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[BootlegPopeye]

Anyone else remember when gaming was rolling up a dwarven cleric or a Japanese netrunner or a private detective in in 1930s San Francisco, and just... doing fun shit? Hacking skeletons and hacking the planet and getting hacked into pieces by cultists, and things?

That's the type of shit that got me into gaming. I don't even recognize this shit.

They've forgotten (or maybe never knew) that games were in large part supposed to be about escapism. I have my doubts they even know what the word means at this point.

In a related matter, as it stands now, there is a good chance the Nintendo Switch will be the last new console I own, not only because I see the death of physical media on the horizon, but because every game going forward seems to have shoehorned in shitlib politics in it.

 

[kuniqsX]

The only fist fight they would win would be the one in Big Gay Al's Dungeon module.

 

[AnOminous]

They've forgotten (or maybe never knew) that games were in large part supposed to be about escapism. I have my doubts they even know what the word means at this point.

SJWism is, in fact, a malignant form of escapism. They escape from a world where they're responsible in any way for the shitty condition they're in and the pathetic, evil lives they live, and imaginary nawtsees are responsible for everything.

 

[Jaimas]

They've forgotten (or maybe never knew) that games were in large part supposed to be about escapism. I have my doubts they even know what the word means at this point.

In a related matter, as it stands now, there is a good chance the Nintendo Switch will be the last new console I own, not only because I see the death of physical media on the horizon, but because every game going forward seems to have shoehorned in shitlib politics in it.

It's anti-escapism.

When you play a tabletop game, your own politics don't matter much. You're in a fictitious scenario and can explore a world that isn't yours with someone who is not you. You can be someone you aren't, do things you couldn't, and broaden your world through the power of imagination itself. However, that very aspect of it makes it exceedingly dangerous to authoritarians. You can upset the paradigms. You can see things from an angle you'd never allow yourself to do in the real world. More critically, you can subvert the authorial intent and purpose of the developers through the awesome power of Rule Zero:

If you don't like a rule as the GM, change or don't use it, and as long as the players know you're doing that and why, you're golden.

It's more than the GM's ultimate sanction against munchkins who would break a game system: It's basically the acknowledgement that as the arbiter of the game, the GM has the fiat to supercede the rules (and bear all responsibilities that come with that power). The thing is, that also means the GM is free to reject the entire ideology a work is trying to push, if they so choose, completely subverting the intended message of a work. That's a big problem. If political messaging is so important to a work (and make no mistake: To the shitheads doing this, it is), then they can really never afford to give a reprieve, lest any GM who wants to subvert their intentions. Since they can't flat-out mandate that a GM do exactly as they say, they go directly for lengthy treatises on why you can't and shouldn't do X.

Escapism has to be tilted to push the narrative, or it will be a refuge from the narrative, and the idiots pushing this nonsense can't have that shit.

 

[Capsaicin Addict]

It's anti-escapism.

When you play a tabletop game, your own politics don't matter much. You're in a fictitious scenario and can explore a world that isn't yours with someone who is not you. You can be someone you aren't, do things you couldn't, and broaden your world through the power of imagination itself. However, that very aspect of it makes it exceedingly dangerous to authoritarians. You can upset the paradigms. You can see things from an angle you'd never allow yourself to do in the real world. More critically, you can subvert the authorial intent and purpose of the developers through the awesome power of Rule Zero:

If you don't like a rule as the GM, change or don't use it, and as long as the players know you're doing that and why, you're golden.

It's more than the GM's ultimate sanction against munchkins who would break a game system: It's basically the acknowledgement that as the arbiter of the game, the GM has the fiat to supercede the rules (and bear all responsibilities that come with that power). The thing is, that also means the GM is free to reject the entire ideology a work is trying to push, if they so choose, completely subverting the intended message of a work. That's a big problem. If political messaging is so important to a work (and make no mistake: To the shitheads doing this, it is), then they can really never afford to give a reprieve, lest any GM who wants to subvert their intentions. Since they can't flat-out mandate that a GM do exactly as they say, they go directly for lengthy treatises on why you can't and shouldn't do X.

Escapism has to be tilted to push the narrative, or it will be a refuge from the narrative, and the idiots pushing this nonsense can't have that shit.

I had to reread this a couple times to make sure I was getting my head around it. This isn't a criticism, by the way. You're absolutely right.

If people can imagine they're not in a situation, then how far of a step is it to actually removing themselves from said situation?

 

[Jaimas]

I had to reread this a couple times to make sure I was getting my head around it. This isn't a criticism, by the way. You're absolutely right.

If people can imagine they're not in a situation, then how far of a step is it to actually removing themselves from said situation?

In the end, the biggest reason they object is the stark realization that having seized power, all their hard work can be undone by their own customers simply refusing to play by their rules. So in their worldview, you're not allowed to play at all if you don't have the correct thinking:



That's from VTM's recent release.

For them, the world of pretend cannot be allowed to be a refuge from the real world.

 

[Capsaicin Addict]

In the end, the biggest reason they object is the stark realization that having seized power, all their hard work can be undone by their own customers simply refusing to play by their rules. So in their worldview, you're not allowed to play at all if you don't have the correct thinking:

View attachment 2258309

That's from VTM's recent release.

For them, the world of pretend cannot be allowed to be a refuge from the real world.

That's why I find it so hilarious, because they have no power once the book leaves their hands.

You can build Extreme Meatpunks Forever, but that won't stop someone from remixing it into Murderhobo Redpill Simulator 9000.

 

[AnOminous]

Since they can't flat-out mandate that a GM do exactly as they say, they go directly for lengthy treatises on why you can't and shouldn't do X.

And the only proper response to that behavior is STFU I'm not reading all that shit.

 

[Capsaicin Addict]

Hm. No new bans since Lermfish and that was almost a full week ago. Think they've finally purged all the easy targets and now it'll be purity spirals? I've yet to see their active-user number climb above 300. Lots of guests, but the registered users seem to hover around 200-250 or so.

 

[SpaceMovie1992]

View attachment 2258309

That's from VTM's recent release.

For them, the world of pretend cannot be allowed to be a refuge from the real world.

Yep, that's going in my cringe compilation. No alt righties, but you're gonna pretend to murder and rape people. Just make sure they're the Fash!

 

[Emperor Julian]

Ehhh they used to do that spiel in the 90s with "Don't worship Satan guys." Disclaimer It's basically the same cringe. Personally I pity the people who think it matters or is ever relevant.

 

[MembersSchoolPizza]

It's anti-escapism.

This would explain why a lot of the darlings in the last decade have been notoriously resistant to rule 0... Burning Wheel and the Apocalypse system are both notorious. Admit you tried to role 0 it, and all the fans will rake you over the coals for it. "YOU CAN'T RULE 0 IT, IT'S PERFECT AS IT IS, AND YOU DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND IT!!!"

 

[RockHawk]

In the end, the biggest reason they object is the stark realization that having seized power, all their hard work can be undone by their own customers simply refusing to play by their rules. So in their worldview, you're not allowed to play at all if you don't have the correct thinking:

View attachment 2258309

That's from VTM's recent release.

For them, the world of pretend cannot be allowed to be a refuge from the real world.

I still have trouble understanding how the World of fucking Darkness ended up being the most pozzed RPG out there. How is it that the game designed from its core to be fatalistic and devoid of any hope for a brighter future still tries to make sure that even in its own modules, people arent made to feel too uncomfortable?

 

[Screw Danlon]

Hm. No new bans since Lermfish and that was almost a full week ago. Think they've finally purged all the easy targets and now it'll be purity spirals? I've yet to see their active-user number climb above 300. Lots of guests, but the registered users seem to hover around 200-250 or so.

300? Then they’re definitely hemmorhaging. I can remember times in the past where it would be 12-1500 people at busy times.

 

[Zonga]

I still have trouble understanding how the World of fucking Darkness ended up being the most pozzed RPG out there. How is it that the game designed from its core to be fatalistic and devoid of any hope for a brighter future still tries to make sure that even in its own modules, people arent made to feel too uncomfortable?

They experimented with Freak Legion, the Sabbat, Clanbook Tzimisce, and the entire Internals arc of Exalted, and came to realize that the current political climate isn't safe for that kind of fun - so they backed off REALLY HARD and now they have to double down on signalling how sorry they are that their predecessors (NOT them, NEVER them) did all those horrible, horrible things.

 

[Capsaicin Addict]

300? Then they’re definitely hemmorhaging. I can remember times in the past where it would be 12-1500 people at busy times.

I'll admit I don't know when their 'busy time' might be. But as of right now, they have 272 members online, and 584 guests.

 

[Screw Danlon]

I'll admit I don't know when their 'busy time' might be. But as of right now, they have 272 members online, and 584 guests.

Yeah, this should be one of their busier times.

 

[Jaimas]

I still have trouble understanding how the World of fucking Darkness ended up being the most pozzed RPG out there. How is it that the game designed from its core to be fatalistic and devoid of any hope for a brighter future still tries to make sure that even in its own modules, people arent made to feel too uncomfortable?

Very easily, my good Hawk: The community's tolerance was used against it, weaponized. Initially, there was demands to be more open and inclusive, logical at face value but always with a goal in mind underneath, and a death by a thousand cuts began. The nerds who dared oppose this were othered, just the same as happened in a thousand other communities. By the time anyone realized how deep the infection went, it was far too late; the inmates were running the asylum and, to use a familiar sobriquet, the community got RAAAAAAAAWKED!

 

[Harlan Wick]

So is Queer D&D or Queer gaming something that spawned out of RPG.net? I can't bring myself to visit the site anymore (partly depression and partly I lost my user name and password) but I have been seeing more calling for Queer roleplaying games both locally and in the wider internet. I even went so far as to ask a local group what difference there is between Queer gaming and what everyone else is doing. After 20 minutes of word salad the best I could make out is using roleplaying to live out a demented parody of a relationships using the alphabet spectrum and way to sneak in furries and otherkin without making it weird.

Is something other people have encountered? Or is this just a sign to quit gaming and take up hard drinking as a hobby.

 

[Shaka Brah]

So is Queer D&D or Queer gaming something that spawned out of RPG.net? I can't bring myself to visit the site anymore (partly depression and partly I lost my user name and password) but I have been seeing more calling for Queer roleplaying games both locally and in the wider internet. I even went so far as to ask a local group what difference there is between Queer gaming and what everyone else is doing. After 20 minutes of word salad the best I could make out is using roleplaying to live out a demented parody of a relationships using the alphabet spectrum and way to sneak in furries and otherkin without making it weird.

Is something other people have encountered? Or is this just a sign to quit gaming and take up hard drinking as a hobby.

Dare you enter my magical realm?