D&D General Thaco the angry clown... really?

[billd91]

I think the lesson here is that some people self-identify as game mechanics.

... which I started typing as a joke and then realized was much more true than I intended/expected.

I think more specifically, they identify as a player of a game, a game hobbyist, and that game is made up of mechanics that characterize it. Honestly, why else would so many people take the edition wars and criticisms of 'their game' so seriously? 4e fans wouldn't have taken umbrage at the criticism that "4e isn't D&D" if they didn't identify as D&D players who happened to embrace that edition. Similarly, fans of early editions might not have taken so many shots at 4e and its very different design and play if they hadn't identified as D&D players of a different, prior style.
So, yeah, the gatekeeper is a bit of a lampoon of a certain type of player - the type who embraces the weird, more arcane mechanics of early editions and uses them to keep the kids offa their yard.

But it's a pretty minor joke and people who feel targeted should grow a thicker skin or stop behaving like gatekeepers.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Raiders fans like those are their own special breed though...

Are they?

Why yes, I would enjoy a conversation about the relative merits of a younger quarterback such as Mr. Justin Fields as opposed to a more veteran leader such as Mr. Tom Brady. Perhaps over some tea and a pony keg of natty light?

 

[niklinna]

Ewww. Piers Anthony writes pedo porn.

Themes of Pedophilia in the Works of Piers Anthony

litreactor.com

You make me want to delete my sarcastic comment. I'd read some of his stuff back in high school and knew he was into sex puns, but yikes.

 

[Maxperson]

I would play him as bad at simple math, especially subtracting negatives.

I would go the other way and have other people who are bad at math not really get him.

Proprietor: "Well, your total for the goods you bought comes to 1 silver and 3 coppers."

PC: "Here's 2 silver. Say, do you know anything about Thaco?"

Proprietor: "Not much. I've never really understood him. Here's 11 coppers change."

 

[Charlaquin]

Name - Thaco, clear ties to older version of the game, and all that entails, favoured still by some.

Appearance - out of shape, older male, and in the close up, bad skin.

Attitude - sad, tired.

Outlook - hates kids.

Role - Gatekeeper.

---

Now, if you take this as a whole? It's very very easy to see this as a statement about more than Thaco. Intended or not.

I look forward to the later NPCs which surely will come that poke at other stereotyped 'tropes' of groups of players.

Right?

It’s fascinating to me how when you break down stereotypes of marginalized groups like this, the response from a certain portion of the community is that you’re reading too much into things, but then those same people turn around and complain when the stereotype resembles them.

Anyway, irony aside, you’re not wrong. The implication here is indeed that older male gamers are curmudgeonly gatekeepers. But, it’s a joke being made by older male gamers for older male gamers, about older male gamers, which puts it in a very different space than if it were, say, being made by older male gamers, for older male gamers, about young female gamers. It’s both self-depricating, and punching-up, both of which are generally more widely accepted categories of humor.

 

[Mort]

Are they?

Why yes, I would enjoy a conversation about the relative merits of a younger quarterback such as Mr. Justin Fields as opposed to a more veteran leader such as Mr. Tom Brady. Perhaps over some tea and a pony keg of natty light?

One of my best friends in college was a math prodigy who also happened to LOVE football. When going to games he would dress not quite like that, but pretty close. I remember one day he ran into a professor of his while coming out of a game (who was wearing a jersey). They proceeded to, then and there, have 5-10 minute discussion about math concepts I could barely grasp much less follow. It was a truly surreal experience!

 

[Scribe]

It’s both self-depricating, and punching-up, both of which are generally more widely accepted categories of humor

Do you think the leadership which releases this book, makes changes to the game which the demographic being targeted complains about, actually identifies with the trope or demographic being targeted here, maliciously or not?

I certainly don't think so, so it wouldn't be self depreciation in that sense.

It's certainly a joke at the expense of a group that it's acceptable to target, here and elsewhere, and the implication of Thaco the sad, worn out, kid hating, gatekeeper, clown (itself an insult lol) is that Wizards is OK with tossing shade at those players to, so it's OK for others to do so also.

Make Thaco a handsome misunderstood happy clown that wants to share his joy in calculations with children, and we'll there's a different feel there right?

But yes, it's acceptable humor if it's at the expense of older men, but of course.

 

[aco175]

Heh, maybe the old gamers are more likely to do actual crack? I think that was the era?

Back then, Whitney taught us this one thing.

 

[J.Quondam]

I don't have a copy of Witchlight.
If it's not too spoilery, could someone explain/hint at Thaco's role in the adventure, if it's significant? Or is he just one of the "extras"?

 

[Nefermandias]

Wow. Really? I've been playing forever. This isn't aimed at us at all. Not even close. You can feel that way, of course. But they aren't mocking us at all, imo. They are mocking bad game design, that they own. I find it funny.

Yes, I know.
Should've added the /s

Sigh...