QotD: Do you do any CONSOLE gaming? If so, what's your preference for console? Is there a specific game you love on the console?

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: Do you do any CONSOLE gaming? If so, what's your preference for console? Is there a specific game you love on the console?

 Now there is a question I can answer >:3

I’ve played on quite a few different consoles, but an Xbox is my clear favourite. The controllers are well shaped and the games I play I can mod without jailbreaking the console. I do wish I could get rid of the Clubs feature since there is a lot of problematic stuff on there I don’t want to see, but Microsoft won’t do anything about it.

I loved playing Fallout 4 on Xbox, since It has support for mods, and The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim has the same feature. I used to play Fortnite on Xbox as well, but I am currently using a Ps4 for console games now since the interface is much easier on the eyes.

I have a Playstation 5 (and a couple 4s), and the only games I play are Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West.

I have tried to play others, but found them a problem, though I originally bought it all to play Destiny, which I did until early in Destiny 2's span.

I am *stunningly* picky about games. I played about maybe 20 hours of WoW and perhaps 40 hours of Everquest in the early 2000's, but before that the last videogame I had played was Dragonquest in an Arcade, lol. My youngest child was big on gaming, and was excited about Destiny, and that first live action promo hit me in one of my spots with the gal who jumped into a pit with no idea what was below. So they helped me figure out how to set up the controls (I basically need them reversed from default) and we played a lot of it, and then Dave got sick and it became my escape.

Tried a few games here and there (Dragon Age Inquisition was the only one that really did much), but then I fell in love with Horizon and it is all I have done since.

I can say that among my dozen or so rules for video games is that the principal protagonist must be a woman, I don't do horror or romance, I prefer First person but can handle slightly different, i deeply dislike PVP, I have some aesthetic requirements, and I am unwilling to grind for gear. Those alone knock nearly 95% of all games out.

Since I am a movie person, I base my game value basis on the value of two hours being equal to 20 bucks. And, by that standard, between Destiny and Horizon, not only have all the consoles and games been completely paid for, but so has my playstation subscription. I had something like 2000 hours in Destiny, and I'm around 1500 in the two Horizon games combined.

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: Do you do any CONSOLE gaming? If so, what's your preference for console? Is there a specific game you love on the console?

 I have a PS5 and I love to play Bloodborne on it.I also like Elden Ring, but not as much.

Quote from AEDorsay >>

I am *stunningly* picky about games. I played about maybe 20 hours of WoW and perhaps 40 hours of Everquest in the early 2000's
Tried a few games here and there (Dragon Age Inquisition was the only one that really did much), but then I fell in love with Horizon and it is all I have done since.
I can say that among my dozen or so rules for video games is that the principal protagonist must be a woman, I don't do horror or romance, I prefer First person but can handle slightly different, i deeply dislike PVP, I have some aesthetic requirements, and I am unwilling to grind for gear. Those alone knock nearly 95% of all games out.

 

Rest assured, it's not at all stunning that you're picky about games. Just seeing how much you revamp D&D - it should not be stunning to anyone that the general restrictions that games imply would be something you're not happy with.

Now you mentioned playing 40 hours of EverQuest - what made you stop playing EverQuest? Was it because it had a monthly? Or because it's virtually impossible to solo at low levels so you were always waiting for a group? Or because EverQuest is a brutal game? WoW took everything great about EverQuest and made it so much easier. Corpse run? Forget about it. Die and lose XP, forget about it. WoW is the sissy version of EverQuest. :D (If you can't tell I spent a lot of hours on EverQuest and loved it... on the same side, when WoW came out I played it for many, many years as well).

As for Dragon Age: Inquisition... ugh, you want with the worse Dragon Age. You should have tried just the original Dragon Age. By far superior in every way.

Have you ever tried Neverwinter Nights? You might enjoy that, also. It's literally 3rd (or is it 3.5?) edition D&D - and you can make a character - and run with it. Solo, group up, hire NPCs, log into a world someone else has created. It's pretty incredible. I made an entire web series manipulating the game and made a 65 episode story (that's in my signature the Neverending Nights thing). I had always wished they made something similar to Neverwinter Nights but for Star Wars. I think that would kill in sales.

Quote from SirTawmis >>

Quote from AEDorsay >>

I am *stunningly* picky about games. I played about maybe 20 hours of WoW and perhaps 40 hours of Everquest in the early 2000's
Tried a few games here and there (Dragon Age Inquisition was the only one that really did much), but then I fell in love with Horizon and it is all I have done since.
I can say that among my dozen or so rules for video games is that the principal protagonist must be a woman, I don't do horror or romance, I prefer First person but can handle slightly different, i deeply dislike PVP, I have some aesthetic requirements, and I am unwilling to grind for gear. Those alone knock nearly 95% of all games out.

 

Rest assured, it's not at all stunning that you're picky about games. Just seeing how much you revamp D&D - it should not be stunning to anyone that the general restrictions that games imply would be something you're not happy with.

Now you mentioned playing 40 hours of EverQuest - what made you stop playing EverQuest? Was it because it had a monthly? Or because it's virtually impossible to solo at low levels so you were always waiting for a group? Or because EverQuest is a brutal game? WoW took everything great about EverQuest and made it so much easier. Corpse run? Forget about it. Die and lose XP, forget about it. WoW is the sissy version of EverQuest. :D (If you can't tell I spent a lot of hours on EverQuest and loved it... on the same side, when WoW came out I played it for many, many years as well).

As for Dragon Age: Inquisition... ugh, you want with the worse Dragon Age. You should have tried just the original Dragon Age. By far superior in every way.

Have you ever tried Neverwinter Nights? You might enjoy that, also. It's literally 3rd (or is it 3.5?) edition D&D - and you can make a character - and run with it. Solo, group up, hire NPCs, log into a world someone else has created. It's pretty incredible. I made an entire web series manipulating the game and made a 65 episode story (that's in my signature the Neverending Nights thing). I had always wished they made something similar to Neverwinter Nights but for Star Wars. I think that would kill in sales.

 
Everquest required more time than I could dedicate to it then, since it was hard to solo and I didn't know anyone playing it, lol. Wow I tried to connect to my older son, but game was just ugly as sin and I hated the top down style. I looked into Everquest off and on over the years, but by then my PCs were focused on a different set of specs and not useful for gaming (though I do still use them for some 3D work).

Inquisition was what came out, lol. I didn't like the combat stuff, but it was nice as a story style game. Never did get any of the expansions or other stuff. Just did one playthrough, and that was it.

I did try neverwinter -- and all it did was make me want to play "real D&D", lol. I think I did like 10 hours in it total, and was all "nah. **** this." 

One of the things that a lot of folks forget is the emotional connection piece. I made one in Destiny, I made one in Horizon. A lot of games just sorta throw you in -- like Neverwinter. Hard for me to invest in the character. 

But I "grew up" as Aloy, and identified with her love for Rost, and with Rost's distant way of dealing with her despite his love, and how she was treated by the tribe. These days, it has to compare to that, lol. Most of play time there is just wandering around the world itself -- something I also did in Destiny, much the chagrin of any fireteam I was on (unless it was a raid, in which case they always wanted me for some role and I was, um, "not bad" at that, lol).

I only get about 4 hours a month right now unless I block time, and I usually spend that time on something other than video games.

Quote from AEDorsay >>

I did try neverwinter -- and all it did was make me want to play "real D&D", lol. I think I did like 10 hours in it total, and was all "nah. **** this." 
One of the things that a lot of folks forget is the emotional connection piece. I made one in Destiny, I made one in Horizon. A lot of games just sorta throw you in -- like Neverwinter. Hard for me to invest in the character. 
But I "grew up" as Aloy, and identified with her love for Rost, and with Rost's distant way of dealing with her despite his love, and how she was treated by the tribe. These days, it has to compare to that, lol. Most of play time there is just wandering around the world itself -- something I also did in Destiny, much the chagrin of any fireteam I was on (unless it was a raid, in which case they always wanted me for some role and I was, um, "not bad" at that, lol).

 
To be very clear there's a big difference between Neverwinter and Neverwinter Nights. Neverwinter is an MMO. Neverwinter Nights is a stand alone game.

I played Neverwinter the MMO for about a year. Neverwinter Nights, I still play from time to time. Even though I've beaten it.

As for the emotional connection - I get that. Very much so. There's a game called Legend of Grimrock - where you just begin thrown into a cell (4 characters) who now must find their way. So I ended up, on their forum, creating a story of how my four characters came to be accused of a crime (which is the concept - your party is accused of a crime and thrown into a prison to be forgotten) - and how they formed friendships and such as they began their journey, needing to rely on one another. It helped me get into the game way more because it's pretty much a hack and slash dungeon full of endless riddles and puzzles (very similar to the old school Wizardry games). Some games do a great job of making you invest in your character (such as the original Dragon Age game), sometimes you need to do it yourself. lol

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: Do you do any CONSOLE gaming? If so, what's your preference for console? Is there a specific game you love on the console?

Wow, that’s a “big” question. 😂 

No, I don’t play video games anymore. I used to, quite a bit, but they lost my interest, I’d rather play something “alive,” like D&D or another TTRPG. Compared to that, video games just feel kinda empty and unsatisfying.

Some of my favorite video games were the Destroy All Humans series, the Gstbusters game for PS4, Fallout 3, and my all time favorite was Shadowrun for the Sega Genesis.

Edit: I’d like to add Space Marine and DBZ Budikai III to that list.

 

Quote from IamSposta >>

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: Do you do any CONSOLE gaming? If so, what's your preference for console? Is there a specific game you love on the console?

 

 Wow, that’s a “big” question. 😂 
No, I don’t play video games anymore. I used to, quite a bit, but they lost my interest, I’d rather play something “alive,” like D&D or another TTRPG. Compared to that, video games just feel kinda empty and unsatisfying.
Some of my favorite video games were the Destroy All Humans series, the Gstbusters game for PS4, Fallout 3, and my all time favorite was Shadowrun for the Sega Genesis.
Edit: I’d like to add Space Marine and DBZ Budikai III to that list.

Hey! It doesn't even need to be games or consoles of current. But whatever you enjoyed. I picked consoles because it seems we have a lot of youthful folks here that have joined this thread which has been awesome. So I assume/figure consoles is something most folks can associate with. So whether we're talking PS5 or "back in my day on the original Nintendo" - I am down to discuss it.

Quote from SirTawmis >>

 

Quote from IamSposta >>

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: Do you do any CONSOLE gaming? If so, what's your preference for console? Is there a specific game you love on the console?

 

 Wow, that’s a “big” question. 😂 
No, I don’t play video games anymore. I used to, quite a bit, but they lost my interest, I’d rather play something “alive,” like D&D or another TTRPG. Compared to that, video games just feel kinda empty and unsatisfying.
Some of my favorite video games were the Destroy All Humans series, the Gstbusters game for PS4, Fallout 3, and my all time favorite was Shadowrun for the Sega Genesis.
Edit: I’d like to add Space Marine and DBZ Budikai III to that list.

 

Hey! It doesn't even need to be games or consoles of current. But whatever you enjoyed. I picked consoles because it seems we have a lot of youthful folks here that have joined this thread which has been awesome. So I assume/figure consoles is something most folks can associate with. So whether we're talking PS5 or "back in my day on the original Nintendo" - I am down to discuss it.

 
Hey, I gave ya games from the 16 bit Genesis, and PS2, 3, and 4.

I haven't owned a console in my adult life. Used to share a PS2 and GameCube when I was a kid. And an N64 before that. I'm a PC player these days.

I was always patient when it came to new releases. Comes from growing up poor, I guess. That's stuck with me and served me well. Horizon Zero Dawn, for example, eventually made its way onto PC and I got to enjoy it -- plus it was like 20 bucks. Most things seem to become available on PC in time.

Quote from ChoirOfFire >>

I haven't owned a console in my adult life. Used to share a PS2 and GameCube when I was a kid. And an N64 before that. I'm a PC player these days.

I was always patient when it came to new releases. Comes from growing up poor, I guess. That's stuck with me and served me well. Horizon Zero Dawn, for example, eventually made its way onto PC and I got to enjoy it -- plus it was like 20 bucks. Most things seem to become available on PC in time.

 Forbidden west should hit in spring next year, as well.

Aloy meets her girlfriend!

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: Do you do any CONSOLE gaming? If so, what's your preference for console? Is there a specific game you love on the console?

 If I hadn't read through the other replies I would have had to google console to find out what it means. This is why my nickname is Grandpa. I don't really play any sort of video game. I think it's fun to play some video games with friends every now and then and there are other games that interest me because of the story or style. I don't own anything to game on and I am content. 

QotD: Do you celebrate Halloween? If so, do you decorate the yard? Do you dress up? If you do dress up, what have you dressed up as in the past? What do you plan on dressing up as this year?

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: Do you celebrate Halloween?

• If so, do you decorate the yard?
• Do you dress up?
• If you do dress up, what have you dressed up as in the past?
• What do you plan on dressing up as this year?

 
When I was young, yes. 

Since about 2006, though, not really?  But I don't really celebrate any holidays -- I give gifts for christmas, and I treat myself for my birthday, and that's about it. I put up a small christmas tree two years ago, lol. 

I did do a thing in 08 or so, with costume. And I always have my black robes and candy dish if I need to have something for T&T'ers.

In the 90's, I did some fun stuff. haunted house in a garage with an uneven floor, spooky music and sounds, weird lighting. I once dressed up as a "cheap scarecrow" -- the kind of thing you often see slouched in a chair or something in someone's yard. Would put myself in an unnatural position and just wait. When someone came to the door I would leap up and Boo them.

two years in a row I was a talking banana tree. We had a banana tree in our front yard (Plantain) in front of a sunscreen darkened window. I would sit in the window and as someone walked by the banana tree I would let loose with a blood curdling scream, followed by intense questioning in a bad cockney accent.

I am a homebody, so not a lot of cause nor reason to dress up. 

I have an XBOX 1 and mostly play first person shooters - Siege, BF4, BF5. I do some desktop gaming too Diablo, Master of Orion 2.

I played WOW for many years until I just couldn't anymore. I also did the Neverwinter thing for a while.

Halloween is my favorite holiday!

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: Do you celebrate Halloween? If so, do you decorate the yard? Do you dress up? If you do dress up, what have you dressed up as in the past? What do you plan on dressing up as this year?

 I wouldn’t say I celebrate, but the last few years I’ve watched some horror movies with a few friends. I don’t live in an area that gets any trick or treaters, but there’s a bowl of candy sitting inside near the door, in case a very confused family wanders down the road. I can’t remember any costumes I’ve had in the past. I’d have to dig up some old photos to figure it out. As part of a running joke, I was going to get a costume shaped like the Duolingo owl, as were some friends, but our plans fell through. Last year I helped out with a haunted house in our local history museum. It was really fun and we made a lot of money ($22,000! Which went to a local charity, a new school, and the museum) even though we had very low prices. We had so many people coming through that the line stretched all down Main Street! (It went for 3 blocks at least) We actually had to cut the line early, and we were still working to 11. There weren’t a lot of us working, but we put the whole thing together in a little over a month (we spent far too much time on marketing and sales). We managed to have only a few of us working, and yet we were the best haunted house in the valley (there were two others to compete with, plus a few small haunted houses from schools). We had some people love it so much that they asked to come back and help scare people the next day!

Quote from SirTawmis >>

1. QotD: Do you celebrate Halloween?
2. If so, do you decorate the yard?
3. Do you dress up?
4. If you do dress up, what have you dressed up as in the past?
5. What do you plan on dressing up as this year?

1.  Halloween is my favorite holiday!! I used to go to haunted attractions every weekend from the end of September through the beginning of November, sometimes 2 or 3 per weekend. But now I have a mortgage and they’re expensive, and my wife isn’t a huge fan of them like my older girlfriends were, plus she’s on business trips every weekend in the fall since it’s her busy season and it’s less fun going alone or even with friends without a partner or anything and we don’t have any kids, and I’m older and tired and just don’t feel like it so much like I used to.
2. No, I don’t really do decorations. We used to at least do jack-o’-lanterns for the porch, but again it’s less fun all by myself.
3. Not anymore, no. Like I said, less fun all by myself.
4. The last costume I rocked was a 7-foot tall alien anal probe with a satellite dish on the top. I won a costume contest with that sucker. (I still have the costume.) If I find any pictures I’ll post them.
5. Unfortunately I don’t plan to this year.

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: Do you celebrate Halloween? If so, do you decorate the yard? Do you dress up? If you do dress up, what have you dressed up as in the past? What do you plan on dressing up as this year?

 Since Halloween is my birthday I do something every year. In the past I have been Thorin Oakenshield, a werewolf, a gladiator, the grim reaper with a sword (don’t ask), and many other things. This year I am a lich. The street I live on is very small so no trick or treaters so I don’t do anything to my lawn

Edit: also awesome pictures Wysp

Quote from HelloImL >>

Quote from SirTawmis >>

Begin...

 

Quote from NikkiFem >>

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: What is it that got you into play D&D?

 A couple years ago I made some friends in my German class in HS, and they were always talking about all the stupid stuff they always did in their campaigns. So one day I was bored in theatre and I decided to read through the basic rules and I fell in love with the game from a technical standpoint. I joined one of my friends campaigns, which only ran for 3 sessions total, and I fell in love with the game completely. Unfortunately, no one I knew had the follow through to run/play a campaign for more than 3 sessions so I wasn’t able to play until I started posting here on the forums.

 

 That's really cool that reading the rules first is what got you into it. Most people's doorway seems to be having played in a random game or seeing/hearing someone play. These days, with Youtube and Critical Role, so many newer folks are introduced to D&D through Youtube or something (which is fine! Whatever gets the creativity flowing, I am all for it!)

 

Quote from BoringBard >>

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: What is it that got you into play D&D?

My dad played and I got signed up for a virtual D&D summer camp that I really liked.

 

 

Virtual D&D Camp? I need to hear more about this!

 

Quote from Amnon_Balderk >>

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: What is it that got you into play D&D?

 One day I had a Barnes and Noble gift card, which was something I probably got for my birthday. Before I even went to the store I thought “Hey, what if I bought D&D?”
At this time I had no idea what D&D was, I had never really seen it in any form of media (no Stranger Things had entered my life), and I didn’t know anyone who played it. All I knew was that it involved fantasy. So I went to the store and I spoke to the first salesperson I saw “Where is your Dungeons and Dragons?” He directed me, and I was immediately overwhelmed. I asked how he recommended starting, and he told me there were three ways: the Starter Set, the Essentials Kit, and the three book set. After he explained them, I grabbed the Essentials Kit and left (I paid, of course).
I started going through the kit with a fine-toothed comb, along with a friend who was equally interested. We got the gist of it, but I wouldn’t say that we fully grasped how it all worked. Pretty quickly, and by that I mean after 2 weeks of pretending we got it all, a friend of ours came over and saw what we were working on. It started a dialogue and we found out that he played! He went ahead and started teaching us, along with two other friends, one of whom brought another friend, and then our new GM brought in another person who had played before! Thus our group was born!

 

So do you still play with this same group of people (even if, just time to time)? 

 

 

Quote from IamSposta >>

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: What is it that got you into play D&D?

 
Some friends of mine got me into playing a CCG called Spellfire (that’s dating myself there), which was essentially based on D&D. Then another friend got me into M:tG, and then that transitioned into actual D&D when we met another person who we became close friends with.

 

 I'd never heard of Spellfire (but I didn't do much with collectable card games) - but did you know there's apparently a new Spellfire?
https://spellfire.com/

Do you still play D&D with these folks?

 

Quote from ChoirOfFire >>

A friend invited me to a heavily-homebrewed 3.5e game, I think. It might have been a d20 Modern game. Not sure which one came first.

 

 Do you have a preference between fantasy and modern type games?

 

 

Quote from The_Summoning_Dark >>

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: What is it that got you into play D&D?

 I had a friend who really liked Pathfinder, which he called D&D for some reason and he worked really hard to get me interested. For some odd reason I wasn't really intrigued even though I had been playing a game that was very similar to Dnd but it lacked any and all mechanics. He did get me to play a few sessions and I really enjoyed it, but we didn't have time to play a lot. Eventually my Dad borrowed Phandelver from another friend and DMed it for us. 

 

 So it was really your father who got you hooked? I assume he was a previous D&D Player?

 

Quote from Thorrison >>

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: What is it that got you into play D&D?

Friend was running a game for mostly new players, knew I was into nerdy kinds of stuff, asked if I wanted to join. I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy it but we did LMoP and I had a blast.

 

 

 It's so cool that Lost Mines has come up now a few times and that that adventure was the gateway to a lot of people. Tells you they probably did something right with that (been run through it twice myself now) - curious if that's why they're seeking to expand it now.

 

Quote from AEDorsay >>

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: What is it that got you into play D&D?

 
The new kid made a first friend who taught it at a kitchen table.

My first dungeon, incidentally, was the example one in the 1e DMG.

 

 You mean the one where they give an example of what an adventure looks like?
The whole:

DM: Dave, you see goblins on the hill. What would you like to do?
Dave: I would like to get closer using my dexterity to be as quiet as possible.
DM: Great. Bob. You're in heavy armor as the fighter. You might make noise sneaking. What would you like to do?
Bob: I will wait until Dave gets back with news of what he sees.
DM: Great.

That's not the actual dialogue - but I believe you're referencing how they say a normal D&D session goes?

 

Quote from Wysperra >>

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: What is it that got you into play D&D?

 That is a flowy question.

I had a good friend in elementary school that had D&D paraphernalia lying around his house all the time. I would ask him about it, then we would run outside and ride bikes or go exploring until the street lights came on. The images of the box set and the monster manual - I loved the monster pics and they stayed in my head.

About a year later my cousin asked if I wanted to play a game called Dungeons and Dragons. We played Keep on the Borderlands and got eaten by the owlbear. SO MUCH FUN!

My parents got me the red box that year for Christmas.

 

 Hold on. You're older than I thought. You mentioned Red Box here - and later being impacted by the "Satanic Panic."
Tell me Red Box wasn't one of the victims of your cleansing...

 

Quote from DoveArrow >>

Quote from SirTawmis >>

QotD: What is it that got you into play D&D?

 A friend of mine and his group were playing one night. I came over unannounced and they invited me to sit in for a player who was absent that night. One of the enemies cast dominate person on the character I was playing and told me to turn on the party. That was all I needed. I went out and bought the 3E Core Rulebooks the next day.

Side Note: Can you believe the 3E rulebooks were only $19.99 back then? I got them just before they raised the price to $29.99.

 

 Everything is expensive these days...
I used to collect comics when they were 35 cents... and watched them climb to 3.99 by the time I stopped. lol

 

Quote from Wysperra >>

Side question:

Were you ever a victim of satanic panic?

I was. My girlfriend at the time didn't trust that I was a good enough Christian if I didn't play but still had the books. So in order to prove my love and devotion I threw them away. A stack a couple feet high worth of books, modules, maps, dice, all of it.

 

 

 Not directly. But I certainly was in the double dip situation.
I was deep into Heavy Metal as well as D&D. So I was the poster child of what the Church hated.
Except, I was out there, after school giving my lunch to homeless people (something I still do - not just lunch but anytime we go out and don't finish I always take it to go and look for a homeless person to give it to... or buy them food when I am at Chiptole or VONS or whatever...)
So if they judged me by the cover I wore - D&D and Metal. I was definitely what they hated.
I wasn't impacted - my father was military so he'd seen and heard worse.
He sometimes asked me about lyrics he heard or the concept of D&D.
But I was already knee deep into Tolkien, and my father was a reader as well.
So he knew I was all good.

 

Quote from The_Summoning_Dark >>

Quote from Wysperra >>

Side question:

Were you ever a victim of satanic panic?

I was. My girlfriend at the time didn't trust that I was a good enough Christian if I didn't play but still had the books. So in order to prove my love and devotion I threw them away. A stack a couple feet high worth of books, modules, maps, dice, all of it.

 

 That is awful. 

I have a Grandmother who would not be happy to learn that I play Dnd because of the satanic panic. Which is funny because she loves Harry Potter. 

 

 It's funny how people will judge something they don't know; even if they're passionate about something similar.

 

Quote from NikkiFem >>

Quote from Wysperra >>

Side question:

Were you ever a victim of satanic panic?

I was. My girlfriend at the time didn't trust that I was a good enough Christian if I didn't play but still had the books. So in order to prove my love and devotion I threw them away. A stack a couple feet high worth of books, modules, maps, dice, all of it.

 

 Ugh. When my grandmother found out I played D&D I had to spend 2 hours explaining to them why the game isn’t satanic. She presented a good point about the problematic founder there but it was mostly about the her opinion that dumb kids would worship the gods that are created in the game, even when they know it is just a game.

 

Uh, how old is your grandmother?
How does she know about anything problematic about the founder? Was she keeping tabs on D&D? Or is she fluent in the google? (If so, I am impressed! My mother hates technology!)
I assume the person you mean about the "problematic founder" being Gary Gygax?
If so I am curious what these are? I mean, Gary Gygax wanted more of a "wargame" type thing when he initially developed D&D. So it was far more brutal. But to my knowledge, there was nothing "problematic" about Gary Gygax?
Now his son, Ernie G. Gygax - he's done some shady stuff. Let me find the ... Article.
But I'd love to hear what was - or what you - consider "problematic" about Gary Gygax? Because I am certainly unaware.
(And rest assured, there may be stuff - because I am oftentimes oblivious).

 

Quote from WoodsGirl0402 >>

Quote from Wysperra >>

Side question:

Were you ever a victim of satanic panic?

I was. My girlfriend at the time didn't trust that I was a good enough Christian if I didn't play but still had the books. So in order to prove my love and devotion I threw them away. A stack a couple feet high worth of books, modules, maps, dice, all of it.

 

 Thankfully my school is pretty progressive, so that’s never been an issue, and my parents really don’t care as long as I keep my grades up and don’t get in trouble.

 

 Hey mom, I worship devils and demons!
Great hon! How are your grades?
All A+. One B-.
Work on that B-!
Will do, mom!

LOL

 

Quote from ChoirOfFire >>

I was born after the demise of Satan. My life has taken place in a post-adversary era. No devils, no kings, it's really incredible. This peace is what all true warriors strive for.

I'm kinda curious when exactly it got the name Satanic Panic. Surely that must have been after the fact. Nobody would have taken it seriously, right?

 

 Parents blamed everything on something else. Suicide. Murder. Depression.
It was all because they followed the Devil.
Whether it was D&D or Heavy Metal, or worse, BOTH!
This sums it up: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons_controversies 

 

Quote from AEDorsay >>

Sposta's Right.

The game stuff was a secondary effect, a carry over from a late 70's thing that was based in some questionable pop psych associated wit ti, as well.

THe idea of Satanic Panic came about because a teacher was tried for the kidnapping and molestation of kids that she had never touched -- the kids were made to testify. They had "repressed memories" that had been brought out by a psychologist in the town. The trial was sensationalized (and this was during a period of similar to now terror about many things, including LGBT folks, women actually working someplace other than the home, mail carriers no longer being called Mailmen, and stuff like that) and it gave some creedence to another psychologist who had uncovered repressed memories of children who had spoken of strange rituals featuring a goat-headed being and robed adults.

It was linked to witchcraft and devil worship, and around the same time news filtered in that down in mexico a cult that practiced ritual sacrifice (a from of Santeria) had been broken up.

Well, the same kind of folks who say things like Trans people are evil and drag queens teach kids to perform oral sex and that black people who try criminals as DAs are Riggers suddenly decide that the Mexican Devil Cult that Worshipped Satan had invaded the US and kids were disappearing in ritual sacrifices that were witnessed by other kids who then had those memories repressed until these good christian psychologists (who had the backing and support of the then head of Johns Hopkins Psychiatry department) uncovered them meant that the US was under siege, and anything harmful to kids had to be expunged, lest it guide them down the same path of horror and despair.

you know, like D&D, which was a hobby started by weird midwestern nerds and had become very popular among high school and college kids -- like that kid who disappeared after a D&D game he played with his college friends (some of who were a little sketchy, you know? I mean, just look at them, like so many college kids, they are all weird.)

Now...

The kids made it up. The memories were not real -- they had been encouraged by the psychs. The teacher was eventually cleared, but her life was ruined and she was ostracized by everyone she knew.

There was no satanic cult. Joan Baez even fell for it and released a song called Play Me Backwards that was about the horror of these kids (killer song). Lives were ruined, records got age warning labels on them, D&D carried on but thousands were told it was evil and they would be disowned, the same thinking gave rise to even more power for the idea of conversion therapy,  the head of Johns Hopkins (a rampant anti-LGBT extremist then and now) killed dozens of trans care programs, and the term Satanic panic was ingrained in popular culture.

It was the most successful disinfo campaign of the late 20th century, and the thing that those who created them in the 21st century look to as a model.

Yeah, I know, serious bummer.  But be aware that laws were almost passed outlawing D&D, several places did put in policies that forbid it from being played (Including prisons and jails),  and it forced the closure of many of your friendly neighborhood comic shops because they were also the places you went to get your game stuff from.

Until the Satanic Panic, D&D had flat out taken old names of Demons and Devils and other demonology and angelology stuff and used it freely.

Things were so bad, they stopped calling them Demons and Devils in 3e -- though they had been moving away from it in 2e. It nearly destroyed TSR as a company and D&D as a game -- as well as most other ttrpg's of the day.

It was very, very bad.

 

 I do not remember anything about the teacher and students.

I remember the Church banging on pots and shouting from the roof tops that "Kids were into this Satanic music! And they play a Satanic games where the devil allows them to cast magic!"

And from there, the TV Evangelists - reaching out spreading the fire of these "devil" influences.

Then shows like Geraldo (who most are too young to probably know) had all kinds of specials about these "satanic cults" and had people who had "repressed memories" and forced to draw pentagrams and sacrifice the neighbor's cats in the name of the devil... and the common thing? They all played D&D and listened to Heavy Metal.

From there, the news ran with it.

And the Satanic Panic spread like wild fire.

 I play/listen to heavy metal, apparently this is something my Christian school did not like. I'm the reason Spotify is banned on the school wifi, because I'm going to get possessed by Corey Taylor of Slipknot, I guess.

 Sorry. Responding to this post because I can’t post in the regular box.

I’m too old to go trick or treating, but my school’s having a Halloween dance I might go to. I’m probably going as Artemis the Hunter, the Greek god of the crescent moon.