tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post5777094649969876538..comments2024-03-28T20:01:14.354+08:00Comments on Monsters and Manuals: 23 QuestionsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-51614070846254021432012-01-20T06:00:51.448+08:002012-01-20T06:00:51.448+08:00It's because poker is understood to be a dange...It's because poker is understood to be a dangerous drug, so the professional poker player is a kind of lion-tamer - to maintain his professional status he has to resist falling victim to the game and instead somehow rise above it. The contradiction between professional (master) and poker (junkie) opens up an imaginary space where the professional can take on a kind of occult mastery - immune to the familiar threat that poker poses to the ordinary shlub the pro takes on a kind of James Bond fantasy role where he possesses mysterious and deep understanding beyond what you or I could hope for - the same fantasy/mastery world occupied by peaceful warrior martial artists and gonzo junkie writers and (with some kayfabe thrown in) stage magicians. I found a bit of the charm rubbed off on me when I designed computer games for a living, but only with a small demographic. And of course everyone wants to know which one of the 4 games they love did you design.<br /><br />Alas, design is part of the drug of RPGs, so the pro RPG designer is really just deeper in his delirium than the casual gamer. Also there's no money or girls hanging on the activity, so you have to actually address it on its own merits, rather than just looking at the attendant effects on the designer's breeding potential.<br /><br />Chess champions are a different thing, but I think the power dynamic works similarly. During the Cold War the Russians promoted chess heavily as a sign of their analytical and mathematical prowess, and therefore technological aptitude. Chess Grand Masters were signs of Soviet power, and had to be matched by American Grand Masters. And chess players got money and girls (which could distract them from chess, so they had to be self-disciplined, too). These days (I'd argue) the glory days of chess are largely forgotten: the champions are Indian and Israeli, and the chess master is sliding back into nerdom.richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517340075234811323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-64457290506348168542012-01-20T05:10:43.299+08:002012-01-20T05:10:43.299+08:00Richard: We were talking about this last night: wh...<b>Richard</b>: We were talking about this last night: why is it that being a professional poker player is cool, but being a professional RPG designer wouldn't be?<br /><br /><b>Anonymous</b>: I actually did 'lol' at that.noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-57576451135460976852012-01-19T07:03:17.610+08:002012-01-19T07:03:17.610+08:00One of my players deciding that it would be a good...<i>One of my players deciding that it would be a good idea to create a distraction by faking having a seizure in the middle of a crowded bar full of Lithuanian mafioso types. It was more the deadly serious expression on his face as he declared this action that made me laugh. You had to be there, really.</i><br /><br />Don't forget the part about how this totally worked and I successfully distracted all of those mafioso types!NathanRyderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17963023116440525852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-41238628748278630502012-01-19T06:02:36.145+08:002012-01-19T06:02:36.145+08:00This comment has been removed by the author.NathanRyderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17963023116440525852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-16628063712140748472012-01-19T03:21:50.833+08:002012-01-19T03:21:50.833+08:00RPGA - where the members make their own step progr...RPGA - where the members make their own step programmen as a d12 ranson table chart.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-62909882861792171792012-01-19T01:08:09.285+08:002012-01-19T01:08:09.285+08:00perhaps you could tell people you're into gami...perhaps you could tell people you're into gaming, and after they think you mean gambling and are bracing for news of your debts, then you can say "no no: RPGs."<br /><br />Unless you also have massive gambling debts, in which case sorry I mentioned it.richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517340075234811323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-78094346241888752382012-01-18T23:53:19.101+08:002012-01-18T23:53:19.101+08:00Kelvin: Dice are rebellious little fuckers who nee...<b>Kelvin</b>: Dice are rebellious little fuckers who need constant reminding of what their duties are.<br /><br /><b>Richard</b>: I'd be surprised if there isn't one already. Although isn't one of the 12 steps confessing to everybody you know? Not sure I could handle that.noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-31715155332447005772012-01-18T21:05:14.303+08:002012-01-18T21:05:14.303+08:00also, "RPGs are my secret shame."
Shou...also, "RPGs are my secret shame." <br /><br />Should we start up RPGA?richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517340075234811323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-29979030792918613582012-01-18T20:36:27.791+08:002012-01-18T20:36:27.791+08:00"Train" my dice by arranging them in lin...<i>"Train" my dice by arranging them in lines with the highest number facing up.</i><br /><br />Oh thank heavens I'm not the only one.thekelvingreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928260185408072124noreply@blogger.com