Comments on: Dungeons And Dragons – Or Mazes And Monsters?

By: bzzz

bzzz — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:19:14 +0000

It’s weird I keep hearing the myths about D&D even now. The Jack Chick tract must have helped with some of the hysteria.

By: PodBlack Cat | Day One, Part Two of Dragon*Con 2008

PodBlack Cat | Day One, Part Two of Dragon*Con 2008 — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 01:31:02 +0000

[...] after that kind of went out of my mind when I met Michael Stackpole (if you don’t know much about him, I did an entry for a blog carnival about …). I seriously hope I have the opportunity to interview him for the vodcast later, as in my opinion [...]

By: Video Game Round Up #2 « Neuroanthropology

Video Game Round Up #2 « Neuroanthropology — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:50:21 +0000

[...] Cat, Dungeons and Dragons – Or Mazes and Monsters? Returning to the roots of gaming through flow, the occult, and [...]

By: podblack

podblack — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 10:38:26 +0000

Thanks, always great to meet more people interested in the psychology behind it all!

By: Encefalus

Encefalus — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:16:36 +0000

A very good article. As a D&D player myself I really enjoyed what you had to say. I found particularly interesting the last paragraph of your post concerning therapy. I wrote a few things about that myself at http://encefalus.com/clinical/dd-psychotherapy/

By: Dungeons & Dragons and Psychotherapy | Encefalus

Dungeons & Dragons and Psychotherapy | Encefalus — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:04:43 +0000

[...] found this article a few days ago Dungeons And Dragons – Or Mazes And Monsters? at PodBlack Cat. It discusses some common (and funny) misconceptions abour RPGs. What I found [...]

By: podblack

podblack — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 05:12:19 +0000

Which 2008 article?

By: Moira

Moira — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:21:27 +0000

Hi, could you please tell me where online you found the 2008 article? I’ve been looking for it… Thanks! – Moira.

By: Rev. Dr. Incitatus

Rev. Dr. Incitatus — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:59:45 +0000

Re mmorpgs and social psychology, I found this to be a fascinating factoid. It could kick of a masters thesis on moral boundaries for sure. The little movie the offenders made was fantastic... in a dark and sadistic fashion. btw, have you investigated ARGs?

By: gg

gg — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:17:33 +0000

Nicely described. I often use myself as a case-study to refute the negative influence of D&D, as well as all sorts of other 'Satanic' influences. In my life, I've played D&D, I've listened to the worst of heavy metal music, I've played the most violent video games (including Grand Theft Auto), and I've even used Procter & Gamble products! Yet somehow, with all of these nefarious influences, I managed not only to not kill anybody, but to end up a physics professor. (Though I suppose there's plenty of people who might consider that a negative outcome!)

By: Encephalon Hits 50! « Neuroanthropology

Encephalon Hits 50! « Neuroanthropology — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:30:45 +0000

[...] hosting the 50th edition of Encephalon, the brain and mind carnival. Like compulsive collecting and Dungeons and Dragons? Then check Encephalon out for those and much more at its [...]

By: » Encephalon #50 Edition: Brain & Mind Research « Brain Fitness Revolution at SharpBrains

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:01:02 +0000

[...] Dungeons And Dragons – Or Mazes And Monsters?: PodBlack Cat offers a thought-provoking review of the therapy (including self-therapy) applications of role-playing games such as the classic Dungeons And Dragons and the more recent massively multiplayer online games. [...]

By: Podblack

Podblack — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:57:23 +0000

“Did anyone ever evaluate the impact of D&D the cartoon?”

Ohhhh, yes…. well, kind of.

http://blog.spoonyexperiment.com/2008/01/dragon-strike-board-game-review.html

By: megan

megan — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:04:55 +0000

Ha, glad you put this in the Carnival. My brother and his friends had their D&D group as a 4-H club for a year or two, and they actually set up a table at the county 4-H fair where they played, so people could see what D&D was really like. Of course that made it into the local paper – why take another photo of a goat?

I had no idea so much actual research had gone into D&D, or that BADD existed – we lived in a happy pro-D&D bubble I guess. Someone should put together an anthology of these articles and sell it as a book at the cons – I’m sure folks would find it entertaining enough to add to the collection of D&D ephemera on their shelves.

Did anyone ever evaluate the impact of D&D the cartoon? Think of all the susceptible 6 year olds being victimized on Saturday morning before their parents were even awake!

By: PodBlack Cat | First Edition Of The Giant’s Shoulders - Now Out!

PodBlack Cat | First Edition Of The Giant’s Shoulders - Now Out! — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:48:41 +0000

[...] checked frantically, in case I would have to dig out something even older on something like ‘Accusations of Satanism in the game Monopoly in 19′… here I am coming up with a new idea…) – but I was beaten by a very cool [...]

By: Podblack

Podblack — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:34:33 +0000

McFreakout – forgot ‘singing minstrels who follow you going on about how you “bravely turned your tail and fled”‘!

“Csikszentmihalyi” – pronounced ‘Chick-sent-me-hi-yi’! I remember the first day of work, where he was mentioned in passing and I tried to write the name down… big mistake. Spent about an hour Googling ‘chicken-guy’…
I like the article! Although I think we kind of out-geek them as we have our own areas within the house that are designated for each other, since I left-hand mouse.

I started with online gaming and switched to occasional RPGs. Now I think I divide my time equally between both (but not much – too busy most of the time!).

As for gaming etiquette, I’ve started considering making a ‘Gaming Cookbook’ for healthier meals as I find quite a few of the meals and drinks aren’t the best for several hours of sitting around, nor good as a regular diet each Gaming night! Began when I handed out popcorn instead of chips and then started mixing some interesting fruit drinks rather than cola.

By: Sean the Blogonaut

Sean the Blogonaut — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:16:17 +0000

Ah Roleplaying…

Tabletop roleplaying never really lived up to my expectations as either a player or a DM/GM. It was always entirely too much effort for so little gain.

I wanted to be immersed in game and all too frequently it became too much game and not enough roleplay. That and I had to figure out “how to play” in isolation from other gamers.

So I became a collector of RPG’s – MERP, GURPS, SHadowrun, Earthdawn, D&D, AD&D, HARP, Rolemaster, Heavy Gear, Burning Wheel. All as cool ideas but too hard to get into, to play regularly.

Then came online gaming and I think I am in a good place, it strikes a good balance bewteen immersion and game, I can pick it up or put it down, and no beer stains on the carpet or being a taxi for poor gaming friends.

Calithras, Guardian of Ered Luin
LOTRO – Elendilmir Server

By: Amanda

Amanda — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:02:47 +0000

I wish my name were Csikszentmihalyi.

Role playing/computer games leading to all sorts of teh evil is a staple of lazy journalism. My sister and her hubby were featured in the Herald (page 3!) a few years back for being a “geek gaming couple” which did present it in a reasonably positive way — ZOMG, these people have lives too! But since then I notice the coverage more and its pretty much unreflective gaming=social dysfunction.

This article re3cycles the picture of my sister and bro-in-law (they are now reduced to stock footage of random geeks). They got asked to be on Today Tonight but turned it down.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/surfing-in-tandem/2006/08/03/1154198260720.html

I play WOW but not table top games — you may study me.

By: Johnny McFreakout

Johnny McFreakout — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:59:33 +0000

That reminds me. I’ve been working on a new larp character. What do you think?

Johnny McFreakout
Overact – level 14
Stab Weakly – level 18
Scream Hysterically – level 19