D&D General When We Were Wizards: Review of the Completed Podcast!

[Cordwainer Fish]

Just got to the podcast where Gary proclaims that they're obviously great business people because D&D is selling so well.

"If I'm not smart, then how come I'm rich?"

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

And man, what a huge bummer it is. Gygax, as has been mentioned, comes off really, really poorly, even from people who are otherwise vocal supporters of his nowadays, like Rob Kuntz.

Speaking of Kuntz, has he said anything about this podcast? He's quoted in it throughout, but there is also some dirty laundry aired that I have to imagine made him uncomfortable, decades later. What a complicated, messy relationship he had with Gary.

 

[Mannahnin]

Speaking of Kuntz, has he said anything about this podcast? He's quoted in it throughout, but there are also some dirty laundry aired that I have to imagine made him uncomfortable, decades later. What a complicated, messy relationship he had with Gary.

I haven't seen anything. The most I've heard of him this year has been complaints about Hasbro/The Making of Original D&D and Jason Tondro. Looks like he's petitioning Elon for help. His recent tweets indicate that he's falling down a reactionary rabbit hole of nonsense, which is really sad.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I haven't seen anything. The most I've heard of him this year has been complaints about Hasbro/The Making of Original D&D and Jason Tondro. Looks like he's petitioning Elon for help. His recent tweets indicate that he's falling down a reactionary rabbit hole of nonsense, which is really sad.

After listening to all of these OGs on the podcast, it's honestly more surprising when they don't go reactionary. A lot of "joking" comments from them sprinkled throughout the podcast as-is and presumably more on the cutting room floor.

 

[Thomas Shey]

After listening to all of these OGs on the podcast, it's honestly more surprising when they don't go reactionary. A lot of "joking" comments from them sprinkled throughout the podcast as-is and presumably more on the cutting room floor.

Unfortunately there's a reason that sort of thing is a significant factor in parts of the Old School community, and while some probably just comes with common mindsets for those who are strongly resistant to change, some probably came down from the top, as it were.

 

[Mannahnin]

After listening to all of these OGs on the podcast, it's honestly more surprising when they don't go reactionary. A lot of "joking" comments from them sprinkled throughout the podcast as-is and presumably more on the cutting room floor.

I think a lot of them are genuinely liberal-minded (in the classic, not political, sense). Heck, we know that Rob is, at his core. Remember his response to Ernie's nonsense in that interview for nuTSR?

But I worry that Rob may be degenerating, and getting enmeshed in reactionary culture because those are the people who are also angry with WotC. Grievance culture sucks.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think a lot of them are genuinely liberal-minded (in the classic, not political, sense). Heck, we know that Rob is, at his core. Remember his response to Ernie's nonsense in that interview for nuTSR?

But I worry that Rob may be degenerating, and being enmeshed in reactionary culture because those are the people who are also angry with WotC.

Yep, "we disagree with the same people, so everything that comes out of their mouth seems much more reasonable to me than it would otherwise" is a classic cognitive trap.

 

[billd91]

Unfortunately there's a reason that sort of thing is a significant factor in parts of the Old School community, and while some probably just comes with common mindsets for those who are strongly resistant to change, some probably came down from the top, as it were.

It think there's also a bit of the celebrity culture among some of the old TSR guard. Because they were there early on, did a lot of work directly with Gygax, there's a lot of nerd fanboy adulation that got reflected onto them or they feel entitled to. Looking at his Twitter feed, looks to me like Kuntz is swimming in that self-delusion. And I think we saw that side of Mentzer before the pandemic when he seemed to think his name alone (and presumably his CV, no matter how old) would open wondrous doors of opportunity or see a project through. Turned out not to be true...

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It think there's also a bit of the celebrity culture among some of the old TSR guard. Because they were there early on, did a lot of work directly with Gygax, there's a lot of nerd fanboy adulation that got reflected onto them or they feel entitled to. Looking at his Twitter feed, looks to me like Kuntz is swimming in that self-delusion. And I think we saw that side of Mentzer before the pandemic when he seemed to think his name alone (and presumably his CV, no matter how old) would open wondrous doors of opportunity or see a project through. Turned out not to be true...

"It's very difficult, when people tell you that you're a god, to not believe that you're a god." -- Jim Ward, the start of episode 12

 

[Malmuria]

You’re not kidding about Kuntz twitter feed. It’s very toxic