Quote from: Ian AbsentiaThe book is also very explicitly about D&D (they're the one's writing her advance and royalty checks, after all), but it's also clear that she's talking about "D&D" in the generic sense of RPGs in general.

In fact, having read more last night, I'd cite this as the book's greatest weakness.  Seeing how it's targetted primarily at non-gamers who are largely unfamiliar with roleplaying games, by scrupulously avoiding mention of any other game the book perpetuates the popular myth that there's only one RPG: Dungeons & Dragons.  One game, one genre (gonzo high fantasy), and one style of play.  And seeing how the book was published by the company that produces that one game, and was written by one of their employees (that came as a bit of a surprise), it's easy to imagine that there's an agenda at play here.

Okay, but I need to just finish it and get on a proper review.

!i!

Quote from: Ian AbsentiaThe book is also very explicitly about D&D (they're the one's writing her advance and royalty checks, after all), but it's also clear that she's talking about "D&D" in the generic sense of RPGs in general.

Maybe it's explicitly about D&D because that's what she plays.

Well, yes.  Half-way into the book, though, there's no evidence that she's explored any other games.  Did you even read my previous post?  Perhaps you're just being argumentative.

!i!

Quote from: Ian AbsentiaWell, yes.  Half-way into the book, though, there's no evidence that she's explored any other games.  Did you even read my previous post?  Perhaps you're just being argumentative.

!i!

Was she supposed to?  Are you implying that she mentions no other in order to perpetuate the myth?

And, yeah, I read your posts - and I'm still not sure WTF you're trying to say.

Quote from: James J SkachAnd, yeah, I read your posts - and I'm still not sure WTF you're trying to say.

You're notoriously slow on the uptake and quite purposefully thick, though, so I'll cut you some slack and spell it out for you.

On the outside, where the people who don't know anything about RPGs live, there's this common belief that there this one roleplaying game called "D&D".  Shelly discusses the most popular misconceptions about D&D in her book, but she misses this one.  So, when one of these people finds out you play RPGs, they say something like, "Oh!  You play Dungeons & Dragons."  "No," you reply, "Of course I'm familiar with it -- it's arguably the most popular and successful of the RPGs out there -- but I play a couple of other games like..."  "But it's just like Dungeons & Dragons," they interrupt.  You sigh and nod your head ruefully, because you realise that they really don't care for a full explanation.  It's all just "D&D".

So as I'm reading this book, I'm thinking that, while this is a great coup for D&D, it's a lost opportunity for the hobby as a whole.  I don't know if Shelly has looked into other RPGs or not, because if she has, she's either failed to mention them in her book, or any mention of them failed to pass her editors.  Regrettably, the fact that the book is paid for and published by the publishers of D&D, and that she happens to be one of their employees rather undermines the benefit of the doubt that there's no conflict of interest at work.

!i!

Doesn't really matter, Ian. D&D is the gateway drug. When I started playing, I (like 95% of the rest of us, I'm sure) thought it was the only RPG ever.

Quote from: beeberlink?  i don't remember it!  

not a WoD guy, so i guess i'm not surprised that i missed it

Ye gods... I remember that.
I was still in the Cam at the time and I still remember being taken to task for daring to suggest that, perhaps, we might put the most/more attractive women in the calendar since it was supposed to be a promotional/funding tool.

You're profoundly lucky a couple of lookers got in there at all, it wasn't like the Cam was actually that short of talent, it was just some people's priorities didn't appear to be making a glamour calendar so much as making some socio-political point.

*facepalm*

Why I ever thought I could make a positive difference in that nepotistic shower of Little Napoleons I don't know.

Quote from: Pierce InverarityDoesn't really matter, Ian. D&D is the gateway drug.

Very true (I started out on AD&D myself), but frustrating  none the less.

I was flipping through some of my older games last night, and in the forewords and introductions of a few of them I came across specific acknowledgements, by name, to games from different publishers.  It was a sort of collegiate spirit that assumed that A) credit where credit is due, and B) any word that bolstered the hobby as a whole helped the particular game.  It's been a while since that attitude held sway.

Anyway, with regard to Shelly's book, she makes a point of explaining what a "roleplaying game" is, she explains how D&D is a roleplaying game, but doesn't mention, even in passing, that it's not the only one, which seems like an easy and cogent point to make.  Even something as simple as, "There are a lot of different RPGs out there, but we're talking about D&D here" and never touching on the topic again would have been a good step.

!i!

Quote from: Ian AbsentiaVery true (I started out on AD&D myself), but frustrating  none the less.

I can understand the publishers not wanting other games being mentioned, as this book has to be intended as a giant marketing scheme. Still, the concept that D&D is the only RPG out there is extremely prevalent and it would have been nice to see this inaccurate stereotype addressed.

I doubt I've ever seen a reference to a non-TSR RPG in any edition of D&D from that era.

Quote from: Elliot WilenI doubt I've ever seen a reference to a non-TSR RPG in any edition of D&D from that era.

true, but at least the ad&d dmg had references to boot hill, gamma world, and metamorphosis alpha, IIRC.  so there's acknowledgment of other rpg genres.  sounds like this new book doesn't do that, which is unfortunate.

notortious...:haw:  that's funny.

So your critique of this book is that it fails to mention that there are RPG's other than D&D?  Wow.  How insightful.  Regarding a book.  About D&D. Subtitled "A Girl's Guide to the Dungeons and Dragons game."

And I'm the one notoriously slow on the uptake...

I wonder if this critique would still exist if the book was "A girl's guide to playing Dogs," and only discussed that game.

Nah, me neither.

Quote from: James J Skachnotortious...

Around here?  Yeah.  Notorious for playing stupid to draw out an argument.  Like this post directly above.  Knock yourself out, tiger.

!i!

Quote from: James J SkachI wonder if this critique would still exist if the book was "A girl's guide to playing Dogs," and only discussed that game.

Nah, me neither.

I know you probably meant Dogs in the Vineyard there - but there is a subset of BDSM culture where some women like to play dogs/cats/pets with their collars, leashes, and doogie-style food and water bowls.....

- Ed C.

Quote from: Ian AbsentiaAround here?  Yeah.  Notorious for playing stupid to draw out an argument.  Like this post directly above.  Knock yourself out, tiger.

!i!

I wasn't aware of any such reputation on his part.  Was anyone else?