# Wow, that D&D article does NOT hold up. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [April 30, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883 "2010-04-30T17:14:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grovberg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8baadc/32.png) [@grovberg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grovberg)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/1 "2010-04-30T17:14:38Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/278/whats-the-deal-with-dungeons-and-dragons](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/278/whats-the-deal-with-dungeons-and-dragons) I’m just sort of amazed by how far geek culture has come since this article was written. The tone of the article (these crazy outsiders do a scary thing called “role playing”) just seems so ridiculous by modern standards when RPGs are some the most popular forms of entertainment that exist. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/2 "2010-04-30T17:21:20Z")
That article wasn’t good even when it was first written . ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/3 "2010-04-30T19:07:18Z")
I find the article amusing, and I contest the claim that “RPGs are some the most popular forms of entertainment that exist”. Even if you count MMORPGs, which in my opinion is a totally different beast than paper and dice AD&D, it’s still a niche activity derided by the majority. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/4 "2010-04-30T19:13:33Z")
> [@naita](#): > > I find the article amusing, and I contest the claim that “RPGs are some the most popular forms of entertainment that exist”. Even if you count MMORPGs, which in my opinion is a totally different beast than paper and dice AD&D, it’s still a niche activity derided by the majority. Really? I mean, if you count computer/videogame RPGs, they seem thoroughly mainstream. Most shopping malls have an EB or Gamestop, and these stores frequently give pride of place to displays for the latest big-budget RPG. And Bioware, in particular, makes a real effort to incorporate AD&D rules into its games. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/5 "2010-04-30T19:13:41Z")
The article is dated September 26, 1980. In the article, Cecil says “Although Gygax left the company [TSR] in the mid-1980s,”. Sooo… Cecil had powers of precognition? ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/6 "2010-04-30T19:18:21Z")
[QUOTE=Uncle Cec] … each player establishes the persona of the “character” he or she will manipulate in the game, who typically ends up (if male) being an antisocial cutthroat of some sort, or (if female) possessed of large, grapefruit-like breasts. I deduce the latter from studying the illustrations in the book. [/QUOTE] Some things in that 30-year-old article remain accurate. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/7 "2010-05-01T06:36:16Z")
**mlees** , some articles are updated periodically. ---
**Author:** ![starkfist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@starkfist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starkfist)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/8 "2010-05-01T08:00:28Z")
No shit. I’m sorry to say that this is Cecil at his worst. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/9 "2010-05-01T10:18:34Z")
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: I think TPBT should seriously consider dropping or completely re-doing a lot of the older columns, and this is a prime example. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/10 "2010-05-01T10:58:23Z")
> [@starkfist](#): > > No shit. I’m sorry to say that this is Cecil at his worst. Interesting first post. Anyways, does anyone know if this was while Ed was editing the column, or back when he had previous editors? I don’t think Ed would let Cecil get by with that tone today. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/11 "2010-05-01T12:03:35Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I don’t think Ed would let Cecil get by with that tone today. Speaking of Role Playing…:eek: ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/12 "2010-05-02T00:57:45Z")
Ed took over in 1978, I think, so … ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/13 "2010-05-02T02:01:23Z")
If _Dungeons and Dragons_ were really mainstream, _Legend of the Seeker_ wouldn’t be the only fantasy on US television, and it wouldn’t be facing cancelation. Sorry guys, but in the eyes of the world at large, you’re still geeks. – John W. Kennedy Renaissance-Faire actor and active member of the Int’l _Wizard of Oz_ Club. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/14 "2010-05-03T02:04:57Z")
With all due respect John, what do you call yourself? I mean, it would appear to me that you get to do more LARPing than the tabletop D&D division. And well, I’m not too sure that LARPers are any less [if not more] geeky. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/15 "2010-05-03T03:17:56Z")
“Here is a fellow calls himself I…” – Charles Williams, “Thomas Cranmer of Canterbury” ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/16 "2010-05-03T13:51:45Z")
> [@Meeko](#): > > With all due respect John, what do you call yourself? > > I mean, it would appear to me that you get to do more LARPing than the tabletop D&D division. And well, I’m not too sure that LARPers are any less [if not more] geeky. I think **John W. Kennedy** was signaling that he was using the term “geek” from the inside. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/17 "2010-05-03T15:36:42Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > The article is dated September 26, 1980. > > In the article, Cecil says “Although Gygax left the company [TSR] in the mid-1980s,”. > > Sooo… Cecil had powers of precognition? The Straight Dope has been in/on various outlets over the years, including the Straight Dope books, a forum on AOL, _The Straight Dope on A&E_, and its own website. In that time some of the original columns have been updated as needed for various reasons. Apparently the D&D column was updated before The Straight Dope book was published – I find this information in the book as well. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/18 "2010-05-03T16:46:28Z")
> [@starkfist](#): > > No shit. I’m sorry to say that this is Cecil at his worst. I must unfortunately agree. Clearly Cecil is (or was, thirty years ago, at least) no gamer. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/19 "2010-05-03T16:57:58Z")
How come we don’t see more columns like this nowadays? “Cecil, what’s this new-fangled ‘krumping’ that all the kids are doing?” “I don’t get this ‘Grand Theft Auto III’ that those little whippersnappers are talking about. Can you explain it?” “Can you explain ‘Radiohead’ to me? I don’t understand have someone can have a radio for a head!” ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883/20 "2010-05-03T16:58:16Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > The Straight Dope has been in/on various outlets over the years, including the Straight Dope books, a forum on AOL, _The Straight Dope on A&E_, and its own website. > > In that time some of the original columns have been updated as needed for various reasons. Apparently the D&D column was updated before The Straight Dope book was published – I find this information in the book as well. > [@EvilTOJ](#): > > **mlees** some articles are updated periodically. Ok, thanks. I knew there was a logical reason, even if I couldn’t think of it off the top of my head. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-that-d-d-article-does-not-hold-up/537883.md?page=2)