How do you politely say...

[subplotkudzu]

 Over the last few days I've been dipping in to the first edition DMG to remind myself of what the game was really like. I had intended to post some comments on the how DMing theory had changed over the last three decades. I may yet, but first, I have to comment on this: 

http://www.slate.com/id/2186203/

Now I'm trying to find a polite way to tell the author that, with his points had been debated to death decades ago and "hurting bad fun" condescension, his best course of action is to go f*** himself. 

"The problem with D&D is that it plays like a video game?" No, the problem with video games is that they play like the weakest, least innovative sort of D&D - which is not the sort of D&D that Gygax played, or really that anyone else plays either. 

"More importantly, characters in this new system [GURPS] could be fleshed out down to the smallest detail, from a crippling phobia of snakes to a severe food allergy." Funny, I played D&D characters with a fear of snakes too, and the system didn't have to bribe me to do it by saying that having a fear of snakes gave me the points to be a better archaeologist. I just decided the character was afraid of snakes. And without D&D, GURPS would be non-existent. The creators who you mention whose works "far outclassed" Gygax have been writing eulogies to him, which makes it clear they understand all gamers debt to the original D&D concepts, even if this writer doesn't 

Pisses me off.

Comments

[40yearsagotoday.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, I'm sure Sofge is thrilled with the response to the article. He got exactly what he wanted: a crowd of angry people whose very anger affirms his superiority.

[brianrogers.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know that intellectually. He might even get paid by the click through on Slate, so the best thing would be to delete all links and let it sit there alone and unloved. It's not so much his ego or his beliefs, but that he's promulgating memes that are harmful to the hobby while asserting his own superiority and ranting about others Hurting Wrong Fun. That's what's got me so pissed.