Gary Invictus, the Great Escape...

So last week or so, there was some debate about what Gary Gygax might have thought about the latest edition of D&D. Who knows? But it wasn't lost on me how both sides of the metaphorical (and all-too political) divide claimed Gary for their own and fancied either a kindly, tolerant acceptance or utter disdain (although the latter might have been hyperbolic rambling), which suggests the man's ultimate transcendence...

Gary very sadly left us in 2008. But he lived long enough to change the world, make legions of friends, and share his wisdom. There were decades of articles and interviews galore, including threads on many forums, all of which offered glimpses into the man. But he left us before Twitter and today's toxic political environment, so we'll never know who he'd have supported in our contentious elections. Ditto for the (numerous) hot-button issues endlessly debated online. People try to infer this or that, but it's a clumsy stretch. 

I'm realistic. He was an older man from a previous time, and I somehow doubt his views would consistently align with contemporary mores*. Gary would have run afoul of one faction or another, and the tribes would predictably close ranks faster than you can say sheeple, overshadowing both the man and his work. I'm thankful this never happened in his lifetime, especially given the (absurd) politicization of the current hobby.

By leaving when he did, Gary put his game ahead of himself; and this is as it should be, especially for a hobby explicitly laid in the able hands of its far-flung adherents. No man, not even the pastime's progenitor, should claim the final word. Moreover, by avoiding today's sometimes vulgar (and never particularly humble) online debates, Gary became a universal figure in which everyone can see at least some reflection of their values. In a time of ugly divisions, it's nice when something can unite us in positive and enjoyable ways...

*He had libertarian leanings to be certain; but no one's a monolith or mere stereotype.

Fantasy (TM), Overexposed...

Gaming (and fantasy in general) has long-since gone mainstream. From computer games to television shows, the fantastic is seamlessly integrated into the popular imagination so completely that even non-fans understand its conventions in broad strokes. You can find polyhedrals at Dollar General, plush beholders on Amazon; and thanks to the movies, Santa's helpers are no longer the go-to response to elves (my cell phone offers elf emojis far removed from the toy-making kind). TL;DR: this fantasy stuff is popular...

And that's a fundamentally good development. No old man yelling at clouds today. It means we aren't reviled as geeks or nerds anymore (those born after 1990 might not realize how much of a thing that really was back in the mist-shrouded 70s). It means more products - and definitely more people to play with and/or share our love for all things fantastic, with fewer barriers to creative souls wishing to partake. The incredible diversity of people in the hobby is quite literally the best thing about the mainstreaming of our collective dorks. 

But the mainstreaming of fantasy means the commercialization of it all. Every book is part of a Trilogy (TM), every movie part of a Franchise (TM). Half a century of lovingly enshrined conventions become Product (TM) in a crowded marketplace; and no, it's not lost on Robyn and I that we sell games in this saturated environment. To call our popular culture fantasy obsessed is a profound understatement. Don't get me wrong, good fantasy sells better than bad, and we're rewarded by the market with some great entertainment...

But am I the only one here who who gets tired of it sometimes? From the sheer glut of steampunk and plush Cthulhu toys to the latest formulaic (insert your platform here) series designed in a boardroom and calculated to generate Twitter traffic, it can be too much to stomach. Not sure if the kids here know how familiarity breeds contempt; but it surely applies in this situation. There's no greater threat to wonder than the crass commercialization of whatever takes our fancy. Words to ponder while cuddling our plush beholders. 

But it's a trade-off world, and this is the price of mainstreaming. If that's what it takes to welcome everyone and provide them with choices, so be it. And it's not like we don't have options here. Be a better consumer of products. Tune out the commercials. Given how ridiculously easy it is to sidestep the pitfalls of oversaturation, the complaints of this post are frivolous and probably downright petty. It's our job to act responsibly towards our personal abundance, whether food (drink), money, and/or popular entertainments...

Better still, we can take back our passions. Write (and play) a homebrew system. Make fantasy something we do rather than something we just watch or buy. That's what's so great about gaming, 5th edition as well. It's easy, and inevitable, to make these things our own, which is wildly subversive and positively human. And if there ever was a pastime subject to commercialization and simultaneously immune to its worst effects, gaming, in all its glory, might be it. That's all for this week. Time for this old man to go yell at some clouds...