Monday, April 13, 2009

Dragonsfoot AD&D Boards

I really like Dragonsfoot. It is the clearinghouse for OOP players of all types. While not as Grognardish as K&K Alehouse or crunchy as some other boards, I think most would agree that DF has established itself as the common ground meeting place for OOP gaming. They've also got some great downloadable resources, although most are getting a little dated. I think its clear that I'm a DF supporter, given that I have been a member since 03 and am one of the top 100 most prolific posters there.

But of late, I've gotten quite weary of the 1E board, my old hangout. I'm getting a bit frustrated with the constant repetition of topics. How many times can you discuss how surprise works? How many times can you squabble over how to adjudicate ENC or armor or initiative or any of the complex/confusing rules in AD&D?

I have answered most of those questions for myself in a comprehensive errata document. I've done a lot of thought, research, and discussion with other knowledgeable gamers and think I've learned both the BTB method and my preferred method for dealing with just about every issue in the game. So there's really not much I'm going to get out of a discussion on how to do initiative or how Surprise works. I mean, seriously, DM Prata's ADDICT project should have put the lid on how to run stuff BTB years ago, but those questions keep coming up.

Frankly I am finding it all a bit tiresome. I don't want to be rude or curt, but I find myself being tempted to just say, "No, you're wrong. Running it like that is stupid because of A, B, and C. This is the BTB way, this is how I run it, and this is why." And let that be my final word. But, even that is tiresome (how many times do you want to explain your position on any given topic?), so I find myself being tempted to just leave a curt, "You're wrong, this is the better way to do it, here's a link to ADDICT (or whatever other resource)" most of the time.

AD&D is a lot of fun, and I've played a lot of it. It was my first system and I still remember the mystique of looking through all the classes in the PHB and the monsters in the MM. Its also a complicated and fundamentally flawed game in some ways. I'd still be able to have fun running or playing in an AD&D game.

But, I don't think I have the patience for the DF AD&D forum anymore. I think I'll be spending more of my time in the Classic, Workshop, and Simalacrum threads in the future. I just don't see the point in rehashing the same material over and over, or of trying to convince people that my way is better. DF (unlike other gaming boards out there -- I'm looking at you, Gleemax/Enworld) actually has an easy to use Search function. So if someone hasn't done any research, its just out of laziness. Sure, their way might be flawed, and I can point out why, but if (A) they're having fun and (B) they don't care enough to research one of the many resources out there for more info, who am I to stop them?

Sorry for the negativity, but I figured it'd be better to get this off my chest here than actually, well, at DF ;).

1 comment:

Koga305 said...

Actually, I agree completely. I've shied away from the AD&D boards for the same reason... it just keeps getting rehashed. I'd rather be in the Simulacrum or Workshop forums, because things are actually being created there... not debated endlessly.