the-laughing-hound

[the-laughing-hound]

I think an important part of the "D&D is easy to learn" argument is that a lot of those people don't actually know how to play D&D. They know they need to roll a d20 and add some numbers and sometimes they need to roll another type of die for damage. A part of it is the culture of basically fucking around and letting the GM sort it out. Players don't actually feel the need to learn the rules.

Now I don't think the above actually counts as knowing the rules. D&D is a relatively crunchy game that actually rewards system mastery and actually learning how to play D&D well, as in to make mechanically informed tactical decisions and utilizing the mechanics to your advantage, is actually a skill that needs to be learned and cultivated. None of that is to say that you need to be a perfectly tuned CharOp machine to know how to play D&D. But to actually start to make the sorts of decisions D&D as a game rewards you kind of need to know the rules.

And like, a lot of people don't seem to know the rules. They know how to play D&D in the most abstract sense of knowing that they need to say things and sometimes the person scowling at them from behind the screen will ask them to roll a die. But that's hardly engaging with the mechanics of the game, like the actual game part.

And to paraphrase @prokopetz this also contributes to the impression that other games are hard to learn: because a lot of other games don't have the same culture of play of D&D so like instead of letting new players coast by with a shallow understanding of the rules and letting the GM do all the work, they ask players to start making mechanically informed decisions right away. Sure, it can suck for onboarding, but learning from your mistakes can often be a great way to learn.

[the-laughing-hound]

If you are teaching kids or anyone how to play 5th edition of Dungeons and Dragons I’ve made this to simplify the character creation process to get to the playing part.

https://ko-fi.com/s/02590a4ba8

[the-laughing-hound]

i just saw a tiktok (<- cursed cursed site) that started out good, talking about how "show don't tell" is something you should keep in mind. It used the example of "instead of saying 'she opened the door', try 'her shaking hand twisted the doorknob, letting out a loud creak'".

And, yeah, if you're trying to convey the hesitance, fear, and eventual sucking-it-up that seems to be going on in the scene, that's great.

But.

The tiktok ended with, "see? Showing is ALWAYS better." And I just...

Friends & enemies, that's how you end up with that insufferable always-showing always-active YA writing style that does not know when to just shut up and say "she opened the door".

Because, yeah, I'll say it. Sometimes "she opened the door" IS better. Sometimes, the act of opening the door is literally just announcing a setting change, and you don't need to focus on it.

Show don't tell is about conveying important or relevant information, not about literally everything you're writing. You're allowed to say "she opened the door" & similar, and in fact, I encourage it in many scenarios.

[the-laughing-hound]

The environment in which you write is just as important as any other part of the writing process.

[the-laughing-hound]

This guy commented on someone post who stated in the lfg they wanted a queer friendly, and said “idk what queer friendly means but you and my group won’t get along and in my experience dudes don’t care about your sexuality”

Like guy if you don’t know what queer friendly means then don’t comment on what you think someone’s experience is.

[the-laughing-hound]

It is often argued that “it’s a game and meant for fun and paying for it ruins it” or “why pay for something you can creat yourself” or “paid gms/players don’t bring anything to the table that can’t be gotten by playing with friends” so yea in away people often see it as a scam

If you would pay an artist for their art or play an actor to be in a play or movie, then when it comes to table top games, you should have no issue with paid game masters and paid players. They are providing a service and an art.

This is not me saying you should charge your friends or pay your friends to play. But that there is a fundamental differnce between playing with friends as asking someone to provide a service such a running a game or acting at your table or providing career feedback. Those are services and art and should be valued and in. Captlistic socity that value is shown with money.

[the-laughing-hound]

If you would pay an artist for their art or play an actor to be in a play or movie, then when it comes to table top games, you should have no issue with paid game masters and paid players. They are providing a service and an art.

This is not me saying you should charge your friends or pay your friends to play. But that there is a fundamental differnce between playing with friends as asking someone to provide a service such a running a game or acting at your table or providing career feedback. Those are services and art and should be valued and in. Captlistic socity that value is shown with money.

[the-laughing-hound]

I have an idea for a table top game that in theory people who play 5e would enjoy. Especially if they do not do a lot of combat.

I just don’t know how to like talk about it.

[the-laughing-hound]

Roleplay doesn’t stop when the combat begins.

[the-laughing-hound]

I don’t like the paring fjord jester from a story telling stand point. Just doesn’t make sense to me with the time frame.

BUT

from a table top stand point a wife trying to get her husband more comfortable with romance in role play is a great reason for a romance to blossom in roleplay.

[the-laughing-hound]

There is a reason your player wants to switch characters. They are not doing it to spite you.

[the-laughing-hound]

Paizo Announces System-Neutral Open RPG License

[the-laughing-hound]

Google the names of your person, places and things when you are world building. Even if you made the name up. See what’s connected to that combination of letters you’ve made.

[the-laughing-hound]

The game shop I work at has sold out of paizo books

[the-laughing-hound]

wait can i just repost my tiktoks here?

[the-laughing-hound]

ill do something about the icons later

[the-laughing-hound]

I had some stuff queued up on the remake account i dont have that anymore

any way

ill just make those posts again here