Role Playing Games

[Don John of Austria]

[quote name='Socrates' date='Jul 6 2005, 08:40 PM']I'm not a D&D gamer, so I don't know anything from personal experience, but I remember in the 80's there was a huge controversy over this.  The charges are that D&D involves casting spells, controlling demons, and other such "magical" practices.  It was said that while this was under the guise of fantasy, this opened the door for real demonic activity.

(However, if Don John says D&D is fine, I guess it's fine)
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I'm touched really i am.

[Don John of Austria]

In more than 20 years of playing D&D I have only known one person to become really obsessed with it, and we simply cut him off of the Game-- because of the circumstances of the time he couldn't just go find another game. He got better and later went on to be able to play D&D with out any problems it was just easier at that time in his life to escape into the game, I would say here that RPGs are the best type of escapism because they are social, I have sen people retreat in to the Cyber world and into books and those are much harder to deal with because they are not social activities, those people are harder to reach.


Noone freaks out that when you play monoply you are trying to intentionally bankrupt people or that in risk you are trying to kill the enemies soldiers. D&D is a game nothing more people shouldn't take it too seriously.

Edited July 7, 2005 by Don John of Austria

[Socrates]

[quote name='Don John of Austria' date='Jul 7 2005, 02:38 PM']In more than 20 years of playing D&D I have only known one person to become really obsessed with it, and we simply cut him off of the Game-- because of the circumstances of the time he couldn't just go find another game. He got better and later went on to be able to play D&D with out any problems it was just easier at that time in his life to escape into the game,  I would say here that RPGs are the best type of escapism because they are social, I have sen people retreat in to the Cyber world and into books and those are much harder to deal with because they are not social activities, those people are harder to reach.
Noone freaks out that when you play monoply you are trying to intentionally bankrupt people or that in risk you are trying to kill the enemies soldiers. D&D is a game nothing more people shouldn't take it too seriously.
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Is it true that D&D gameplay involves casting spells and such? The claim is that even if one believes the spell is only "make belieive," the reciting of the "spell" is something demons can take advantage of. Again, I'm not a gamer, so I don't personally know what's involved in the "spell-casting."

Edited July 7, 2005 by Socrates

[philothea]

[quote name='Socrates' date='Jul 7 2005, 02:44 PM']Is it true that D&D gameplay involves casting spells and such?  The claim is that even if one believes the spell is only "make belieive," the reciting of the "spell" is something demons can take advantage of.  Again, I'm not a gamer, so I don't personally know what's involved in the "spell-casting."
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I think people imagine a bit more drama in a D&D game than there is. "I cast a magic missle spell at the skeletons," doesn't seem too likely to be taken advantage of.

There are live action RPGs, and I'm sure some people get more realistic in their games, but as a specific game D&D is pretty um... structured, and not open to much occult influence.

[Kilroy the Ninja]

[quote name='Socrates' date='Jul 7 2005, 02:44 PM']Is it true that D&D gameplay involves casting spells and such?  The claim is that even if one believes the spell is only "make belieive," the reciting of the "spell" is something demons can take advantage of.  Again, I'm not a gamer, so I don't personally know what's involved in the "spell-casting."
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Usually in D&D when you want to "cast a spell" it's a pre-determined thing that your character gets to do and usually you just say something like my character casts blindness, or hypnosis, or fairy fire or fireball and then you roll the dice to determine if your spell worked or not (based on your character's level of existence versus the character who is being casted upon). Most people who run RPG's do not have specific spells that you have to say outload - and certainly Dungeons and Dragons books DO NOT have them - it's just a game. No different really than Monopoly or Life - you don't have to sign paperwork or go through closing procedures to "buy" a house in Monopoly.

There are some DM's who have their characters write out spells (particularly for special "spells" they are allowing their people to use - special meaning spells with BS effects like "I Always Win No Matter What") but usually it all has to do with the mechanics of the game and they are nonsensical and have no basis in reality. They make them write them out to discourage their use really. (Because they're BS spells to begin with.)

That's the real beauty of D&D - it's a [i]fantasy[/i] game - a brief escape from the realities of life. A chance to pretend for a while that you are someone (or something) else. It's no different than games of pretend that little children play, the only exceptions being that there are sets of rules to help the "pretend" to stay within some boundaries - and there is a central person responsible for keeping the play moving along. It is excellent for socialization and for stimulating the imagination (in good ways!).

Can it be abused? Sure. But so can Chutes and Ladders and CandyLand (there are drinking and sex games associated with these two but nobody says these games should be abolished huh)

In the six years I've been playing I have yet to see anyone confuse the fantasy with the reality.

[Don John of Austria]

There is no substantial moral difference between playing D&D and playing cops and robbers. In D&D there are just rules so that everyone plays "fair". The rules are extensive and hopefully the stories are progressed past that of a five year old playing cops and robbers. This is a normal progression just like LOTR is for older children and adults D&D is for older children and adults.

[Crispy]

[quote name='philothea' date='Jul 7 2005, 04:03 PM']"I cast a magic missle spell at the skeletons,"
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OMW i jus remembered the funniest thing about D&D! watch this flash video, it gives a lightened perspective of the whole thing. i know it doesnt address the morality of some things, but i think thats more of a situational thing. i mean, i think this cartoon shows how the majority of D&D games might go (ok, i know it isnt all like this, and i dont mean to offend you RPG players out there, jus look at it as a jest on certain kinds of ppl, no offense intended). when u play, jus know where you hold God in all this (hopefully closer to your heart than being a wizard).

[url="http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/90046"]8-bit D&D[/url]

[Socrates]

[quote name='Crispy' date='Jul 8 2005, 01:17 PM']OMW i jus remembered the funniest thing about D&D!  watch this flash video, it gives a lightened perspective of the whole thing.  i know it doesnt address the morality of some things, but i think thats more of a situational thing.  i mean, i think this cartoon shows how the majority of D&D games might go (ok, i know it isnt all like this, and i dont mean to offend you RPG players out there, jus look at it as a jest on certain kinds of ppl, no offense intended).  when u play, jus know where you hold God in all this (hopefully closer to your heart than being a wizard). 

[url="http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/90046"]8-bit D&D[/url]
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Ooooooh! Very frightening indeed! I'll make sure my kids do all their pull-ups so they won't be drawn into this horrible evil!!!

[Kilroy the Ninja]

Yeah, we saw that site some time last year and we make fun of it mercilessly.


Curiously we usually have Mountain Dew available though....

[Semperviva]

well......i think role playing games are kinda dangerous, i know alot of ppl who do nothing but play them (esp GUYS haha)...i mean, I know of theses people, no-one really [i]knows[/i] them because they hibernate, lol......and it becomes a quasi-reality...and the danger of that, and any fantasy really, is that it takes you further and further from the [i]One Supreme Reality[/i] of God....but of course, in moderation its totally ok, but then again some things are really easily addictive...depending on the person i guess

Edited July 11, 2005 by Semperviva

[infinitelord1]

i must admit i was addicted to warcraft III the frozen throne for about 3 years. It is the best rpg to ever hit the planet in my opinion. Im just now starting to get sick of the game along with every other video game i played. Now its just a matter of time before i step out of my cage and reality hits. Video games are addictive and they do stray you away from the world. Sometimes i fantasize about being characters in warcraft.......i wish i had magical powers like the blood mage.........Flamestrike!......or archmages blizzard.....lol.......or even blademasters critical strike.

[scardella]

I have to say this...

Warcraft is a strategy game with a storyline to it, unless you're talking about world of warcraft.

[Semperviva]

[quote name='scardella' date='Jul 12 2005, 08:32 AM']I have to say this...

Warcraft is a strategy game with a storyline to it, unless you're talking about world of warcraft.
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[i]okaaay[/i]. haha...so you're saying its just like a virtual chess with characters and plot? sounds fun! and oh yes, addicting too...but so is PM, hhmm...i have a thought that any addiction is an idol...unless its a balanced constant centered ness on God it will take over and become an idol...what do you think?[b] EVEN talking about God [/b]can be an idol...creepy...

[Didacus]

"Thoose maniacs! They blew it up! They blew it all up!"

Planet of the Apes.

[Kilroy the Ninja]

[quote name='Didacus' date='Jul 13 2005, 02:42 PM']"Thoose maniacs!  They blew it up!  They blew it all up!"

Planet of the Apes.
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um yeah, ok, sure..........