Off topic silliness? You decide! (Regarding Dice)

[Olvelsper]

What's the deal with dice in all these systems, anyways? Just a while ago, I was browsing through 4chan (damn art forum thieves), and I noticed a nice shiny pair of ball breaking dice. I mean, seriously, if I were a GM I'd be afraid of those things, considering they were cast out of steel and looked like they'd weigh a pound or so. DICE SHOULDN'T BE THAT HEAVY.

Anyhow, after all that, I began to wonder why so many pen and paper games rely on these little tools of fate. That, and to make some conversation, hopefully. So, what brought about dice usage in these pen and paper games, and what explains all this fascination lately with making all these trendy (and ball breaking) dice?

[Brian]

No clue about the ball-breaking dice.  The closest thing I've seen are just novelty dice -- though, I DID find a bunch of weighted d6s for sale as "Character Builders".  And some hollow, clear dice with smaller, colored dice inside of them (roll a single d6 to get two results).

But dice came into play in D&Ds original incarnation, which was the strategy/war simulation game.  There was no role-playing involved, and so the system was all dice because it was a war game.

D&D, the forebearer of all other RPGs, was the system designed for those occasions when all of the players of a battle couldn't get together.  Then they 'role-played' their small-scale characters.  Specifically, their generals and commanders.

Anyway.  Now you know.

[Dracos]

Okay two things...

The dice are used because they are an easy way to introduce randomness into a game and when the some of the bigger games arose from tact-strat games, spending hours rolling dice being part of the whole 'fun' of that area (cue warhammer 40k and it's paint millions of figurines stuff)...

Anyhow, distracted...

Since they are attached to two geeky areas (tact-strat and rpgs) people naturally are willing to buy weird looking ones.  Because they are extra geeky.  I mean, no one ever rolls that wood die that's ten inches across on each side...but they sure do love sticking them on their head as they cackle "I'm GALSTAFF!  SOCERER OF LIGHT!"

Dracos

[Carthrat]

Because people don't want to actually act out their combats in person, and thus rely on the proxy of dice. Wimps.

[Yuthirin]

Damn right.

LARP! Beat that orc in the head with the LAMP!

[Olvelsper]

I bet less people would pick on nerds if we trained ourselves in the fighting arts using D&D. The concept of nerds rising up against the masses just amuses me so...

Anywho, just to add a bit more to the discussion, as it were. Have any of you seen the picture on one of the chans about that thousand or so year old dice? Makes me feel almost proud in being a nerd to see stuff like that. (if it's true, mind you.)

Oh, and you guys rock for responding, btw. :D

http://www.iichan.net/p/res/316.html : Here's the link to the 'artifact' of geekhood.

[Carthrat]

But what if we critically fail, Olg? We'd be *obligated* to stab ourselves in the foot!

Basic Improbability Theory dictates that the chance of critically failing is 20%, no matter what dice you use, and I don't like those odds..

[Olvelsper]

Endurance training, obviously.

[Dracos]

Dicing and Gambling games are older than RPGs by many an era.  That's about all there is to say there. ^_^

Dracos

[Olvelsper]

I still can't see the Greeks doing that, for some odd reason. I shall therefore justify it as them being complete and total hardcore geeks that invented the prototype RPG.

>>

<<

So there.

[Brian]

I still can't see the Greeks doing that, for some odd reason. I shall therefore justify it as them being complete and total hardcore geeks that invented the prototype RPG.

Man.  The ancient greeks had everything.  Armies, temples, palaces, gardens.

Festivals, the olympics, schools, tournaments....

I have almost no trouble imagining the ancient Greeks playing D&D.

[Slacker]

Because I need something to blame for my screwups, and it certainly ain't gonna be ME, buddy.

Plus, it gives hardcore geeks something to create superstitions and traditions around.  (Don't touch my dice or dice bag or I'll eat your heart, BTW.)

[Dracos]

Your dice are mine.

Consider them gone.

Dracos

[Slacker]

Well, I have no choice but to eat your hea....DAMMIT!

I'll eat your console's hearts?

-EDIT: Whoo!  I can't spell!

[Dracos]

I invite you to try.

Your slacking capabilities shall not provide thee entrance into the fortress of Doom.

Dracos