The Magic-Walmart myth

[ThirdWizard]

I'd attribute the following characteristics to the term: large, characterless, low-cost items, low-quality items, lowest common denominator, uniformity, bland, faceless/unengagable management

I would unequivocally add: crowded with shoppers.

That is, after all, one of the defining features of going to a Walmart.

 

[Felix]

Why do people say things with such athority for which there is no basis? Perhaps you could say how it fits this criteria.

Because I've read the text:

"My necromantic knowledge is greater than the sum of all the knowledge of other men, yet I do not know the full power of the jewel."​

That's coming from Xaltotun. Doesn't sound like something that is subject to an Identify, and if it's known that it can cast True Res, what powers does it possess that we don't know about?

Further:

The origin of the Heart of Ahriman is shrouded in the mists of time. Whether it was crafted on Earth or merely brought here from across the black gulfs between the stars is unknown.​

and

And the altar seemed to stand in the heart of a living fire which pulsed and shimmered, dripping flakes of quivering golden flame on the black stones about it. This dazzling glow emanated from a great red jewel which lay upon the altar, and in the reflection of which the priests looked ashy and corpse-like.​

Been around since the mists of time. Origin possibly the gulfs of stars. Emanates a living fire.

I doubt I'd find this on the Medium Wonderous Items table.

In any case, I don't learn much for unsupported statements like this

As I was talking to someone who had recently read the text, I put off quoting how the Heart qualifies as an artifact. Satisfied?

- and IMO they come across as argumentative.

So is accusing someone of saying something with no basis before asking him for that basis.

 

[Hussar]

So why does the term exist? Why "magic Wal-mart", and not a "magic shoppe", or even "magic Woolworths"?

Because it evokes negative qualities in people's mind, and it's used by people who want to create a negative image.

Bingo. Lump it in with magitech, anime, dungeonpunk, and quite possibly Tolkienesque. It's a sloppy shorthanded slap at anyone who is engaged in wrongbadfun.

 

[Jonny Nexus]

Are these real DMs or hypothetical DMs, like those Pun-Pun characters that everyone complains about but no one ever actually sees in a game?

Quasqueton

Post #12 FTW.

If there were no MagicMarts, there would be no responses claiming that calling them MagicMarts is snobbish. Nor would there be folks claiming that they are a logical extention of the rules on every "low magic" thread that ever gets to four posts.

I know that you were hoping to play Mythbusters, but in this case the only "myth" is that MagicMarts don't exist outside of Internet forums.

I'll bite.

Show me.

My Thursday did/do it this way.

I actually wrote an article for Mongoose's Signs & Portents (#18 I think) entitled "Joe's Adventure Barn Ruined My Roleplaying" expressing (tongue-in-cheek) my displeasure with that way of doing it.

(We didn't actually have a chain called "Joe's Adventure Barn". It was my running joke description of the fact that we could just buy any item we wanted, "off-camera", regardless of where we were.)

 

[ThirdWizard]

Bingo. Lump it in with magitech, anime, dungeonpunk, and quite possibly Tolkienesque. It's a sloppy shorthanded slap at anyone who is engaged in wrongbadfun.

You forgot video gamey.

 

[Raven Crowking]

My Thursday did/do it this way.

I actually wrote an article for Mongoose's Signs & Portents (#18 I think) entitled "Joe's Adventure Barn Ruined My Roleplaying" expressing (tongue-in-cheek) my displeasure with that way of doing it.

(We didn't actually have a chain called "Joe's Adventure Barn". It was my running joke description of the fact that we could just buy any item we wanted, "off-camera", regardless of where we were.)

Apparently your saying that this happened to you in your game is no more evidence to this crowd than those who said the same earlier.

No doubt you are just saying that to take a slap at wrongbadfun.

Clearly, this was all just a metaphor and not what the OP was talking about.

No evidence can be presented to those who choose to ignore the presented evidence.

 

[Jedi_Solo]

I'd attribute the following characteristics to the term: large, characterless, low-cost items, low-quality items, lowest common denominator, uniformity, bland, faceless/unengagable management.

To add to this list:

Wal-Mart has also been attributed with some controvercy (labor practices, etc). These may or may not be deserved (and I really want to avoid THAT debate and I am trying to stay neutral here) but I think we can all agree that the controvercy is there no matter if we believe the accusations that have been leveled against the chain or not.

Calling a place a Wal-Mart-like location brings this baggage along with it. That is why in my mind the name Magic Mart intended as a derogatory term while Magic Shoppe or Magic Store does not. When I here the term Mart the above list is what pops into my head.

(I hope I'm not crossing the line bringing this issue up. I do want to avoid the discussion of if the above mentioned accusations are true or not; though I do feel the fact that these accusations exist is relavent to the issue).

 

[Raven Crowking]

However, if a poster says that they had a MagicMart in their campaign world that was crowded, cheap, had potential labour issues, etc., the next question will be: "Was it actually owned by Walmart?" Because, if it wasn't, it clearly wasn't a "real" MagicMart.

 

[Bacris]

Magic-marts are a handy exaggeration that people bring up when they want to be snobbish about how -they- game.

Quoted for truth, as they say.

All the games I've had that were "standard" item availability didn't have anything akin to Wal-Marts - instead, the PCs would have to spend around a day or two shopping around the city to find what they were looking for. Seems reasonable to me with the way 3E/3.5 does magic items, and it's never really been an issue.

At times with some rarer goods, the items will be more expensive or not available, but a simple +1 armor / shield / weapon, or potions and the like that aren't horribly niche or extremely expensive are easy to find - with a bit of in-game time spent.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Bingo. Lump it in with magitech, anime, dungeonpunk, and quite possibly Tolkienesque. It's a sloppy shorthanded slap at anyone who is engaged in wrongbadfun.

Magitech is a slap? I thought it denoted a crossing of magic and technology, like in a Steampunk world or as with the mad scientists of Deadlands. Wait, is Steampunk a slap now?

Anime is a slap? I thought it was a genre of animation styled after Japanese style animation (itself originally styled after Walt Disney). I know some people would rather not have anime influences in their fantasy role-playing, but how does that make the term itself a slap?

Dungeonpunk is a slap? I thought it was an intentional design choice with the core 3.0 books, to differentiate them from previous editions and attempt to draw in a new crowd of younger players. As with everything, some people don't like it, but how does that make the term itself a slap? That would be like saying that "chocolate" is a slap because some people prefer vanilla.

Tolkeinesque is a slap? Presumably then also Gygaxian? Howardesque? Burroughsesque? Again, this is a descriptive term that denotes a particular style or influence. If you like that style or influence, it is a bonus. If not, at least you are warned. How is this a slap?

Let me guess: Any descriptive term that describes something that you like that the person using the term doesn't like is automatically a personal attack against you. Sorry, I just can't see it that way.