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"Gaming Saves the World" Seminar--Doesn't Sound Like a Good Idea ...

Started by Armchair Gamer, April 08, 2017, 09:15:22 PM

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Skarg

#15
April 09, 2017, 01:34:12 PM
Depends on who is doing what.

The US military and activist groups have been using simulation games for strategizing for decades. The idea of having gamers brainstorm might be semi-newish. Having gamers brainstorm, think and discuss the world's problems sounds like a mixed but overall good idea in general. Sure there will be a lot of BS, but I think gaming in general promotes problem solving, fresh creative approaches, thinking outside boxes, and so on, which is mostly good and needed.

Ratman_tf

#16
April 09, 2017, 04:05:02 PM
Quote from: Armchair Gamer;956186Pelgrane Press just put up their list of GenCon seminars on their website, and this is their first event on Thursday afternoon:

"Thursday 1:00 PM – Gaming Saves the World
How do we translate our experiences as gamers into productive expression, activism & persuasion? Join us as we look at the map, hash out the tactics, & min-max our way out of the darkest timeline."

I would rather eat a light bulb.
The notion of an exclusionary and hostile RPG community is a fever dream of zealots who view all social dynamics through a narrow keyhole of structural oppression.
-Haffrung

Omega

#17
April 09, 2017, 04:41:43 PM
Quote from: Simlasa;956264Has it become a thing at GenCon, to be seen on panels that show off your PC street-cred? Kinda curious, but not enough to go look it up, what other 'stretch goals' the talks might be aiming at this year.

Gencon, Pax and other cons. Yes.

Alderaan Crumbs

#18
April 09, 2017, 04:58:11 PM
Quote from: Ratman_tf;956282I would rather eat a light bulb.

I laughed out loud for real. :)
Playing: With myself.
Running: Away from bees.
Reading: My signature.

cranebump

#19
April 09, 2017, 09:06:03 PM
I'm not sure what they expect to gain by such an event, but free speech and all that. Seems rather silly, but, hey, no one need show up.
"When devils will the blackest sins put on, they do suggest at first with heavenly shows..."

Gronan of Simmerya

#20
April 09, 2017, 10:37:03 PM
Shrug.  Mostly sounds boring.
You should go to GaryCon.  Period.

The rules can\'t cure stupid, and the rules can\'t cure asshole.

Shawn Driscoll

#21
April 09, 2017, 11:20:37 PM Last Edit: April 09, 2017, 11:24:08 PM by Shawn Driscoll
Quote from: Armchair Gamer;956186Pelgrane Press just put up their list of GenCon seminars on their website, and this is their first event on Thursday afternoon:

"Thursday 1:00 PM – Gaming Saves the World
How do we translate our experiences as gamers into productive expression, activism & persuasion? Join us as we look at the map, hash out the tactics, & min-max our way out of the darkest timeline."

  Is it just me, or does this sound like a bad idea? Political activism may be a good thing, but should we really try to instrumentalize the hobby as a tool for it? And what happens if someone uses their advice for the 'wrong' agenda? :)
Radicalized Democrats love to control other people, both in games and in real life. The seminar fits perfect for their agenda. The point is, will Kenneth Hite be on the panel, and was it his idea?

Ratman_tf

#22
April 09, 2017, 11:25:18 PM
Quote from: cranebump;956323I'm not sure what they expect to gain by such an event, but free speech and all that. Seems rather silly, but, hey, no one need show up.[b/]

This is the problem with the colonialheteronormativecapitalisticpatriarchy. Such seminars should be mandatory for participation in GenCon. /s (half slash s. The next step is making this stuff mandatory.)
The notion of an exclusionary and hostile RPG community is a fever dream of zealots who view all social dynamics through a narrow keyhole of structural oppression.
-Haffrung

The Butcher

#23
April 09, 2017, 11:48:45 PM
Yeah, that's why the Dems lost the election, not nearly enough elfgaming going on.

If you think something's off with the world, go out and fight it. Vote, proselitize, write, protest. This is not a fucking game.

But as cranebump said, free speech and all.

Spinachcat

#24
April 10, 2017, 12:17:15 AM
I have screwed on my Devil's Advocate cock ring.

Thus, let me ask, is there any possibility we are misinterpreting what the seminar is about?

Could there be another rational interpretation?

And if not, is this kind of politicization and polarization at GenCon something new? Or the next step in a trend?

TheShadow

#25
April 10, 2017, 12:25:29 AM
Since politics is now incredibly divisive, with people's faces turning beet-red at the drop of a hat, let's bring it into every aspect of recreation, especially when we gather with strangers for a bit of dice-rolling.
You can shake your fists at the sky. You can do a rain dance. You can ignore the clouds completely. But none of them move the clouds.

- Dave "The Inexorable" Noonan solicits community feedback before 4e\'s release

Ratman_tf

#26
April 10, 2017, 12:32:07 AM
Quote from: Spinachcat;956361I have screwed on my Devil's Advocate cock ring.

Thus, let me ask, is there any possibility we are misinterpreting what the seminar is about?

Could there be another rational interpretation?

Oh, sure. If someone posts an update that's not about SJW nonsensery, then I'll happily retract my snark.
The notion of an exclusionary and hostile RPG community is a fever dream of zealots who view all social dynamics through a narrow keyhole of structural oppression.
-Haffrung

crkrueger

#27
April 10, 2017, 04:04:59 AM
Quote from: Spinachcat;956361I have screwed on my Devil's Advocate cock ring.

Thus, let me ask, is there any possibility we are misinterpreting what the seminar is about?

Could there be another rational interpretation?

And if not, is this kind of politicization and polarization at GenCon something new? Or the next step in a trend?

It's possible sure.  If it's something like..."Look, you're gamers, which means you're probably somewhat imaginative and fairly good at problem solving so go do that in real life and get off the goddamn internet and exert influence outside social media", then I guess that could be a good thing.

Not holding my breath.
Even the the "cutting edge" storygamers for all their talk of narrative, plot, and drama are fucking obsessed with the god damned rules they use. - Estar

Yes, Sean Connery\'s thumb does indeed do megadamage. - Spinachcat

Isuldur is a badass because he stopped Sauron with a broken sword, but Iluvatar is the badass because he stopped Sauron with a hobbit. -Malleus Arianorum

"Tangency Edition" D&D would have no classes or races, but 17 genders to choose from. -TristramEvans

Willie the Duck

#28
April 10, 2017, 08:04:26 AM
Quote from: Baeraad;956230Or to step away from the disgusting metaphor, I would prefer to not run into this culture of smug piety whenever I want to read an interesting roleplaying discussion. But by now it seems to be so omnipresent that it's even odds that just when a discussion starts looking interesting, someone is going to turn up and start talking about how Problematic everything is, and then something I enjoyed will turn into something that annoys me.

I'm going to be another devil's advocate here. This is my personal experience only, so it might not be representative. However, I for one know of one RPG website (we all know the one) where smug piety and/or discussions of problematics or whatever routinely happen, one website (this one) where people routinely post references to said things in order to get mad about them, and a dozen or so sites where people mostly just talk RPGs (still a lot of hue and cry, but mostly of the 'no, my favorite system is better' variety). I really think this identity politics in RPGs (and/or resistance there-to) is really only omnipresent if one is actively seeking it.

Quote from: Gronan of SimmeryaShrug. Mostly sounds boring.
Pretty much.

Baeraad

#29
April 10, 2017, 08:17:25 AM
Quote from: Willie the Duck;956413I'm going to be another devil's advocate here. This is my personal experience only, so it might not be representative. However, I for one know of one RPG website (we all know the one) where smug piety and/or discussions of problematics or whatever routinely happen, one website (this one) where people routinely post references to said things in order to get mad about them, and a dozen or so sites where people mostly just talk RPGs (still a lot of hue and cry, but mostly of the 'no, my favorite system is better' variety). I really think this identity politics in RPGs (and/or resistance there-to) is really only omnipresent if one is actively seeking it.

I would be most grateful for links to such apolitical sites. :)

But personally I can think of, hmm... five all-purpose (as in, not devoted solely to a specific game) RPG sites all in all, and four of them seem to be based on regular competitions about who can be the most righteously outraged that we don't live in the United Federation of Planets yet. (the fifth, as you noted, is based on regular competitions on who can be the most annoyed at the outrage. :p )
Add me to the ranks of people who have stopped posting here because they can\'t stand the RPGPundit. It\'s not even his actual opinions, though I strongly disagree with just about all of them. It\'s the psychotic frothing rage with which he holds them. If he ever goes postal and beats someone to death with a dice bag, I don\'t want to be listed among his known associates, is what I\'m saying.
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