Episode 178 Streamed Live Tuesday February 13, 2024
Main Topic: Who is the true Dungeon Master…Gary or Dave?
A review of two documentaries:
1.) Secrets of Blackmoor: A Tue History of Dungeons & Dragons
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9301886/plotsummary/?ref_=tt_ov_pl
2.) The Dreams in Gary’s Basement
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10621206/
Both movies painted their respective subjects in a good light Blackmoor
for Mr Arneson’s part and Dreams for Mr Gygax. However neither treated
the other’s subject in a bad light, letting the ages old schism remain
in the past. Both mostly focused on the positive contributions each
paid to our hobby. Secrets of Blackmoor went into great detail about
how the tabletop RPG hobby sprung from war gaming, largely though Dave
Arneson’s efforts. Dreams focused on Gary Gygax’s similar journey
detailing the rise and fall of TSR and its eventual purchase by Wizards
of The Coast.
In light of these two documentaries, it seems the hobby owes it
existence to both of these visionaries, though it is uncertain as to who
gets top billing. At this point it hardly matters.
Modules or Roll Your own?
Modules/Pre-packaged Adventures
Advantages: all encounters and stats done for you, plot ready to go,
read-n-run (???), nice maps & visuals, and can dovetail with your
own ideas(can even steal them from modules) and they can be fun to read.
Disadvantages: may not fit your group, too railroad-y, costly($?), may
need to shoe horn the current campaign/party situation into the
adventure( Slavers series??/), politicization of games could creep in
and long adventure paths/modules can be a lot to read and prepare even
though it is all laid out for you.
Rolling Your Own
Advantages: easier to prep(theoretically), can react on the fly w/o
worry of “messing” up the adventure, do not have to spend time reading,
allows you infinite freedom and you can tailor it to your group from the
start.
Disadvantages: must make your own maps & prep time/write stats(
?), may need to use monster books/charts/random tables and “wing’in it”
can result in non-sensical situations ( “ an aboleth, that doesn’t make
any sense!”), inspiration can run dry,
Big Geek Con 2: get ticket at -
https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024
September 20-22, 2024/$30 for those who are 13+
Parents must be always with their children. We are not babysitters.
Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw
4960 Towne Centre Road, Saginaw, MI 48604
+1 989 790 5050
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