A Tribute to Dice, Dungeon and Dragons

Nothing could be more fundamental in the field of modern gaming than Dungeons & Dragons. Dating back to times of old, when boards are orphans and there are only 4 variations on your graphics card: Jack, Queen, King and Joker. The time before pixels exists.

D&D defined gamers in pop culture: scruffy, nerdy, clumsy, socially and physically inept. Compare the actual gamers of today (WoW players don’t count this time) and you’ll find that the media has been lying to you. Well it’s slowly changing of course but it is not quite there yet thanks to MMORPGs.

Does Pong, Monopoly, Pinball or Backgammon have a storyline? A basic premise at most and that is all. D&D has always been story oriented, as source of escapism being a major attraction of games. Like a shining beacon to the downtrodden and the oppressed. Gathering outcasts like moths to a flame. Where said moths can play the roles of stronger, magical, prettier and more agile moths, Moth they could never be.

To the uninitiated, D&D rules are like the insufferable teachers of their favorite subject. They either find something to like about the asshole, find a new subject to like or get the teacher fired. Where other genres would just hand you a weapon, show you where the trigger is and tell you to knock yourself out.

D&D would like you to have a valid identification, know how to take your weapon apart, submit an application, suffer through the waiting period and only then you’ll be able to shoot em up. The complex rules are there for a reason though, it requires an intimate knowledge of such rules to properly play the game and build a nice character. And yes, there is a possibility that the rules could change, there are also learning aids to the game such as the webcomic, Order of the Stick.

There are 2 drawbacks to playing D&D, one major and one minor. Minor one is that you won’t get good graphics, no beautiful 3D rendering of Sword Coast or the Ten Towns across the Spine of the World. Which is somewhat of a blessing, you don’t have to share it people (read magpies) who don’t know appreciate game play that are only attracted to pretty polygons.

Major drawback of D&D is there is not enough games to go around, since its adaptation the current electronic form, there are roughly a dozen game D&D titles (not including expansion sets). The solution, include the development engine into the game with the release of Neverwinter Nights. Which is fairly easy to use but let’s face it, not everyone could write a fantasy tale and enjoy a game where they know it like the back of their hand. This is due largely to the licensing difficulties of the D&D system. Where the intellectual rights rest largely in the hands of TSR and Wizards of the Coasts.

If there is a game system that could be integrated into reality look no further than D&D. Need to get a certain item from a person? Steal it from under his nose, kill him to get it, rough him up then make him surrender it to you, blackmail it, seduce him, buy it from him or do him a favor to get it.

Take your pick all the options are available. This how my love affair started with D&D, Stealing reward from a priest of Talos, ran errands from him and finally killing him, all in the name of loot and experience. The rules could also stray into reality, fell out with a friend is called conflicting alignments, lied successfully to parents is like rolled 19 bluff check against a DC check of 17. Feel intoxicated to easily, low constitution modifier.

“Those who loved Dungeons & Dragons never really stopped playing it.”

—Lev Grossman

I’ve been playing D&D ever since, hopefully my intelligence roll beats your DC check for this article.

Postscript: I did and might still qualify as an outcast as stated above.

In the loving memory of:

Gary Gygax (July 27 1938 – March 4 2008)

&

Dave Arneson ( October 1 1947 to April 7 2009)

Written and prepared by

The last dungeon monster, Psycho

****Editor’s Footnote:

Most of you have suspected, perhaps already knew that the writer is not me to begin with since we have different styles of writing.

This is made by one of my college mates back in diploma years. He promised to do a guest write for dungeon and dragons.

Now, living in solitude beneath the cold dungeon and drowning himself with liquor due to the death of his final comrade being humanified by chicks. He is known as the last dungeon monster, Psycho.

Drop your comment on what you think about his work.