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rocklobster
Guest
Why do Role-playing Games have a bad reputation? I’m kind of baffled by this.
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Syele
Guest
Generally because people have a bad gut reaction to the idea of pretending to do sinful things like worshipping other Gods, killing people, etc.
This is all role-playing games really are is playing make-believe like the little kids do. Dice are introduced to decide the stuff people would argue about without them… does Garfunkel die from the blow to hte head he just got when the tavern exploded?? It’s like my Daughter and her friends… “Now yoube the kitty and say you are hiding under the bed!” “No, I want to be the dog!!” If they were grownups they could roll a dice. How many parents would be concerned though if their kids said instead “I’ll be the god called zerkelhimer and you can come
worship me before you tear the head off that snerk!”
This is all role-playing games really are is playing make-believe like the little kids do. Dice are introduced to decide the stuff people would argue about without them… does Garfunkel die from the blow to hte head he just got when the tavern exploded?? It’s like my Daughter and her friends… “Now yoube the kitty and say you are hiding under the bed!” “No, I want to be the dog!!” If they were grownups they could roll a dice. How many parents would be concerned though if their kids said instead “I’ll be the god called zerkelhimer and you can come
worship me before you tear the head off that snerk!”
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Dale_M
Guest
I’m surprised to hear that they have a bad reputation. I don’t know anyone who thinks they are immoral - a waste of time, maybe, but not immoral.
(but I’m an ex-gamer, so my perspective may be skewed)
(but I’m an ex-gamer, so my perspective may be skewed)
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Melissa
Guest
Typically, the bad reputation comes from forming an opinion based on cursory knowledge (at best). By this, I mean people whose examination of the RPG stops at “oh, look at that cover art, it looks evil; therefore, RPGs are evil” or “oh, look, there are demons in the monster book, that means this game is evil” or “oh, look, this class of character says they cast spells, spell-casting is forbidden in the Bible [irrelevent verse cite], therefore RPGs are evil”.
Never mind the fact that the cover art isn’t an integral part to the game, evil monsters are in the monster manual for the heroes to fight, and the spellcasting consists of ‘my character casts magic missile at the enemy’ rolls dice ‘and does 3 hit points of damage’.
Really, RPGs are more an exercise in co-operative story-telling with a heavy dollop of make-believe. It’s possible to have immoral stories (in which the characters are evil and go about doing evil–but my experience is that evil really does kill the game … RPGs are all about being the hero, not the villain), but by the same token, some novels are immoral, but not all novels; some entertainment is immoral, but not all entertainment.
Where there is a problem is when RPing takes over the time and money of the player, such that other obligations aren’t met. But then that’s the same issue with a lot of other activities–it’s not the activity, but the lack of proper proportion that is the problem.
Never mind the fact that the cover art isn’t an integral part to the game, evil monsters are in the monster manual for the heroes to fight, and the spellcasting consists of ‘my character casts magic missile at the enemy’ rolls dice ‘and does 3 hit points of damage’.
Really, RPGs are more an exercise in co-operative story-telling with a heavy dollop of make-believe. It’s possible to have immoral stories (in which the characters are evil and go about doing evil–but my experience is that evil really does kill the game … RPGs are all about being the hero, not the villain), but by the same token, some novels are immoral, but not all novels; some entertainment is immoral, but not all entertainment.
Where there is a problem is when RPing takes over the time and money of the player, such that other obligations aren’t met. But then that’s the same issue with a lot of other activities–it’s not the activity, but the lack of proper proportion that is the problem.
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Pug
Guest
You just haven’t talked with the right people. Hey, I even own a little guide to confession that specifically lists it as a venial sin. The author is Fr. Robert Altier. I think to understand the sinfulness of D&D and the like, you must give up all desire to own a +5 holy avenger (+10 vrs. chaotic evil opponents).
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Durendin
Guest
I’ve never been heavily into RPGs, but I’ve been a great fan of Warhammer 40K for years which is no more than glorified model making and painting crossed with chess with some background material to justify the gaming. To someone looking in with no perspective it’s all sinister and evil, (just like most other hobbies, don’t get me started on those wicked and sinful lofts coverted for model trains!)
Ever read the Chick tract “Darker Dungeons?” It’s considered to be a camp classic by gamers and is very much sought after. Irony!
Busy-bodies who want to go round looking for evil and sin in everything should start with a mirror.
Ever read the Chick tract “Darker Dungeons?” It’s considered to be a camp classic by gamers and is very much sought after. Irony!
Busy-bodies who want to go round looking for evil and sin in everything should start with a mirror.
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Isidore_AK
Guest
Heh. Just do a search for D&D on this forum and you’ll see how often its brought up…and how many of us play. 
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JezuUfamTobie
Guest
Ex-gamer here myself! I had a lot of fun. But in answer to the question, perhaps RPing games have a bad reputation because the “fringe” crowd tends to get into them (alongside us normal folks). I only met a couple nice, Catholic, orthodox gamers when I was playing. But I met hundreds of people of questionable morals. Then again, you probably have the same odds on tennis team. 
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GandalfTheWhite
Guest
Why? Because of the clowns like Chick. 
Well, as said it is, I think you’ll have hard time meeting them in basketball as well.
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nydas
Guest
I just ordered the D&D computer game “Neverwinter Nights 2”. Should be here in about a week. It looks awesome! Cant wait!
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Le_Cracquere
Guest
What’s more, RPGs appear to be a fantastic tool for assuring sexual purity: I know several guys who are gamers, and a truly impressive number of them have succeeded in maintaining their virginity well into their 20s and 30s. Doesn’t seem to work so well for curbing gluttony and sloth, but you can’t have everything.
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tdgesq
Guest
I normally don’t frequent this sub-forum, but that made me laugh really hard. And I’m watching Conan right now. He didn’t make me laugh like that. What does your handle mean Le Cracquere? forgive my ignorance.
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Pug
Guest
Conan O’Brien is on Saturday nights? You must be the evil puppy messing with my mind like that.
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rtconstant
Guest
I think the urban legends about RPG’s especially D&D began in the early 80’s when many in the US was in tizzy about the possibility of subversive Devil worshiping groups.
Because of the media attention this paranoia gained some people (as always happens in these scenarios) thought it would be cool to pretend that they were into these groups and then reformed. These people would then make up outlandish stories. Many of them said that part of their rituals envolved D&D and that Devil worshipers actually cast spells on the books to bind demons to them. Perhaps these were demons of sloth and gluttony as was noted earlier
Some of these people teamed up with some tele-evangelists thus enforcing the myths. One of them I remember was Mike Warnke who claimed to be a Satanic High Priest who led 1500 cultists in California. His story turned out to be a falsehood that he had made a good profit off of.
Anyway, some of this paranoia resulted in mini witch hunts for Devil worshipers and some people even ended up in jail (not for the rpgs but for trumped up occult accusations). The FBI spent several years investigating the possibility of these occult groups existance and found no evidence. It’s all really strange.
Because of the media attention this paranoia gained some people (as always happens in these scenarios) thought it would be cool to pretend that they were into these groups and then reformed. These people would then make up outlandish stories. Many of them said that part of their rituals envolved D&D and that Devil worshipers actually cast spells on the books to bind demons to them. Perhaps these were demons of sloth and gluttony as was noted earlier
Some of these people teamed up with some tele-evangelists thus enforcing the myths. One of them I remember was Mike Warnke who claimed to be a Satanic High Priest who led 1500 cultists in California. His story turned out to be a falsehood that he had made a good profit off of.
Anyway, some of this paranoia resulted in mini witch hunts for Devil worshipers and some people even ended up in jail (not for the rpgs but for trumped up occult accusations). The FBI spent several years investigating the possibility of these occult groups existance and found no evidence. It’s all really strange.
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T.A.Stobie_SFO
Guest
Many people associate ‘Role-Playing Games’ with simulated evil acts.
Many of the best games I played had no killing, no magic, and were set in realistic environment with players interacting with the world.
Many of the best games I played had no killing, no magic, and were set in realistic environment with players interacting with the world.
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Le_Cracquere
Guest
Thank you very much; I’m here all week (and welcome to the sub-forum!). As my profile indicates, I’m from Georgia; and my handle is simply a faux-Frenchified travesty of “The Cracker.” (I always loved the social-climbing British TV character Hyacinth Bucket, who insisted on pronouncing her name “boo-KAY.”)
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Le_Cracquere
Guest
And you know what? It occurred to me this afternoon that D&D-type classification practices could have uncommonly useful real-world applications, a sort of shorthand. Example:
Richard Dawkins
Class: 9th-level biologist/2nd-level athiest
Race: Human (possible Half-Troll)
Alignment: Lawful Evil
STR 10
CON 11
DEX 15 (in debate)
INT 16
WIS 4
CHA 6 (norm.)/12 (against Anglophiles)
Weapon: +5 Endowed Chair, Spectacles of Media Complaisance
Armour: +2 Tweed Jacket of Snideness
+3 attack roll against Evangelicals, the poorly catechized
Good Lord, is this fun.
Le Cracquere
w/equipped Wand of Smugness (+3 INT, -2 WIS, -6 CHA)
Richard Dawkins
Class: 9th-level biologist/2nd-level athiest
Race: Human (possible Half-Troll)
Alignment: Lawful Evil
STR 10
CON 11
DEX 15 (in debate)
INT 16
WIS 4
CHA 6 (norm.)/12 (against Anglophiles)
Weapon: +5 Endowed Chair, Spectacles of Media Complaisance
Armour: +2 Tweed Jacket of Snideness
+3 attack roll against Evangelicals, the poorly catechized
Good Lord, is this fun.
Le Cracquere
w/equipped Wand of Smugness (+3 INT, -2 WIS, -6 CHA)
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Syele
Guest
That’s so funny! I needed a good laugh.
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Reepicheep
Guest
To Rocklobster:
If you want to know why the bad rep for roleplaying:
Google the following -
Pat Pulling
Borhered About Dungeons and Dragons
The Pulling Report
You should get plenty of answers to your question.
If you want to know why the bad rep for roleplaying:
Google the following -
Pat Pulling
Borhered About Dungeons and Dragons
The Pulling Report
You should get plenty of answers to your question.
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brotherhrolf
Guest
Role playing games have a bad reputation because a few people got so wrapped up in their character’s lives back in the 80s that they comitted suicide when their characters died. Or so I remember. I have been playing RPGs since D&D came out in it’s original form back around 1974-75 long before the hard bound books were published. I DM’d a campaign game for over 10 years. Sins? Gluttony and sloth! We played every third Saturday from 10 am until we were all too tired. Massive amounts of Doritos and guacamole were consumed in addition to a big pot of red beans and rice! Lord, we were sooooooo evil.
I have no doubt that there are those out there who let their games get out of control. But as a Catholic, do you honestly think I ever let my players engage in wanton violence? Role playing is as role playing does. I never ran a hack and slash game. But, my players did need to know their history and mythology. Role playing when properly used can be a very, very good educational device.
Family too - played with both of my boys as they were growing up.
I have no doubt that there are those out there who let their games get out of control. But as a Catholic, do you honestly think I ever let my players engage in wanton violence? Role playing is as role playing does. I never ran a hack and slash game. But, my players did need to know their history and mythology. Role playing when properly used can be a very, very good educational device.
Family too - played with both of my boys as they were growing up.
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