D&D General On Early D&D and Problematic Faves: How to Grapple with the Sins of the Past

[Argyle King]

Those standards are entirely internally developed so ot is no wonder there are such conflicting ideas about what is "appropriate." The outside media is not weighing in on the "D&D is inherently colonialist" debate, as far as I know. The situation with Gygax might get a mention someplace like Forbes where there is a TTRPG evangelist on staff, but that's about it. The Satanic Panic wasn't even really ultimately about D&D. D&D got caught up in the larger Satanic Panic which was a predictable example of a cycle you can demonstrate throughout history. The Q Anon stuff of a couple years ago is part of the same cycle.

I remember some of the Satanic Panic. I was young, but I remember that it forced the local Toy'R'Us to take D&D off their shelves. (There was no local gaming store at that time; now this area has 3.)

I can agree with the standards being internalized to an extent. That's part of why I chose Balder's Gate as a comparison in other posts.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Oh God, why would anyone want to grapple with this stuff?

The grapple rules have always been horrible!

 

[Yaarel]

I dont need my heroes to be perfect.

I deeply admire Arneson and Gygax. They contribute something important to the human species, a game that teaches how to invent new realities.

Gygax was sexist, and a bit of a jackass about it. This is good to know. So when we see stuff in the historical D&D texts that come across as kinda sexist, they are probably fullon sexist.

We can safely omit the sexist content when drawing inspiration for our games today. Sexism isnt part of the new realities that we want to invent today.

 

[Reynard]

I remember some of the Satanic Panic. I was young, but I remember that it forced the local Toy'R'Us to take D&D off their shelves. (There was no local gaming store at that time; now this area has 3.)

Sure but it was part of a much more dangerous context, specifically the cycle of panics about child abuse (up to and including cult sacrifice) that grip societies under particular pressures (including, but not limited to, pandemics, food insecurity, economic downturns and political instability). I do not know of anyone who lost their jobs or went to jail over the D&D part of the Satanic Panic, but a lot of young child care professionals sure did.

 

[Belen]

While I am generally a person who thinks RPGs and RPG players need to be more open to sex as a component of play (because play generates stories, and adult human stories often include sex) it I'd perfectly understandable that a game you are expected to play by yourself will be able to be much hornier and explicit that one you are expected to play publicly.

I am not going to RP sex stuff with my players.

They can flirt and take an NPC to a room for fade to black etc but I am not getting explicit. That would not be fun for me as a DM.

 

[Reynard]

I am not going to RP sex stuff with my players.

They can flirt and take an NPC to a room for fade to black etc but I am not getting explicit. That would not be fun for me as a DM.

And I didn't say people should be explicit, just that sex should factor in more.

 

[Scott Christian]

And I didn't say people should be explicit, just that sex should factor in more.

It's interesting because in in my experience, sex has only entered the plot (for jokes, action, or love) when the table knows each other well. I would find it odd a table that doesn't know each other well does this. But for friends that have played for a year or two or three or twenty, it seems like a viable plot device. Explicitness doesn't need to be there, and for the tables I DM or play, never has. But the action of it does.
It's similar to having a spouse, a child, or family in game. These are strong plot devices.

 

[p_johnston]

An interesting read, thanks.

Personally I find my line in the sand is when I feel buying a product is in some way directly supporting a cause/belief I think is wrong.

If I buy a cthulu book it's not supporting a HG wells or his beliefs because he's long dead. If I buy Harry potter meech/games/books then I am supporting Rowlings and, at least to her mind, telling her that her views are ok.

(Note this is just my personal line. Other people will have different ones and that's ok)

 

[Reynard]

If I buy a cthulu book it's not supporting a HG wells or his beliefs

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Although Herbert George had some problematic beliefs also.