Pineapple Express: Someone Is Wrong on the Internet?

[Reynard]

People have been playing games where they assume roles for centuries. But that doesn't mean you would have call of Cthulhu without D&D.

I think there is plenty of evidence that RPGs would have happened without D&D/Gygax and Arneson. It's time had come and both of those people borrowed or stole lots of their ideas from other hobbyists. What I think is an interesting thought experiment (and we have discussed this before on this board) is what would RPGs be like of they had emerged from one of those other sources rather than from wargamers in the Midwest.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I am not the boss of anyone (as my partner always reminds me), or everyone ...

YET.

That said, I concur with @trappedslider ... I think a discussion about the formative history of RPGs is a fascinating topic. So fascinating that I've written so .... many ... words .... about it. But if we want to have a lengthy debate/discussion about it, I would recommend someone starting a thread instead of continuing in this thread. And that "someone" isn't me! Really.

Suggested titles:

D&D Ain't All That, Yo.
ALL UR RPGS R BELONG TO GYGAX.
If you could travel back in time, would you kill the Austrian Painter, or get a different RPG published before D&D?
Why D&D is pizza, and your game is pineapple.
D&D- Deserves Credit for RPGs, or Blame for Bards?

etc.

 

[Scribe]

ALL UR RPGS R BELONG TO GYGAX.

Seconded.

(I loved that time period, truly a glorious age on the internet.)

 

[Bedrockgames]

It's time had come and both of those people borrowed or stole lots of their ideas from other hobbyists.

I am not so sure about that. I mean, why did its time come? I agree timing was important. But I don't think there is a reason to assume the same phenomenon would have occurred in the absence of D&D being released. It could have, for sure. But either way, whatever counterfactual we want to speculate on, the history of the hobby is it does go back to D&D. I just don't really get why that is a controversial idea. RPGs can pretty much all be traced to D&D at this point.

 

[payn]

Still wondering why Ive not gotten any calls on my film script for Optimize This! A film about an east coast mob guy going into witness protection in Lake Geneva Wisconsin.

 

[trappedslider]

TAKE.IT.ELSEWHERE.PLEASE.

I am not so sure about that. I mean, why did its time come? I agree timing was important. But I don't think there is a reason to assume the same phenomenon would have occurred in the absence of D&D being released. It could have, for sure. But either way, whatever counterfactual we want to speculate on, the history of the hobby is it does go back to D&D. I just don't really get why that is a controversial idea. RPGs can pretty much all be traced to D&D at this point.

 

[Bedrockgames]

TAKE.IT.ELSEWHERE.PLEASE.

With respect, please don't tell me what to post or not post

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Still wondering why Ive not gotten any calls on my film script for Optimize This! A film about an east coast mob guy going into witness protection in Lake Geneva Wisconsin.

 

[Ryujin]

Meanwhile, in the future at the pearly gates ...

St. Peter: Not only are you an accomplished actor, but you are one of the few Hollywood celebrities that have made it this far. I mean, that much success in Hollywood, and you somehow still managed to be a nice guy? Amazing. We are all impressed.

Tom Hanks: Thank you. So what's the hold up?

St. Peter: Well, we have seen Mazes and Monsters ....

Two of my friends, back in college, were in it. They were on the grounds of University of Toronto and saw a bunch of people milling around, tossing Frisbees back and forth, picnicking, etc. so they picked up a Frisbee and started tossing it around. They had no idea that they had just walked onto a live set. I think that they said they got $20, each, as uncredited extras.

 

[Velderan]

I am not the boss of anyone (as my partner always reminds me), or everyone ...

YET.

That said, I concur with @trappedslider ... I think a discussion about the formative history of RPGs is a fascinating topic. So fascinating that I've written so .... many ... words .... about it. But if we want to have a lengthy debate/discussion about it, I would recommend someone starting a thread instead of continuing in this thread. And that "someone" isn't me! Really.

Suggested titles:

D&D Ain't All That, Yo.
ALL UR RPGS R BELONG TO GYGAX.
If you could travel back in time, would you kill the Austrian Painter, or get a different RPG published before D&D?
Why D&D is pizza, and your game is pineapple.
D&D- Deserves Credit for RPGs, or Blame for Bards?

etc.

Since you’re not making that thread, any chance we could get a collection of things Mama Snarf said?