The Tielfling and The Gnome: On the Set of 4th edition

[Wormwood]

I think I like the new 4e gnomes, slightly effete and very naive.

I thought it had potential as a creepy little forest-dwelling fey . . . thing.

And I was pleased.

 

[sjmiller]

And this answers a thread from a couple months ago: 'tiefling' is pronounced 'teef-ling,' not 'tie-fling.'

Not to sound snarky, but of course it is "teef-ling". It's practically a German word, meaning little dark one. In German, the "ie" diphthong is always pronounced like you are saying the letter "e" in the alphabet. I did not realize people were trying to pronounce it any other way.

 

[Drammattex]

Besides... if gnomes are in the monster manual, they will soon be showing up in D&D games (and miniatures) in MUCH greater numbers. In the end, this only works out in favor of the gnomes.

 

[BryonD]

I thought it had potential as a creepy little forest-dwelling fey . . . thing.

And I was pleased.

I got the same impression.

 

[I'm A Banana]

what's funny about someone being killed? what was funny when the tiefling kicked the badger? do you laugh when you see stray dogs run over in the street?

Tragedy is when I cut my finger.

Comedy is when you fall into a hole and die.

 

[Midknightsun]

I knew I would get crap for those comments. I expected it.

But I do want to ask: why are we expected to empathize with "totally imaginary" characters like Hamlet or Othello, but not someone's Gnome character? Are the Shakespearean characters somehow more worthy? Does the fact that the Gnome had bug-eyes somehow make him so inhuman that he is worthy of death and ridicule? How many people here would feel bad to see an "imaginary character" they liked (whether Optimus Prime, Bart Simpson, or whoever) killed and robbed? Are you saying it wouldn't bother you even a little?

Maybe not. I have met a depressingly large number of humans who only care when its someone they know (or only themselves) that's hurt.

I don't take D&D any more seriously than any other game (little), but "people" (whether real people I meet on the street or cartoon people) deserve better than that. I can't help but feel bad for them if they are mistreated. And I have to wonder about the people who made the cartoon, or laughed at it: what's funny about someone being killed? what was funny when the tiefling kicked the badger? do you laugh when you see stray dogs run over in the street?

ha ha

The English Major in me is spinning at the thought of comparing Shakespeare to a frickin D&D gnome cartoon.

Hyperbolie much?

For the record:

No-such-comparison.


No.



No even now.








No, not now either.















I said no, and I mean it

Besides, you realize you play a game where you kill lots of things for fun . . . . right? You may not be gleefully laughing while doing it (though you should try it sometime, its really, really fun), but you are nonetheless doing it for enjoyment.

 

[Guild Goodknife]

I don't take D&D any more seriously than any other game (little), but "people" (whether real people I meet on the street or cartoon people) deserve better than that. I can't help but feel bad for them if they are mistreated. And I have to wonder about the people who made the cartoon, or laughed at it: what's funny about someone being killed? what was funny when the tiefling kicked the badger? do you laugh when you see stray dogs run over in the street?

ha ha

So i take it that you never ever kill monsters or humanoids when playing D&D? Or even hurt them or steal their treasure? 'cause, you know, even imaginery people deserve better than that....


I thought the cartoon had some funny bits, essentially everything with the Gnome.

 

[theredrobedwizard]

I never laugh when the joke is predicated on someone else's pain. It's called empathy.

I wasn't referring to anything made since 1990, if that makes a difference. But tastes can differ; I'm sure if we compared an exhaustive list of "funny" movies there would be several on yours I would have to show "polite tolerance" for.

I knew I would get crap for those comments. I expected it.

But I do want to ask: why are we expected to empathize with "totally imaginary" characters like Hamlet or Othello, but not someone's Gnome character? Are the Shakespearean characters somehow more worthy? Does the fact that the Gnome had bug-eyes somehow make him so inhuman that he is worthy of death and ridicule? How many people here would feel bad to see an "imaginary character" they liked (whether Optimus Prime, Bart Simpson, or whoever) killed and robbed? Are you saying it wouldn't bother you even a little?

Maybe not. I have met a depressingly large number of humans who only care when its someone they know (or only themselves) that's hurt.

I don't take D&D any more seriously than any other game (little), but "people" (whether real people I meet on the street or cartoon people) deserve better than that. I can't help but feel bad for them if they are mistreated. And I have to wonder about the people who made the cartoon, or laughed at it: what's funny about someone being killed? what was funny when the tiefling kicked the badger? do you laugh when you see stray dogs run over in the street?

ha ha

I think you're confusing two related concepts: empathy and compassion.

Empathy is understanding how and why others feel in a certain situation.
Compassion is actually caring how and why they feel that way.

I have empathy for people who like gnomes and were offended by it; I just don't care that they were offended, because it was funny.

I have compassion for the badger, because the badger is precious. It was still funny.

-TRRW

(For the record, I hate dogs. They're vicious and vile creatures that attack small children and try to kill them with big pointy teeth. I have several scars from when I was a small child to prove this. So, yes, when a stray dog gets hit by a car, I do laugh.)

 

[BryonD]

And I have to wonder about the people who made the cartoon, or laughed at it: what's funny about someone being killed? what was funny when the tiefling kicked the badger? do you laugh when you see stray dogs run over in the street?

ha ha

I may not care if you compare a gnome cartoon to Shakespeare. But is your tongue deeply in your cheek here and I can't catch that, or did you really equate this cartoon to a dog getting run over? I'd find an inability to see the gaping chasm of distinction between the two to be somewhat disturbing.

The gnome got fried. So did the announcer. I laughed. Out loud.

My wife used to keep animals for the humane society. She watched the cartoon. She laughed. Out loud.

 

[mhensley]

Very funny, but I don't care how tough you think you are: nobody kicks a badger. You'll draw back a stump.