the university (Arcanacon is still a regular roleplaying event, more than 30 years later).

As far as 'hysteria' is concerned, the only such item I can remember was a number of members sharing an American newspaper article they'd found about how parents were told if their sons ever started levitating after playing DnD that they should call their local minister/pastor/priest as soon as possible. The general response amongst my friends was that advice was poor -- they should be calling the newspapers and television stations, instead.

 

[Unwise]

...Short attention span theater which ( edition wars aside) led to streamlining D&D to suit power-gaming munchkins.

Hahaha. I think "Edition wars aside...." is the new "I'm not racist but..."

 

[hawkeyefan]

That teacher would make a great gamer because he has a fantastic imagination.

Ha good point. I remember saying that I thought he must have imagined the screams, because it'd be a sin to lie.

I mean, I was about 8, but even at that age, I realized the fact that this guy attended book burnings meant I could take a little leeway with how I spoke to him.

I mean...book burnings. Insane.

"That wasn't screaming," I told him, eyes wide with terror. "It was laughter. For yea, thou hast released the demons from the books to which they were bound so that they might stalk the shadows and prepare for the arrival of the Prince of Sorrows! Give unto me a cat-o'-nine-tails so that I might scourge the sins from thy sinful flesh for thou has brought ruin upon us all!"

Or that's what you should've said - 20/20 hindsight and all that.

Ha probably! My 3rd grade brain wasn't quite up to that level of snark yet.

 

[Shasarak]

I mean...book burnings. Insane.

I used to think that and then on the other hand book burnings increase the demand for books which has to be good for business.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

And I assume that there's something we could do to make that happen.

There is. Write to the NYT. A thoughtful and timely response to their article--a response that samples the many wonderful, hilarious, and culture-infused moments encapsulated by modern gaming--might prompt a follow-up piece from the paper. Conversely, a letter to the editor from a well-read articulate working professional who also happens to be a gamer might be welcomed.