Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. For real.

[kesher]

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons

Much to discuss...

[monk]

Haha

"I use my...additional notes."

[heartless]

Sorry can't see it. No streaming outside USA. I feel I'm missing out!

[DungeonDevil]

I only know that D&D is a card game and wasn't there a movie about it with Jeremy Irons?

*facepalm*

SOURCE: tunedin.blogs.time.com/2011/02/03/tv-tonight-community-rolls-the-dice-with-dd-episode/

[vito]

I love this episode!

Feb 5, 2011 12:20:47 GMT -6 DungeonDevil said:

I only know that D&D is a card game and wasn't there a movie about it with Jeremy Irons?

*facepalm*

SOURCE: tunedin.blogs.time.com/2011/02/03/tv-tonight-community-rolls-the-dice-with-dd-episode/

ARGH!

[arcadayn]

This show is awesome. I can't wait to watch this one with the wife!

[kuburanar]

I usually don't watch TV, but for some reason I caught an episode of Community randomly and was surprised at how funny it was. And then they come out with this!

Notice how Abed (DM) was the only one to roll dice. I think I'll try this in my next game.

"I'm the dungeon master. I have to be impartial or the game has no meaning." YESSSS

[coffee]

Feb 8, 2011 13:24:15 GMT -6 kuburanar said:

"I'm the dungeon master. I have to be impartial or the game has no meaning." YESSSS

Yeah, that was one of the things that stuck me also.

But I notice it didn't come up until one player set himself up against the others...

[kesher]

Truly old school, too, in that Abed let them try ANYTHING they wanted, and let the (single 20-sided in all instances) die fall where it may.

How cool that they used actual AD&D stuff, and then also created a fake adventure in that same 80's style!

[talysman]

Feb 8, 2011 13:24:15 GMT -6 kuburanar said:

Notice how Abed (DM) was the only one to roll dice. I think I'll try this in my next game.

We did that at the very start, at least for attacks and saves, so it wasn't an unknown way of playing.

[coffee]

And that way you don't have to worry about that one guy who always forgets his dice!

[BLBlake]

I watched the episode with the wife, and kids, and everyone enjoyed it.
My daughter liked it so much that she showed it to her friends, and I now have 7 teenage girls begging me to run Dungeon & Dragons for them!

Not only that, but they all want to attend GenCon this year with my wife, and I for all 4 days. ;D

I'm not much of a tv viewer, but I must admit in this instance it proved to be a powerful motivator. I've tried for years to get my daughters to try playing rpgs to no avail, but one 30 minute show convinced them. Go Figure.

[coffee]

Awesome story, GuildMasterBlake! I don't have children myself, but I'm glad so many of my fellow gamers are raising their own next generation.

Do let us know how the girls get along in their adventures!

[BLBlake]

Feb 12, 2011 23:08:19 GMT -6 coffee said:

Awesome story, GuildMasterBlake! I don't have children myself, but I'm glad so many of my fellow gamers are raising their own next generation.

Do let us know how the girls get along in their adventures!

Will do!

I'm in the middle preparing their introductory adventure as I type this. I'm making a nice, spooky little dungeon crypt for them to explore.
All the girls are into the Twilight movies & the Vampire Diaries, so I know they will enjoy the theme. ;D

[aldarron]

I’ve watched this thing twice now and I have to say – Super cool!
I thought it worth mentioning a couple of things that I really liked and didn’t like so much.
Liked.

- It’s a competitive game and really shows how competitive games can be played. Most of you know that Dave Arneson’s early Blackmoor games were competitive (modeled on Weselys Braunstiens) and likewise my Dragons at Dawn allows for competitive play. It was really cool to see the Community game played that way.

- That the show showed the positive social interaction of a gaming group with a very diverse group of players.

- That the DM was so awesome. I don’t do a lot of deep, in character acting, while DM’ing but I’m inspired to put in a little more effort after seeing a real actor handling it.

- That the DM was neutral and in control and not a fumbling putz.

- It was really cool, and surprising, that they used the old AD&D books. They couldn’t have gotten and product placement money for that.

Didn’t like

- That the “real” D&D guy was a fat loser contemplating suicide.

- That the DM expected in character acting out of all the social interaction, including the detailed seduction of an elf maiden. Okay it was funny in the sitcom but clearly leaves a mistaken impression for those who never played.

- That only the DM rolled the dice. Why was that I wonder?

[DungeonDevil]

- That only the DM rolled the dice. Why was that I wonder?

* The ref would have had to take the time to assign dice to the newbs, having them sign a 20-page promissory note that they would return the dice after the session in original condition, or forfeit their $50 deposit.

* The show would have been 2+ hours as we watched them rolling up their characters, later argue about the grappling rules, area and duration of spell effect, overland travel rates ("...and we're walking..." , how to properly tie up a buxom elf maiden (I would have taken detailed notes), etc.

[oldgamergeek]

I had to watch this several times and I still can't believe it, A show with D&D and it doesn't claim to make us Axe murderers, devil worshipers or worse. it's a very pleasant change from the eighties (remember that awful Tom Hanks flick and the Sixty Minutes interview with Gary Gygax). While We still have enemies we have also come a long way. were up to three. Freaks and Geeks, Dexters Lab and now Community. there may be others but these are the ones I know about.

[DungeonDevil]

As I can sit back and reflect with more objectivity over the chaos and witchhunting of that age, now I really love 'that Tom Hanks movie' (=Mazes and Monsters). I'd love to see a Return to Mazes and Monsters with Hanks reprising his role as the oddball cleric Pardieux. If this last Alice remake by Burton (gag) is any indication, I think a sequel would not be too much to ask.

[xerxez]

That was funny and well done!

Obviously written by or at least involved a person(s) very familiar with old school gaming.

On a serious note, I have long wanted to run one of my sessions where only I as the DM roll the dice but my players have never liked the idea, or at least a couple of them and I have not pushed it. I play often as well and this would not bother me.

It's not a control thing--I honestly think it would add to the story feel, increase suspense, and it would eliminate certain player knowledge, such as regards to secret doors, reaction checks, etc.

Keep them guessing, and imagine the thrill of the DM describing a critical hit that surprises the player whose character made the attack.

Just a thought.

[DungeonDevil]

Arguably, aren't the most important rolls in the game (init, to hit, dam, saves) to be in the hands of the players, or have we been doing it wrong all these years?

[kesher]

Actually, unless I'm misremembering, the 3LBB pretty much imply that the DM rolls all the dice, including ability scores!

[norse]

Depends on your point of view. Players never rolling dice gives better immersion. This bloke was evidently running a high immersion game. On the other hand, most gamers like dice and then there's all the superstition involved. And there's tension when a player rolls a dice, that might or might not be there when the gm rolls it.

Also, if the gm is the only one rolling the dice he's the only one that can cheat!

[Harbinger]

I would assume it was because only the DM owned a d20.

[norse]

Hmm. A thought for if the GM is rolling all the dice: roll a load in advance and write them down in columns. Mark them off as you use them. No dice rolling in game means faster resolution and more immersion.

[kesher]

That's not a bad idea.

Also, in terms of the actual show, I imagine they made the decision to have only the DM roll, and a single die at that, was simply that anything else would've gotten confusing, from a T.V. story p.o.v...

[talysman]

I've mentioned before that when I first started, we had the GM roll all the dice. Later, we relaxed that rule. I think it's a good rule to follow for players new to RPGs, especially since I've heard of some players having trouble with what dice to roll. If the player thinks the GM's withholding dice rolling as some kind of power trip, they might become more focused on learning what dice are rolled when and how the rolls work, and then demanding to roll their own dice.

Thus, tricking newbies into learning the game. =)

[DungeonDevil]

I think it boils down to a player wanting to feel as though he is capable of determining his own fate, in as much as his dice-throws allow, as if the act of rolling one's own dice (that is, making physical contact with the artefacts themselves) will somehow alter the outcome. It's the same mentality that Tarot-card readers have about 'keying' their own deck of cards ('vibrations', and all that).

I agree that, for narrative purposes, it was simpler to have the DM roll, but focus on story-telling and immersion, and it's that feature which lends the episode its Old School feel. If the screenwriter was instead into 3E or 4E it certainly would have been about rules-arguments, the chaotic clatter of scores of dice, fussing about synergy bonuses with skill-checks, special cards, etc. and the depiction of the hobby would have been far less appealing.