Re: Violence, was re: Video Games (was Re: (TFT) back from the olympics)

["Jay Carlisle" <Maou_Tsaou@charter.net>]

"The media is the message."
Marshall Mcluhan

Like it our not fellas, folks like us are artists.
(I don't really care for the term but there it is)

I define "art" as demonstrating new ways of viewing the world to those who 
interact with the work.
The younger the individual, the easier this is.

I begain RPG's in the summer of 1976.
My Father had gotten turned on to the local Phil Barker minatures wargamers 
and I was quite piqued.
To keep me off the "adults", pop brought me an army of Ral Partha skeltons 
and the box set of (at the time) Advanced Dungons & Dragons... along with 
Chainmail.
The adults who actually allowed me to play made a BIG impression on me.

As R.A. Heinlein once said, writing is as solatary an endevor as 
masterbation.
I surely understand what it means to be asocial.
I'm working toward something that, at its heart, is a VERY social activity; 
and one that you don't have to spend an arm and a leg on at that.
It's why I've asshued computer stuff.

Has anyone ever played the SSI gold box D&D stuff?
I haven't.
Not one.
Is that ashame for a clasic RPG'er?
I think not.
I played Tempel of Apshi and etc.
IMHfrickinO pressing the "A" key is pressing the bloody "A" key no matter 
WHAT the silly frps etc.
What does it mean to put the "Offical D&D rules" into a computer when nobody 
in the 70's & 80's played the same way? (Mainly because the thing was 
written Jay style)

There is a concept in Art called the frame.

In SJ's original pocket-game, the "frame" was gladator combat straight outta 
the Roman Coliseum.
IMHO (again) this is a fair reason for all the violence... the gladator 
(glad is the root?) isn't so concerned with the social implications of such 
"entertainment".
A full blown RPG in which the players Figure has actual freewill that the GM 
adjudicates fairly is a whole other issue.

Framed properly, violence has it's place.
Framed in such a fassion that violence is the preferd answer (i.e. I can 
only get exp. by slaying) and I think that in the least it's very poor art.
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