The Guards at the Gate Quote

[El Mahdi]

I find your lack of faith in gate guard encounters Disturbing...

 

[El Mahdi]

Yeah right! There's someone swinging from the rooftops on a rope. Sure... Whatever...

What do you think I am? A 0-level NPC!?!

If I had a copper for everytime I heard that one I'd be the Lord of this town!

 

[Janx]

Except it doesn't say that. It literally says "These things are not fun; don't bother with them." The people reading in meaning that isn't there are the people apologizing for Wyatt and suggesting that here somehow forgot to add, as the Auld Grump said, the word "if."

The point is, you need to cut the speaker some slack and see the wisdom in his statement and not the literal choice of wording.

Frak that the author is talking about gate guards and talking to them is unfun. That's just HIS example.

the POINT is that he recommends not wasting time with encounters that don't actually have anything of merit happen.

You are each smart individuals. The application of the idea to your unique campaign is what you are supposed to be doing. James Wyatt is not responsible for inserting IFs and lawyer speak to qualify every godsdamned thing he says.

You the readert hold that responsibility.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

You can take issue with it all that you wish.

Now did you take exception to everything else that I posted as well? Or are you just looking to nitpick instead of addressing the greater issue here? Which is basically James Wyatt clearly stating that "If you do X you should skip X and get right to Y." Despite the fact that there are those of us who as players and GM's who enjoy doing X.

But, much like people are saying Wyatt should have done in his quote, you should type what you mean. If you don't actually mean that it always about skipping the boring stuff to get to the "butt-kicking" then, no, I don't take exception to what you've said.

I do believe the quote is being taken out of context with the whole of the advice given in the DMG. It's only bad advice, IMO, if you nitpick his examples of things that aren't fun.

 

[the Jester]

The point is, you need to cut the speaker some slack and see the wisdom in his statement and not the literal choice of wording.

Do we? Or should the writer perhaps write in less absolute terms when describing what is fun in D&D, especially given that different groups get the fun in different ways?

If Wyatt didn't have a history of didactically declaring certain elements of the game UNFUN, it would be much easier to cut him some slack, but it's much harder to do when he has restated his position several times without backing away from its absolutist nature.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

Is that a litlle folk swinging from your spear or are you just happy to see me?

 

[Janx]

You can take issue with it all that you wish.

Now did you take exception to everything else that I posted as well? Or are you just looking to nitpick instead of addressing the greater issue here? Which is basically James Wyatt clearly stating that "If you do X you should skip X and get right to Y." Despite the fact that there are those of us who as players and GM's who enjoy doing X.

You're halfway there.

He said "X is unfun. Don't waste time doing X, skip to Y"

X you like doing X, then the statement has no bearing for you.

If you find a value of X that is unfun, then don't wast time doing X.

You have to remember tha X is a variable.

when X = talking to gate guards, that's fun for you. no problem
when X = talking to a tomato farmer about tomatoes, that's not fun for me. So I will follow his advice and skip it.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

Do we? Or should the writer perhaps write in less absolute terms when describing what is fun in D&D, especially given that different groups get the fun in different ways?

If Wyatt didn't have a history of didactically declaring certain elements of the game UNFUN, it would be much easier to cut him some slack, but it's much harder to do when he has restated his position several times without backing away from its absolutist nature.

Then we are all intelligent enough to take his ideas with a big grain of salt. The founder of the game had strong opinions on the 'right' way to play the game too. I took his advice, Wyatt's, and anyone else's and applied my own group's likes and dislikes to them.

 

[El Mahdi]

Just because you're Adventurers, don't think you don't have to follow the laws of this town. Especially the one about ogling the female residents...

That is absolutely not allowed in THIS town!

 

[Imaro]

Then we are all intelligent enough to take his ideas with a big grain of salt. The founder of the game had strong opinions on the 'right' way to play the game too. I took his advice, Wyatt's, and anyone else's and applied my own group's likes and dislikes to them.

Our intellect has no bearing on whether the quote was worded badly and/or whether it was bad advice. It also in no way precludes people from calling him out on it if they feel it was in fact bad advice or worded badly.

EDIT: Especially since the premise of the thread is centered around why this quote rubs people the wrong way.