Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 02:40:50 AM

Quote from: Valatar on March 12, 2025, 09:47:42 PMIt's a testament to the narcissism of the authors, or what they perceive their audience to be, that they feel that the PCs' sex lives should be remotely close to center stage when the species is on the brink of a hellish extinction.

Some players may want to explore the cultural context on what that might have looked like.

He doesn't even see it, does he?  Narcissism, thy name is HappyDaze...

Quote from: BadApple on March 13, 2025, 09:07:41 AM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 02:40:50 AM

Quote from: Valatar on March 12, 2025, 09:47:42 PMThe point is that Victorian anti-homosexuality laws have NOTHING to do with a group of investigators struggling against elder gods that want to devour the world.  There's a reason that Lovecraft's protagonists were generally single reclusive men, apart from the author's grave social anxieties: Interpersonal drama between characters would only dilute a horror tale with pointless chaff.  The protagonists' love lives didn't matter.  The protagonists' opinions on the political clime of the day didn't matter.  Day to day human problems didn't matter because an octopus-faced great old one was coming to eat the city.

It's a testament to the narcissism of the authors, or what they perceive their audience to be, that they feel that the PCs' sex lives should be remotely close to center stage when the species is on the brink of a hellish extinction.

Those characters were not born knowing the role they would play in an Elder God's story. They presumably had their own backstories that involved love lives, political opionions, and day to day problems. Some players may want to explore the cultural context on what that might have looked like.

This is not acceptable behavior in most social settings and the gaming table isn't any different.  Using gaming time to explore your own sexuality, trauma dump, or as some form of ad hoc therapy is abusing the other table members.  Journal it, novelize it, or hire professional help if you really need it but do this kind of shit to other players.

Do you even read, bro?

I said they might want to understand the context for getting into character. That is not even remotely the same as seeking an outlet for the players' mental health needs. But you might just be projecting.

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 02:40:50 AM

Quote from: Valatar on March 12, 2025, 09:47:42 PMThe point is that Victorian anti-homosexuality laws have NOTHING to do with a group of investigators struggling against elder gods that want to devour the world.  There's a reason that Lovecraft's protagonists were generally single reclusive men, apart from the author's grave social anxieties: Interpersonal drama between characters would only dilute a horror tale with pointless chaff.  The protagonists' love lives didn't matter.  The protagonists' opinions on the political clime of the day didn't matter.  Day to day human problems didn't matter because an octopus-faced great old one was coming to eat the city.

It's a testament to the narcissism of the authors, or what they perceive their audience to be, that they feel that the PCs' sex lives should be remotely close to center stage when the species is on the brink of a hellish extinction.

Those characters were not born knowing the role they would play in an Elder God's story. They presumably had their own backstories that involved love lives, political opinions, and day to day problems. Some players may want to explore the cultural context on what that might have looked like.

IF it doesn't contribute anything to the plot, then it's window dressing, or as I like to call it...

Meaningful manure.

Quote from: Eirikrautha on March 13, 2025, 11:00:40 AM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 02:40:50 AM

Quote from: Valatar on March 12, 2025, 09:47:42 PMIt's a testament to the narcissism of the authors, or what they perceive their audience to be, that they feel that the PCs' sex lives should be remotely close to center stage when the species is on the brink of a hellish extinction.

Some players may want to explore the cultural context on what that might have looked like.

He doesn't even see it, does he?  Narcissism, thy name is HappyDaze...

Of course he doesn't see it. He'd be more concerned if his half-Black, half-Asian (Blasian?), gay philanthropist, WITH A LIMP, is getting pounded in the ass by Chief Petty Officer Chad Thundercock USN, than saving the world from insane cultists and eldritch horrors beyond space and time. Oh, and the blood sacrifice of 666 babies to Cthulhu they have to stop happens at midnight at the lunar eclipse.

Priorities, man.

(if none of you get even a chuckle out of that, then I cannot help you. You have no sense of humor.)

Quote from: blackstone on March 13, 2025, 01:05:01 PM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 02:40:50 AM

Quote from: Valatar on March 12, 2025, 09:47:42 PMThe point is that Victorian anti-homosexuality laws have NOTHING to do with a group of investigators struggling against elder gods that want to devour the world.  There's a reason that Lovecraft's protagonists were generally single reclusive men, apart from the author's grave social anxieties: Interpersonal drama between characters would only dilute a horror tale with pointless chaff.  The protagonists' love lives didn't matter.  The protagonists' opinions on the political clime of the day didn't matter.  Day to day human problems didn't matter because an octopus-faced great old one was coming to eat the city.

It's a testament to the narcissism of the authors, or what they perceive their audience to be, that they feel that the PCs' sex lives should be remotely close to center stage when the species is on the brink of a hellish extinction.

Those characters were not born knowing the role they would play in an Elder God's story. They presumably had their own backstories that involved love lives, political opinions, and day to day problems. Some players may want to explore the cultural context on what that might have looked like.

IF it doesn't contribute anything to the plot, then it's window dressing, or as I like to call it...

Meaningful manure.

In that case, there is a lot of "meaningful manure" in pretty much every RPG book.

Quote from: blackstone on March 13, 2025, 01:14:57 PM

Quote from: Eirikrautha on March 13, 2025, 11:00:40 AM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 02:40:50 AM

Quote from: Valatar on March 12, 2025, 09:47:42 PMIt's a testament to the narcissism of the authors, or what they perceive their audience to be, that they feel that the PCs' sex lives should be remotely close to center stage when the species is on the brink of a hellish extinction.

Some players may want to explore the cultural context on what that might have looked like.

He doesn't even see it, does he?  Narcissism, thy name is HappyDaze...

Of course he doesn't see it. He'd be more concerned if his half-Black, half-Asian (Blasian?), gay philanthropist, WITH A LIMP, is getting pounded in the ass by Chief Petty Officer Chad Thundercock USN, than saving the world from insane cultists and eldritch horrors beyond space and time. Oh, and the blood sacrifice of 666 babies to Cthulhu they have to stop happens at midnight at the lunar eclipse.

Priorities, man.

(if none of you get even a chuckle out of that, then I cannot help you. You have no sense of humor.)

You seem to be projecting your gay porn fantasy onto others. You must be so unhappy with yourself.

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 01:47:12 PM

Quote from: blackstone on March 13, 2025, 01:05:01 PM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 02:40:50 AM

Quote from: Valatar on March 12, 2025, 09:47:42 PMThe point is that Victorian anti-homosexuality laws have NOTHING to do with a group of investigators struggling against elder gods that want to devour the world.  There's a reason that Lovecraft's protagonists were generally single reclusive men, apart from the author's grave social anxieties: Interpersonal drama between characters would only dilute a horror tale with pointless chaff.  The protagonists' love lives didn't matter.  The protagonists' opinions on the political clime of the day didn't matter.  Day to day human problems didn't matter because an octopus-faced great old one was coming to eat the city.

It's a testament to the narcissism of the authors, or what they perceive their audience to be, that they feel that the PCs' sex lives should be remotely close to center stage when the species is on the brink of a hellish extinction.

Those characters were not born knowing the role they would play in an Elder God's story. They presumably had their own backstories that involved love lives, political opinions, and day to day problems. Some players may want to explore the cultural context on what that might have looked like.

IF it doesn't contribute anything to the plot, then it's window dressing, or as I like to call it...

Meaningful manure.

In that case, there is a lot of "meaningful manure" in pretty much every RPG book.

If it's 5e, yes.

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 01:48:21 PM

Quote from: blackstone on March 13, 2025, 01:14:57 PM

Quote from: Eirikrautha on March 13, 2025, 11:00:40 AM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 02:40:50 AM

Quote from: Valatar on March 12, 2025, 09:47:42 PMIt's a testament to the narcissism of the authors, or what they perceive their audience to be, that they feel that the PCs' sex lives should be remotely close to center stage when the species is on the brink of a hellish extinction.

Some players may want to explore the cultural context on what that might have looked like.

He doesn't even see it, does he?  Narcissism, thy name is HappyDaze...

Of course he doesn't see it. He'd be more concerned if his half-Black, half-Asian (Blasian?), gay philanthropist, WITH A LIMP, is getting pounded in the ass by Chief Petty Officer Chad Thundercock USN, than saving the world from insane cultists and eldritch horrors beyond space and time. Oh, and the blood sacrifice of 666 babies to Cthulhu they have to stop happens at midnight at the lunar eclipse.

Priorities, man.

(if none of you get even a chuckle out of that, then I cannot help you. You have no sense of humor.)

You seem to be projecting your gay porn fantasy onto others. You must be so unhappy with yourself.

Nope. No fantasies. Happily straight and married.

Which shows to me how completely utterly pathetic you are. Living your life precariously though the internet. Trying to be the internet tough guy. While others, like myself, have actually done things with our lives that are meaningful. Judging by the number of posts you do here, mommy and daddy must be paying the bills for you, while you sit and pretend to be keyboard warrior.

You're so eager to criticize, but have nothing to contribute or have done anything meaningful.

At lease guys like Venger and RPGPundit have done things in the gaming community. I've done my fair share: had a podcast for ten years, ran several gaming events at Origins and GenCon, done some playtesting. Nothing great, but it's something.

And you?

What? Anything? Besides singing the praises of D&D 5.5: the DEI version?

Please, tell us? What has the great HappyDaze done for the gaming community?

Quote from: blackstone on March 13, 2025, 01:53:13 PM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 01:47:12 PM

Quote from: blackstone on March 13, 2025, 01:05:01 PMIF it doesn't contribute anything to the plot, then it's window dressing, or as I like to call it...

Meaningful manure.

In that case, there is a lot of "meaningful manure" in pretty much every RPG book.

If it's 5e, yes.

As I noted earlier, it's not just 5E. All of the classic _Call of Cthulhu_ books starting from first edition in 1981 have had detailed flavor text about the time period and locations - like shops, clubs, clothing, lifestyle, family, etc.

_Call of Cthulhu_ PCs are generated as ordinary people - like reporters or professors or mechanics, who still have regular lives, potentially including family and/or romance. I've had a few romances feature in my Call of Cthulhu games, including two characters who got engaged and married over the course of the campaign.

Quote from: blackstone on March 13, 2025, 01:53:13 PM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 01:47:12 PM

Quote from: blackstone on March 13, 2025, 01:05:01 PM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 02:40:50 AM

Quote from: Valatar on March 12, 2025, 09:47:42 PMThe point is that Victorian anti-homosexuality laws have NOTHING to do with a group of investigators struggling against elder gods that want to devour the world.  There's a reason that Lovecraft's protagonists were generally single reclusive men, apart from the author's grave social anxieties: Interpersonal drama between characters would only dilute a horror tale with pointless chaff.  The protagonists' love lives didn't matter.  The protagonists' opinions on the political clime of the day didn't matter.  Day to day human problems didn't matter because an octopus-faced great old one was coming to eat the city.

It's a testament to the narcissism of the authors, or what they perceive their audience to be, that they feel that the PCs' sex lives should be remotely close to center stage when the species is on the brink of a hellish extinction.

Those characters were not born knowing the role they would play in an Elder God's story. They presumably had their own backstories that involved love lives, political opinions, and day to day problems. Some players may want to explore the cultural context on what that might have looked like.

IF it doesn't contribute anything to the plot, then it's window dressing, or as I like to call it...

Meaningful manure.

In that case, there is a lot of "meaningful manure" in pretty much every RPG book.

If it's 5e, yes.

The AD&D 1e DMG is considered by many to be a great book, and it's filled with "meaningful manure."

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 04:40:50 PM

Quote from: blackstone on March 13, 2025, 01:53:13 PM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 01:47:12 PM

Quote from: blackstone on March 13, 2025, 01:05:01 PM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 02:40:50 AM

Quote from: Valatar on March 12, 2025, 09:47:42 PMThe point is that Victorian anti-homosexuality laws have NOTHING to do with a group of investigators struggling against elder gods that want to devour the world.  There's a reason that Lovecraft's protagonists were generally single reclusive men, apart from the author's grave social anxieties: Interpersonal drama between characters would only dilute a horror tale with pointless chaff.  The protagonists' love lives didn't matter.  The protagonists' opinions on the political clime of the day didn't matter.  Day to day human problems didn't matter because an octopus-faced great old one was coming to eat the city.

It's a testament to the narcissism of the authors, or what they perceive their audience to be, that they feel that the PCs' sex lives should be remotely close to center stage when the species is on the brink of a hellish extinction.

Those characters were not born knowing the role they would play in an Elder God's story. They presumably had their own backstories that involved love lives, political opinions, and day to day problems. Some players may want to explore the cultural context on what that might have looked like.

IF it doesn't contribute anything to the plot, then it's window dressing, or as I like to call it...

Meaningful manure.

In that case, there is a lot of "meaningful manure" in pretty much every RPG book.

If it's 5e, yes.

The AD&D 1e DMG is considered by many to be a great book, and it's filled with "meaningful manure."

Such as?

Quote from: blackstone on March 13, 2025, 02:05:45 PM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 01:48:21 PM

Quote from: blackstone on March 13, 2025, 01:14:57 PM

Quote from: Eirikrautha on March 13, 2025, 11:00:40 AM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 02:40:50 AM

Quote from: Valatar on March 12, 2025, 09:47:42 PMIt's a testament to the narcissism of the authors, or what they perceive their audience to be, that they feel that the PCs' sex lives should be remotely close to center stage when the species is on the brink of a hellish extinction.

Some players may want to explore the cultural context on what that might have looked like.

He doesn't even see it, does he?  Narcissism, thy name is HappyDaze...

Of course he doesn't see it. He'd be more concerned if his half-Black, half-Asian (Blasian?), gay philanthropist, WITH A LIMP, is getting pounded in the ass by Chief Petty Officer Chad Thundercock USN, than saving the world from insane cultists and eldritch horrors beyond space and time. Oh, and the blood sacrifice of 666 babies to Cthulhu they have to stop happens at midnight at the lunar eclipse.

Priorities, man.

(if none of you get even a chuckle out of that, then I cannot help you. You have no sense of humor.)

You seem to be projecting your gay porn fantasy onto others. You must be so unhappy with yourself.

Nope. No fantasies. Happily straight and married.

Which shows to me how completely utterly pathetic you are. Living your life precariously though the internet. Trying to be the internet tough guy. While others, like myself, have actually done things with our lives that are meaningful. Judging by the number of posts you do here, mommy and daddy must be paying the bills for you, while you sit and pretend to be keyboard warrior.

You're so eager to criticize, but have nothing to contribute or have done anything meaningful.

At lease guys like Venger and RPGPundit have done things in the gaming community. I've done my fair share: had a podcast for ten years, ran several gaming events at Origins and GenCon, done some playtesting. Nothing great, but it's something.

And you?

What? Anything? Besides singing the praises of D&D 5.5: the DEI version?

Please, tell us? What has the great HappyDaze done for the gaming community?

You are so totally lost in your own world that I think you're doing some sort of LARP. Your views on me are inaccurate and pathetic.

You also seem to think I'm a cheerleader for 5e and pushing DEI, which is not at all accurate. Of course, I don't just jump on the bashing bandwagon that rolls around these parts. In fact, didn't you decry those that are "eager to criticize, but have nothing to contribute or have done anything meaningful." That might be you, son.

As for what I do for the gaming community, you could have asked that without being a raging asshole. Would you really like to know?

Quote from: Nobleshield on March 13, 2025, 04:45:35 PM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 04:40:50 PM

Quote from: blackstone on March 13, 2025, 01:53:13 PM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 01:47:12 PM

Quote from: blackstone on March 13, 2025, 01:05:01 PM

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 02:40:50 AM

Quote from: Valatar on March 12, 2025, 09:47:42 PMThe point is that Victorian anti-homosexuality laws have NOTHING to do with a group of investigators struggling against elder gods that want to devour the world.  There's a reason that Lovecraft's protagonists were generally single reclusive men, apart from the author's grave social anxieties: Interpersonal drama between characters would only dilute a horror tale with pointless chaff.  The protagonists' love lives didn't matter.  The protagonists' opinions on the political clime of the day didn't matter.  Day to day human problems didn't matter because an octopus-faced great old one was coming to eat the city.

It's a testament to the narcissism of the authors, or what they perceive their audience to be, that they feel that the PCs' sex lives should be remotely close to center stage when the species is on the brink of a hellish extinction.

Those characters were not born knowing the role they would play in an Elder God's story. They presumably had their own backstories that involved love lives, political opinions, and day to day problems. Some players may want to explore the cultural context on what that might have looked like.

IF it doesn't contribute anything to the plot, then it's window dressing, or as I like to call it...

Meaningful manure.

In that case, there is a lot of "meaningful manure" in pretty much every RPG book.

If it's 5e, yes.

The AD&D 1e DMG is considered by many to be a great book, and it's filled with "meaningful manure."

Such as?

Gemstone properties, the 'science' of infravision and ultravision, harlot tables, and a whole lot more.

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 04:48:38 PMWould you really like to know?

Yes, I would. Please...

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 13, 2025, 04:48:38 PMYou are so totally lost in your own world that I think you're doing some sort of LARP. Your views on me are inaccurate and pathetic.

You also seem to think I'm a cheerleader for 5e and pushing DEI, which is not at all accurate. Of course, I don't just jump on the bashing bandwagon that rolls around these parts. In fact, didn't you decry those that are "eager to criticize, but have nothing to contribute or have done anything meaningful." That might be you, son.

As for what I do for the gaming community, you could have asked that without being a raging asshole. Would you really like to know?

Ok, tell where I'm wrong about you you are?

As far as doing something in the gaming community, I've already disclosed that. But if you want details:

2002-2003: Ran Hackmaster 4e tournament at GenCon, sponsored by KenzerCo
late 2004-Jan 2006: Deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF3), so no gaming stuff.
2006-2012: Ran Hackmaster 4e tournaments at GenCon and Origins, sponsored by KenzerCo
2009-2010: Playtested Hackmaster Basic and some of Hackmaster 5e
2009-2019: Was Co-host for the Roll for Initiative podcast, A podcast that covered 1es ed AD&D. I was DM Nick. You can check Facebook. I do believe episodes are still archived on iTunes and Spotify.

From when I got into gaming in 1981, up until 2002, I was like any other gamer. Like I said, nothing big, but it was something. After 2019, well COVID slowed things down, which is fine. I'm satisfied with what I've done.