Tony Vargas
Legend
That can be a huge factor. Back in the fad years, there were barely BBS's let alone discussion forums. Before that, 'Zines. The community wasn't monolithic, each area, each convention, each group could have their own group-think, and have it for years if not decades unchallenged.I will say, this particular point of debate may say more about the gaming environment we play in, than anything about the rules or D&D traditions.
That's what I've mainly been doing since 2010. For the 30 years before that, though, conventions, home games, and play in stores /before there was organized play/. I remember when they started up the RPGA, and I kinda ignored it. Before that 'tournaments' was the closest thing to what we now think of organized play.Most of my D&D play time for the last 20 years has been in one form of Organized Play environment or another (Living City, Living Greyhawk, Living Arcanis, Living Forgotten Realms (or whatever it was in 4e), Pathfinder Society, and most recently Adventure League).
Tried a tournament once.
Not fun.
They were still using those in the new-fangled 'Red Box?' Huh.They aren't even tradition for me, and I started playing D&D with the Red Box and soft plastic dice that you had to color the numbers in with crayon.