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Post by derv on Apr 8, 2014 18:17:37 GMT -6
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Post by Harbinger on Apr 8, 2014 18:43:40 GMT -6
It's nice to see James posting again.
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machpants
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Post by machpants on Apr 8, 2014 18:51:27 GMT -6
That is an interesting article, the key point being, IMO, everyone is human and makes mistakes, most of us are petty and selfish to a certain degree. What really happened will never be fully known but we do owe thanks to Blume for getting our great hobby out there. So thanks Brian  Also interesting that, assuming it is the same James Maliszewski, this is the first I have seen from 'Grognardia' since the Dwimmermount kickstarter fiasco. Hopefully it means he is well and over his troubles (what ever they were) - the project is now moving at apace under Autarc too, thankfully. Grognardia was a very good blog to read. |
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18 Spears
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Post by 18 Spears on Apr 8, 2014 19:07:17 GMT -6
That is an interesting article, the key point being, IMO, everyone is human and makes mistakes, most of us are petty and selfish to a certain degree. What really happened will never be fully known but we do owe thanks to Blume for getting our great hobby out there. Nope. Most adults know right from wrong and if we willfully violate those precepts that makes us lower than low. |
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Post by kirbyfan63 on Apr 8, 2014 19:27:41 GMT -6
Blume was there from the beginning. Donald Kay died in 75, only year after the original set was published, so Blume was a majority shareholder long during D&D's best years and the worst. You can't really blame him for TSR's fall without giving him equal credit for it's rise.
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18 Spears
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Post by 18 Spears on Apr 8, 2014 19:31:38 GMT -6
Blume was there from the beginning. Donald Kay died in 75, only year after the original set was published, so Blume was a majority shareholder long during D&D's best years and the worst. You can't really blame him for TSR's fall without giving him equal credit for it's rise. Yes one can, so long as one accepts the facts. If you wander away from those? Sure, Blume is a hero. |
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Post by derv on Apr 8, 2014 19:35:06 GMT -6
Nope. Most adults know right from wrong and if we willfully violate those precepts that makes us lower than low. |
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Post by kirbyfan63 on Apr 8, 2014 19:39:31 GMT -6
Blume was there from the beginning. Donald Kay died in 75, only year after the original set was published, so Blume was a majority shareholder long during D&D's best years and the worst. You can't really blame him for TSR's fall without giving him equal credit for it's rise. Yes one can, so long as one accepts the facts. If you wander away from those? Sure, Blume is a hero. I never said he was a hero , just he wasn't a villain. And just what are these facts? Everything we know about bloom comes second hand. |
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Post by scalydemon on Apr 8, 2014 23:04:35 GMT -6
Are Blume & Bloom the same guy?  |
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Post by funkaoshi on Apr 9, 2014 8:12:05 GMT -6
I want to live in this world where things are so neat and tidy and we can put people in hero and villain buckets. Blume was probably a nuanced man, made good choices and poor choices, and lived his life as best he could. Like most people.
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Post by derv on Apr 9, 2014 15:36:23 GMT -6
Reading this article causes me to consider much of the history of D&D. It's funny to think that in the genre of Fantasy there are some common literary tropes (e.g. good vs. evil, hero and villian) that seem to be reinforced as part of the mystique that surrounds this game and those involved. Yes,life is not usually so black and white.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2014 9:32:38 GMT -6
Sometimes Brian was fun to play with, sometimes he was a drip. Some of his ideas were good, some of his ideas were bad.
Just like everybody else.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2014 10:02:41 GMT -6
If making bad business decisions make you a villain, I've reached Super Villain status by now.
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machpants
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Post by machpants on Apr 10, 2014 14:16:37 GMT -6
Hedgehobbit is not a great super villain name, sorry.
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Post by 18 Spears on Apr 10, 2014 14:51:11 GMT -6
Sometimes Brian was fun to play with, sometimes he was a drip. Some of his ideas were good, some of his ideas were bad. Just like everybody else. true ... but if somebody tried to stab you every time you saw them you'd be stupid to ignore that. the blumes are bad people,. |
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Post by 18 Spears on Apr 10, 2014 14:56:48 GMT -6
If making bad business decisions make you a villain, I've reached Super Villain status by now. you'uns said it, I didn't |
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Post by Porphyre on Apr 10, 2014 15:15:26 GMT -6
Sometimes Brian was fun to play with, sometimes he was a drip. Some of his ideas were good, some of his ideas were bad. Just like everybody else. true ... but if somebody tried to stab you every time you saw them you'd be stupid to ignore that. the blumes are bad people,. Sorry to interfere but... Did you actually met him IRL? You speak as if you crossed their path several times. |
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Post by 18 Spears on Apr 10, 2014 15:18:29 GMT -6
true ... but if somebody tried to stab you every time you saw them you'd be stupid to ignore that. the blumes are bad people,. Sorry to interfere but... Did you actually met him IRL? You speak as if you crossed their path several times. yeah |
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Post by scalydemon on Apr 10, 2014 21:29:18 GMT -6
Hedgehobbit is not a great super villain name, sorry. I am with machpants on this one. Dr. Doom is an awesome name - but already taken  |
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machpants
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Post by machpants on Apr 10, 2014 21:44:51 GMT -6
ScalyDemon is not bad tho!
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Post by scalydemon on Apr 10, 2014 21:59:39 GMT -6
One of my personal faves  |
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Post by Falconer on Apr 11, 2014 7:56:13 GMT -6
Was Kevin Blume a gamer?
Why did Brian Blume abstain in the vote that fired Kevin as CEO?
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Post by scottenkainen on Apr 11, 2014 8:29:16 GMT -6
How do those of you leaping to Blume's defense justify his role in exiling Gary to Hollywood and then ousting Gary from his own company when Gary came back and tried to reassume control?
~Scott "-enkainen" Casper
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skars
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Post by skars on Apr 11, 2014 9:18:12 GMT -6
How do those of you leaping to Blume's defense justify his role in exiling Gary to Hollywood and then ousting Gary from his own company when Gary came back and tried to reassume control? ~Scott "-enkainen" Casper ...or how Dave Arneson was kept from royalties for AD&D or how so many artists and designers have been left in the cold or screwed over throughout the history of our beloved hobby? I think instead of dredging up old grudges or trying to place value judgement on hearsay from 35+ years ago, we ought to celebrate their achievements and build upon them. |
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Koren n'Rhys
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Post by Koren n'Rhys on Apr 11, 2014 11:58:53 GMT -6
Well said, skars. This thread is getting ugly, fast. My opinion, for what it's worth, is that once money is involved, it makes a mess of anything. I pity anyone who takes a hobby and tries to make a business out of it. In my experience, all that does is drain every ounce of pleasure out of the whole thing. It's sad when old friendships are part of that price as well.
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Post by Finarvyn on Apr 11, 2014 14:18:28 GMT -6
[Admin voice]
I've been watching this thread carefully, for fear that it will become volatile. I'm not a fan of thread locking, but am also not a fan of bashing someone who can't defend himself for something that he may or may not have done 30 years ago. Just saying tread softly here...
[/Admin voice]
While I like my OD&D alignment to be "black or white," I don't think that the world works like that. I really didn't follow enough of the squabbles at TSR to have a really knowledgeable opinion, and certainly have no first-hand experience. My guess is that the answer is "somewhere in between."
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18 Spears
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Post by 18 Spears on Apr 11, 2014 17:44:06 GMT -6
I think instead of dredging up old grudges or trying to place value judgement on hearsay from 35+ years ago, it ain't hearsay if there is evidence and i'll not excuse their wrongdoing to make you feel better. sorry |
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Post by Finarvyn on Apr 12, 2014 5:24:08 GMT -6
Let's just drop this, guys. I'm nearly to lock point here and really don't want to do that.
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Post by derv on Apr 12, 2014 6:04:14 GMT -6
Let's just drop this, guys. I'm nearly to lock point here and really don't want to do that. If the conversation seems inflamatory, please lock it up Fin. I thought we would be discussing the article in a much more disattached manner. I did not think the subject would evoke such extreme opinions after 35+ years. Maliszewski's point was clear, you cannot rewrite the history of D&D by forgetting Blume's contributions. Whatever your opinion was of the man's character and mistakes in judgement, he had a large part in getting D&D off the ground and many of his contributions (e.g. Boot Hill & Eldritch Wizardry) are worth celebrating and discussing on this forum. |
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Post by jcstephens on Apr 12, 2014 21:12:42 GMT -6
One polite question, if I may: Has Brian Blume publicly said or written anything in explanation or defense of his actions?
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