Jinxed
Member
I don't remember, I think it was the bear one. I did a laugh react because I thought it was absurd. Like, really? A bear flag? Gay isn't enough?
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D&D seems a bit different lately…
- Thread starter EviLore
- Start date
I'll only read if she hooks up with a reborn Wulgar who is the actual protagonist going full Conan with his mighty thews.
Doczu
Member
*Checks bear brotherhood*
Literally a Slaaneshi cult where they need to dig deeper into kinks to get their noodles to stand up.
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NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt
Biggest Trails Stan
I'm a huge fan of The Legend of Drizzt series but stopped reading after I finished reading The Hunter Blade Trilogy back in the early 2000s. I read The Orc King last year, I enjoyed it but it's been so long that I forgot lot of details from the previous books. Now he has a daughter? That name sounds like a stripper name and she look manly from that cover art they show of her. Not sure if I'm gonna to continue reading this series after I finish reading Transition Trilogy...
The entire fantasy genre caters to female readers now. TBH, it's bizarre stepping into a Barnes and Noble these days in general. There's almost nothing for men to read. Going into bookstores abroad you don't see this trend at all, either, just the US.
Rran
Member
Dominion is still awesome, and pretty much run by one very low-key, very smart dude.
falconhoof
Member
I'm going to presume that the narrator's voice is Brie's voice and he identifies as Drizzt's daughter.
NeoIkaruGAF
Gold Member
Not really. Go to any big bookstore in Italy and the novels closest to the entry door, apart from modern or history novels, are all the like of A Court of Roses and Thorns and the rest of the copypaste fantasy for girls that has invaded bookstore in the last few years.
I have a friend that read a bunch of those, and now even she's like "I'm done with those, they're all the same".
Bookstores in Italy are great compared to the current state of things in the US. You have many classics front and center, like the recent Gustave Dore illustrated hardcover editions of Paradise Lost and The Divine Comedy.
In the US all of the B&N locations lately center around romance slop, new age nonsense, revisionist history.
NeoIkaruGAF
Gold Member
Oh yeah, the variety is there, even if the data says almost nobody actually reads books and like 99% of the people you see in bookstores at any given hour is women.
But the romance / fantasy slop is pushed front and center anyway. If you see color in an Italian bookstore, it's those.
I haven't been in an American bookstore (or in the US at all, actually) for 30 years. I was in awe at the quantity and variety when I went there. Sad to hear about their current state.
Fbh
Member
Yup, there's still some good stuff but it's harder to find.
Discoverability has become harder for fantasy/sci fi that caters more to a male audience. You aren't getting prime shelf space at book stores, lots of online communities like Goodreads have a predominantly female user base and, just like with movies, a lot of awards now seemingly care more about ensuring the list of nominated authors looks diverse rather than only focusing on the quality of the work.
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This isn't quite true. There are male focused, or at least not "solely female oriented" series out there. Murderhobo, Dungeon Crawler Carl, Correia's Black Sword pentology, most of Baen Books, really. Sanderson is probably the only door stopper fantasy author still writing that I'm familiar with today, but he has a pretty balanced set of characters in line with his rather puritanical world view. I've only been to one bookstore in recent years and they at least had a lot of Dungeon Crawler Carl, not sure about the other stuff.
But yes, it does feel like the fantasy genre has been totally hijacked by the YA movement as well as everyone now writing "diverse characters", or worse, totally blank slate characters with virtually no physical description, purely to make any lucrative media adaptation easier. Very few "farm boy becomes king by rescuing the princess" plots for sure. A lot of the gritty male stuff has migrated to military sci-fi or litrpg type stuff like the Forgotten Ruin series (Ranger regiment sent into future where rogue nanotech has basically created a dark fantasy world, kind of a updated version of The Lost Regiment series).
NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt
Biggest Trails Stan
I've been using Goodreads since the early 2000s. It's one of my favorite sites due to how when tracking the books I'm reading, I can see see how many pages left I have etc. Really scratches that OCD Itch I have. But at the same time, lot of the other users on that site are insufferable as hell. They all lean left and they tend to show it in their reviews. I have lot of them on block. It's unfortunate how common it is to see them able to effect reviews scores of otherwise classics due to these classics having stuff that they would deem "Problematic". When it comes to overall scores of books on Goodreads, that's one of the things I ignore on that site
was this written by the script-writer for the Nolan Odyssey film?????
Walliwallipaloo
Member
They captured the hobby so they can target children with their propaganda. Libraries everywhere are hosting "D&D" events. Little wonder why.
NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt
Biggest Trails Stan
Banjo64
cumsessed
While I would hope that DnD in libraries is because librarians are, in general, a bookish sort that played dnd growing up themselves, I do fear you are correct that it is a way to introduce a mind virus to impressionable and vulnerable young people.
Walliwallipaloo
Member
I assure you, it is. One of those events was actually how I got into D&D tabletop about four years ago. Of course, I was aware of D&D before that, but had never played. Wife had the idea of taking the family there because why not. It was an open, everyone's-welcome event, so sure.
It was hosted by two people - an adult and an older teenager. Both males, both obviously... flamboyant. This being four years ago, this didn't bother me. The adult gave everyone in the room a brief tutorial on the game, and what stood out there is he described the clerics as "god-botherers." That was some... pretty heavy language considering the venue, but whatever.
And of course he had his partner go off to a different room to run a separate game for those of us who wanted to play alongside their kids. Didn't think much of it at the time, but I definitely notice it now that he set it up so that he had a room full of nothing but children behind closed doors.
This started quite some time ago, methinks. And man, this ridiculous, over-the-top nonsense I'm seeing lately only cements just how right my squicky feelings were that day.
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BadBurger
Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
Same as it ever was, that is, the Forgotten Realms can be whatever a campaign group wants it to be. D&D is a game of imagination. And D&D is more popular than it has ever been. It's actually mainstream now. A group of streamers were so popular their campaign spawned a smash hit show on a major streaming platform. D&D is routinely one of the most viewed categories on Twitch now. The idea that D&D would be this popular and this mainstream even a decade ago was preposterous. So it's working, and the more the merrier. Run your campaign how you like, use whatever ruleset you want, it's not like the D&D police are going to show up at your house and stop you.
Anyway, funny image. Chibi beholder, cheerful owlbear cub dancing with a druid, pink-haired bard with a mohawk jamming out, good times.
Anyway, funny image. Chibi beholder, cheerful owlbear cub dancing with a druid, pink-haired bard with a mohawk jamming out, good times.
Angry_Megalodon
Member
The problem is that good or decent writers won't ever get published because everything is political. You can only access via nepotism or by writing propaganda. It's impossible for a legit new author to reach book shops. I'm happy that the bunch who read my books love them, but I can't help getting pissed when they innocently ask me "why do you self-publish?" Even if I tell them the reasons, they can't believe the industry is this corrupt.
The only way to read good new books Today is through recommendations or reading free extracts in Amazon, so you get a first impression on an unknown author. Nothing mainstream is reliable. In fact, mainstream will most likely be shit.
Fbh
Member
Yeah the site itself, as in the design and features, is great. But I can't relate to most of the userbase, so everything from their user scores to the end of the year awards they do are basically worthless to me.
Hypereides
Member
Some of us are already working on some things in that regard, mr. Shadowplay. Not refering to DND/RPG genre specifically here, though. I hope to create something the old school arcade heads from GAF might enjoy for a couple of rounds or on-and-off.
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Ar¢tos
Member
Gay bear subculture has existed since the early 80s....*Checks bear brotherhood*
Literally a Slaaneshi cult where they need to dig deeper into kinks to get their noodles to stand up.
Long before the woke virus.
falconhoof
Member
This is true. If there's no rage response then they're not doing it right. Working with these people, especially when they worm up the ranks of power, is insufferable. The emboldened way they carry themselves around the office, safe within the protective echo chamber they've formed where anyone who disagrees has learned to keep their mouth shut or face repercussions.
There was a time that it was in the fringes of the offices, where the rest of the normal staff could point and laugh at the shit, but then it crept up the ranks and took a grip of power.
I made my exit from AAA and looking across the landscape of studios today I don't feel sad to not be in those spaces. I just feel sad that the industry has wasted billions on shit games, killed once great studios, and tanked once great IPs. We all lost out on what could have been great games.
NeoIkaruGAF
Gold Member
"Everyone in this entire story is keto" killed me
Himuro
Member
I'm glad you're starting to see why a men's magazine that harkens back to the time of our youth is necessary and needed.
Not because women are bad, but because we have few spaces for men left.
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falconhoof
Member
I'm glad you're starting to see why a men's magazine that harkens back to the time of our youth is necessary and needed.
Looking at Goodreads new fantasy releases and you're going to see romantacy, cozy, female empowerment, with the majority of authors being women. I think that reflects on who's getting publishing deals, who's allowed to win awards.
You look at the Science Fiction convention where the Hugo Awards are given and it's presented by people like this.
People can write what they fuck they want, that's not the issue. It's more about how your once not so popular hobby became popular then they stepped in and claimed it for themselves.
Throughout high school a large group of us played D&D, we invited the girls in our friends group to join, they didn't want to. The hobby was a guy thing, just like how our Saturdays hanging out in Games Workshop playing Warhammer was a complete sausage and B/O fest. D&D is fucking struggle session the game now with constant trigger warning labels and every race is the same because woe-betide you singling one out in a discriminatory fashion and calling them a bad word.
That because this is a bullshit echo chamber. Though Mark Lawrence at least used to be grimdark. But book publishing has floundered because self published/indies are KILLING IT.Looking at Goodreads new fantasy releases and you're going to see romantacy, cozy, female empowerment, with the majority of authors being women. I think that reflects on who's getting publishing deals, who's allowed to win awards.
You look at the Science Fiction convention where the Hugo Awards are given and it's presented by people like this.
People can write what they fuck they want, that's not the issue. It's more about how your once not so popular hobby became popular then they stepped in and claimed it for themselves.
Throughout high school a large group of us played D&D, we invited the girls in our friends group to join, they didn't want to. The hobby was a guy thing, just like how our Saturdays hanging out in Games Workshop playing Warhammer was a complete sausage and B/O fest. D&D is fucking struggle session the game now with constant trigger warning labels and every race is the same because woe-betide you singling one out in a discriminatory fashion and calling them a bad word.
My kid got into DnD so I got him the 5.5 players handbook. They stripped out all the ability modifiers and stuff from the races/species and put them into "backgrounds". So an Orc can be dextrous and charismatic and a gnome can be burly and strong. Race is the LAST thing you pick now, instead of the first thing, which, IMHO, strips away a lot of the vibe of the world, as now the most concrete aspect of a character, their race, is now tangential and largely superficial.
Himuro
Member
This is utter slop. The stuff they make doesn't even seem impressive or moving the needle either.Looking at Goodreads new fantasy releases and you're going to see romantacy, cozy, female empowerment, with the majority of authors being women. I think that reflects on who's getting publishing deals, who's allowed to win awards.
You look at the Science Fiction convention where the Hugo Awards are given and it's presented by people like this.
People can write what they fuck they want, that's not the issue. It's more about how your once not so popular hobby became popular then they stepped in and claimed it for themselves.
Throughout high school a large group of us played D&D, we invited the girls in our friends group to join, they didn't want to. The hobby was a guy thing, just like how our Saturdays hanging out in Games Workshop playing Warhammer was a complete sausage and B/O fest. D&D is fucking struggle session the game now with constant trigger warning labels and every race is the same because woe-betide you singling one out in a discriminatory fashion and calling them a bad word.
World of Warcraft has become like this as well. I think WoW helped contribute to this, sadly, because it was something for everyone. Now an Orc can be a Mage or some shit. I'm convinced this started with WoW. People didn't want to make a new race for a new class so they made it so every race can be every class. Then, what was originally just a "quality of life" change became a more political and ideological change.
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I told my kid that sure, an Orc COULD be a mage, but they would have a lot of disadvantages compared to an elf. Same with a halfling barbarian. These sorts of things USED to be flavor and flesh out the world, but now they are considered "limiting and restrictive" as if fundamental universal rules are somehow impossible to conceive.
I'm considering pushing my kid towards Dungeon Crawler Classic, which is more in line with OG DnD and way easier to parse.
falconhoof
Member
I've been tempted to pick up Old School Essentials based on the b/x editions of D&D. It would mean me having to DM a game though, which I've managed to avoid doing for years.
I like the simple to the point layout of it all and some of the modern takes on things that save having to explain oddities like -10 AC.
Himuro
Member
Thanks for letting me know about Dungeon Crawler Classic because I've been wanting to play D&D and didn't want to play the new slop.
This is what happens when women take over a hobby. They have to be extra accommodating so no one's fee fee's get hurt. Not that women can't join these hobbies. We've had multiple women on this board itself. But when women get a foothold on something, a large voice, that's when it starts to become about equality and shaving off "rough edges" that gave things character before.
DCC uses some funky dice, just be forewarned.
I'm not sure its women per se that 'ruined' DnD, more just the "I wanna be anything and everything" crowd that sees DnD as therapy for their traumatic life. The streamers that try to push a paraplegic orc shaman necromancer with druidic tendencies is the issue, these weird characters that don't seem very viable but make for wacky podcast/arena fun.
DKehoe
Member
DCC using Zocchi dice is a fun throwback. Our DM got DCC a bit ago and wants to run that at some point in the future. We were recently playing Basic edition and have just gone back to Fifth. But from what I've heard about DCC I'm looking forward to trying it, and the dice, out.
I'm also prepping a game of the TTRG Spire that I'm going to be starting this week. That seems like a really cool system with some incredible looking classes.
uncreativename
Gold Member
Ew the Dream Daddy art style again. Also lmao Breezy Do'Urden, really?
I never played D&D but I always liked their art back in the day
I never played D&D but I always liked their art back in the day
Jeff Easley was the peak. Probably the best D&D artist of all time.Ew the Dream Daddy art style again. Also lmao Breezy Do'Urden, really?
I never played D&D but I always liked their art back in the day
falconhoof
Member
If we're bringing up artists then got to give a shout out to some of the other greats of the greatest era of D&D art., like Larry Elmore, Keith Parkinson, and Clyde Caldwell.
I love so much work from this era, but for some reason this image beautifully captures D&D so well and has been my favorite piece for a long time.
The hopeful adventures exploring the town, looking cautious but curious about what this beggar is calling them over. You can see the dice rolls, the perception checks, the loot, and the ambush the DM has ready to spring upon the party.
I love so much work from this era, but for some reason this image beautifully captures D&D so well and has been my favorite piece for a long time.
The hopeful adventures exploring the town, looking cautious but curious about what this beggar is calling them over. You can see the dice rolls, the perception checks, the loot, and the ambush the DM has ready to spring upon the party.
Power Pro
Member
Mengy
wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
Ew the Dream Daddy art style again. Also lmao Breezy Do'Urden, really?
I never played D&D but I always liked their art back in the day
I don't play D&D anymore (except for PC games) but I played a lot when I was younger, and yeah, the art was always a big draw for me too. I have a few awesome D&D art books, but they are all a few decades old now.
poodaddy
Gold Member
Never played a table top RPG in my life, always been kinda curious to try, but if I do, this has to be the one. Life long metal head here, and this uh.....appeals to me.....greatly.If people are looking for something other than D&D to play that has great art then Mörk Borg is a fun old school style game with an incredible doom metal art style. Every page is bursting with juicy, disgusting flavour. There's been a lot of great community support for it too.
diffusionx
Gold Member
People started noticing this a year or two ago, the book industry is gatekeeping hard, its very hard if not impossible for a straight white guy to break through and they get none of the official accolades that exist in the industry, literally none, and haven't for a decade. And then the elites wonder why young men are going back and reading the classics again.Looking at Goodreads new fantasy releases and you're going to see romantacy, cozy, female empowerment, with the majority of authors being women. I think that reflects on who's getting publishing deals, who's allowed to win awards.
You look at the Science Fiction convention where the Hugo Awards are given and it's presented by people like this.
People can write what they fuck they want, that's not the issue. It's more about how your once not so popular hobby became popular then they stepped in and claimed it for themselves.
Throughout high school a large group of us played D&D, we invited the girls in our friends group to join, they didn't want to. The hobby was a guy thing, just like how our Saturdays hanging out in Games Workshop playing Warhammer was a complete sausage and B/O fest. D&D is fucking struggle session the game now with constant trigger warning labels and every race is the same because woe-betide you singling one out in a discriminatory fashion and calling them a bad word.
DKehoe
Member
Even if you don't play it, it's a great read on its own. I wasn't even cherry-picking the best art for that, just grabbing the first few things that popped up. So if you love that kind of style there's something incredible for you on every page. They really let the designers off the leash for this one.
It's a pretty simple system so even if you haven't played a TTRPG before it's a pretty straightforward for you and your friends to dive into. If I remember right the core book has a dungeon in it that you can run the players through and there's plenty of additional content out there you can use. An example of that is this random character generator that creates characters for you. Obviously you and your friends are welcome to make characters yourselves but when I played it the GM printed out a bunch of ones from that and let us pick one so that we could hit the ground running.
Just be aware, since it's in that old-school style, it's pretty brutal with how easy it was to die, especially when you're starting out. I remember when our first fight took place I had an "oh shit" moment after the first turn, realising that the old man we'd disturbed could take any of us out with a single hit. But that ramps the tension up and adds a sense of achievement to the fights you make it out of.
Since it's also got a metal vibe, another one I really enjoy is Eat The Reich, a game in which the players are vampire commandos dropped into Paris during the Second World War. Think Inglorious Basterds meets Suicide Squad.
It's another where the book is really fun to read on its own terms. The game itself is a blast to play and is all about the players describing themselves doing wild, crazy shit in creative ways.
I feel like sometimes threads like these can just turn into focusing on a negative rather than looking for something positive instead. So that's why I figured I'd pop in a couple of suggestions for other games people could try out. I think sometimes people think of D&D as being the totality of TTRPGs and clearly it's the biggest title in the space but there are plenty of other amazing games out there.
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK no. That was Kieth Parkinson, hands fuck DOWN, sadly taken to soon. Runner up was Larry Elmore, whom I've met several times and is a really cool dude.
Look at Kieth
or Larry
For me, Easley was always a bit too watercolory and fluid
Clyde Caldwell, the 4th horseman of TSR, was my least favorite (though they are alllll way over to the right of the bell curve for fantasy artists) because he was the most cartoony and damned if he didn't love giant jewels on everyone
That is one of my fav Elmore pieces as well. I may have gotten him to sign a print of it for me, I'll have to check.If we're bringing up artists then got to give a shout out to some of the other greats of the greatest era of D&D art., like Larry Elmore, Keith Parkinson, and Clyde Caldwell.
I love so much work from this era, but for some reason this image beautifully captures D&D so well and has been my favorite piece for a long time.
The hopeful adventures exploring the town, looking cautious but curious about what this beggar is calling them over. You can see the dice rolls, the perception checks, the loot, and the ambush the DM has ready to spring upon the party.
Hari Seldon
Member
Yeah I pretty much dropped reading any new fantasy over the last 10 years. Especially after Sanderson went completely woke. That industry is fucked worse than any other with gatekeeping at the big publishers, and massive spam and discoverability problem with self publishing.