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The Escapist Archives
An index of the articles and documents featured here over the
years. If you have an article, report, or study that relates
to gaming advocacy that is not listed here, and you would like to
submit it, drop me a line at
Entries
are listed in chronological order under each yearly heading.
For ease of browsing the more recent articles, the year headings are
arranged in reverse chronological order (with the
most recent on top - this makes it easier to see the most recent
stories).
Looking
for a specific topic or subject? Each article is tagged with one or
more keywords. Use your browser's search function to find the keywords
you're looking for. A list of the tags is below.
Keywords:
benefits, CCGs, celebrity, columbine, convention, crime,
D&D, education, film,
goth, industry, kids, LARP, library, magic, military, murder, paranoia,
pokemon,
politics, positive, RPGs, school, study, suicide, trial, vampire, women
| Studies,
Reports, and Papers |
The Darren Molitor Letter by Darren Molitor, 1985. Letter written by Darren Molitor, an accused murderer, describing how Dungeons & Dragons
is played and attempting to connect it to his crime and the crimes of
others. Years later, in a written conversation with Michael Stackpole,
Molitor admitted he "may have gone a little bit overboard" with his
claims, due to pressures from his trial (See The Pulling Report, below). Keywords: crime, D&D, paranoia, RPGs, murder
Game
Hysteria and the Truth by Michael A. Stackpole, 1989.
Stackpole's original expose on the methods of Patricia Pulling and
B.A.D.D. Keywords:
benefits, crime, D&D, paranoia, RPGs, suicide
The
Pulling Report by Michael A. Stackpole, 1990. A report on
Patricia Pulling's claims, background, and reporting methods. Keywords:
benefits, crime, D&D, paranoia, RPGs, suicide
Role-Playing
Games: Their Stigmas and
Benefits by William J. Walton. This is a paper that I wrote
for a Technical Writing class in December, 1995 (and that would eventually mutate into this website). The title is
unintentionally deceptive; I also covered collectible card games. As
well as an extended discussion on the unwarranted stigmas that both
kinds of games have collected, I also conducted a survey on the effects
of gaming on the player's religious beliefs, and interviewed David
Millians, author of the Games and Education
newsletter, and a grade school teacher who uses role-playing in the
classroom extensively. Keywords:
benefits, RPGs, CCGs, D&D
The
following are arranged in chronological order Student share gaming pastime: Indiana Statesman, February 7th, 2010: Kaiulani
Anderson-Ligget. Positive article on the roleplaying hobby and some of
the unfair stereotypes it has accumulated. Keywords: D&D, positive, RPGs Suspect in slays fan of 'Dungeons':
Boston Herald, February 16th, 2010: Laurel J. Sweet. Accused campus
killer Amy Bishop's terrible secret is revealed - she played Dungeons & Dragons 30 years ago while in college, and met her future husband at a D&D club. (Case closed!) Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder, paranoia, RPGs Keller group finds low-tech games to be fun, challenging:
The Keller Citizen, March 16th, 2010: Adrian McCandless. A library
tabletop gaming club explores the benefits of games, including
RPGs. Keywords: kids, library, positive, RPGs Players battle demons, rescue teammates in classic role-playing game: Gazette.net, March 17th, 2010: Jeremy Arias. An afterschool D&D program helps kids with math and social skills. Keywords: kids, positive, RPGs, school
U.S. diplomats use military role-playing to
prepare for Iraq assignments: Los Angeles Times, July 10th,
2009: Alexandra Zavis. The title says it all, really. Keywords:
LARP, military
Magical
transformation:
Boston Globe, July 11th, 2009: Joseph P. Kahn. Article about a
role-playing camp for kids, with a brief discussion on the social and
developmental benefits of roleplay. Keywords:
benefits, kids, LARP, positive
A
'shoot-out' at the Hyatt Morristown... all in good fun:
nj.com, July 14th 2009: George! Interviews with LARPers and con staff
at Dexcon in Morristown, New Jersey. Keywords:
benefits, LARP, positive
Weekend
will find many enmeshed in 'the Game': Post-Bulletin, July
18th 2009: Matthew Stolle. An annual family reunion evolves into a
40-member fantasy LARP in Minnesota. Keywords:
benefits, LARP, positive
Plans
under way for memorial to gaming icon in Lake Geneva:
Janesville
Gazette, August 4th, 2009: Kayla Bunge. Gail Gygax submits a memorial
to Gary to the Lake Geneva Park Board. Gaming, computer, and film
companies show their support for the memorial. Keywords: D&D, positive,
RPG
New Georgia Supreme
Court justice earns praise:
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 15th, 2009: John Kessler. Davd
Nahimas, Georgia's new Supreme Court justice, used to be a D&D
geek. Keywords:
benefits, celebrity, D&D
Man bound over for trial in
hammer attacks:
Salt Lake Tribune, August 17th, 2009: Mark Havnes. A man accused of
attacking two other men with a hammer may have done so over a
poorly run game of D&D
and a bit of jealously. D&D
isn't quite described as a cause for the crime, but more as a
background for the argument. Keywords: crime,
D&D, murder, trial
Victims in beatings
testify:
thespectrum.com, August 18th, 2009: Nur Kausar. More on the trial of
Zachary King, who attacked two men with a hammer as they slept. This
article reveals more on the motive - King was jealous of one of the men
for his wealth and writing ability, and the other because he was dating
a woman that King liked. Keywords: crime,
D&D, murder, trial
Jury accepts insanity plea in
'08 shooting: Gwinnett Daily Post, August 20th, 2009: Josh
Green. A woman exhibiting symptoms of
paranoia and schizophrenia blames a D&D group
for her own attack on a co-worker and her brother's death (which was
determined to be a suicide). Keywords: crime,
D&D, murder, trial
LARP
Boulder: Live-action role playing brings fantasy to life:
Boulder Daily Camera, August 28th 2009: Aimee Heckel. A piece on the
Denver-Boulder International Fantasy Gaming Society. Keywords:
benefits, LARP, positive
Role-playing
prepares military for Afghanistan: stuff.co.nz,
September 9th, 2009: Mike Watson. The New Zealand Defense Force
prepares for a mission to Afghanistan with some roleplaying
simulation. Keywords:
benefits, LARP, military, positive
Fantasy
fanatics take medieval make-believe to Bill Schupp park:
themonitor.com, September 17th 2009: Amy Nichol Smith. A piece on the
High Fantasy Society, a LARP organization in South Texas. Keywords:
LARP, positive
Changing
face in an alternate universe:
redandblack.com, October 23rd, 2009: Michael Prochaska. A short piece
on a horror RPG night at a game store near the University of
Georgia. Keywords: positive,
RPG
Humans
to battle undead in role-playing game:
bupipedream.com, October 23rd, 2009: Greg Norman. A nine-day session of
the Humans vs. Zombies LARP is set to begin at the University of
Bighamton. Keywords:
LARP, positive Family still feels pain of children's murder 25 years ago:
Orangeville Citizen, October 29th, 2009: Wes Keller. The parents of two
children murdered by a 16-year-old boy in 1984 comment on their
continuing grief. Information about the killer, including his name, are
still not permitted to be released due to Canadian youth offender laws,
but it's perfectly legal to mention that he played D&D and attempt to connect the murder to it. Keywords: D&D, murder, paranoia, RPG
Simulation in Los Gatos to show how real the poverty level is in the Silicon Valley:
Mercury News, November 3rd, 2009: Judy Peterson. A role-playing
simulation that is designed to raise awareness of poverty and possibly
reduce it, to boot. Keywords:
LARP, positive, RPG
No evidence links D&D to societal violence:
Orangeville Citizen, November 5th, 2009: Greg Gillespie and Timothy S.
Brannan. Two letters to the editor in response to a previous article in
the Citizen, "Family still feels pain of children's murder 25 years ago" Keywords: D&D, murder, paranoia, RPG
LARPing: Real Life Adventures:
SLCC Globe, November 25th, 2009: N.L. Thi. A positive article on
LARPing with the players of Mythic Realms, a LARP organization. Keywords: LARP, positive
After school, Edinburg faculty members become wizards, warriors:
The Monitor, December 2nd, 2009: Ana Villaurrutia. Three university
professors, a lab technician, and a school bus driver meet regularly
for an afterschool game of D&D. Keywords: D&D, positive, RPGs, school
First person - 'I am a teenage elf':
The Independent, December 17th, 2009: Charlotte Philby. A teenaged
LARPer from South London explains the nuances of the pasttime, and how
to get involved in it. Keywords: LARP, positive
Big
Theft Ends in Shackles for a Young Goth Couple: New Your
Times, January 24th, 2008: Sean D. Hamill. The story of Roger Dillon
and Nicole Boyd, the "Goth Bonnie & Clyde," who stole cash and
checks from the armored car service where Dillon worked. Both are known
for their love of vampire novels and Dungeons & Dragons. Keywords:
crime, D&D, goth, Vampire
'Goth
Bonnie and Clyde' in $7.4m 'theft': UK Telegraph. January
28th 2008: Tom Leonard. More about Dillon and Boyd, including some
details on their bizarre personal lives: "...the pair never drank, took
drugs or smoked, preferring
to read books, listen to Goth rock music and play the role-playing
game, Dungeons & Dragons." Keywords:
crime, D&D, goth, Vampire
Couple
Cops to Stealing $8 Million in Armored Car Robbery: Fox
News/AP, January 28th 2008. More on the "Goth Bonnie & Clyde,"
Roger DIllon and Nicole Boyd. Keywords:
crime, D&D, goth, Vampire
Night
of the dragonslayers: Times Argus, March 23rd, 2008: Gordon
Dritschilo. Organizers and players at an all-night Dungeons & Dragons
marathon at a public library discuss the positive benefits of the game..Keywords:
benefits, D&D, kids, library
Well-organized make-believe:
Philadelphia
Inquirer, September 10th, 2008: Lizzie Stark. A piece on LARPers in the
Philadelphia and New Jersey areas, and the DEXCON gaming convention in
New Jersey. Keywords:
convention, LARP, positive, RPGs
Play's
the Thing: Associated Press, December 1st, 2008: David Crary.
Kids
need to go beyond organized activities to encourage spontaneity,
creativity and learning, experts say. "Vivian
Paley, a former kindergarten teacher at the University of Chicago
Laboratory Schools and now an author and consultant, says the most
vital form of play for young children involves fantasy and role-playing
with their peers."
Keywords: benefits, education, RPGs
Gaming
Enters English Class Plan: News Examiner-Enterprise, January
8th, 2007: Justin Martino. Inspired by their years playing Dungeons & Dragons,
two Oklahoma educators develop a roleplaying curriculum. Keywords:
benefits, education, RPGs
Fighting
Like A Girl: pressofatlanticcity.com, February 13th, 2007:
Courtney McCann. Tabletop role-playing games are not a boys-only
club. Keywords: D&D,
RPGs, women
Elf
Defence for 'Lingerie Thief':
BBC News, March 6th, 2007: A man accused of stealing underwear from a
lingerie store in Belfast attempts the "I believed I was a female elf
shaman from Shadowrun"
defense. Keywords:
crime, RPGs
Ziggurat Con - The World's
First War Zone Game Convention?:
Gamegrene, April 5th, 2007: aeon. An article on what could
have
been the first ever roleplaying convention in Iraq, held at Camp Adder/Tallil
Airbase on June 9th, 2007. Keywords:
convention, military
Film looks at tabletop
role-playing games: The Olympian Online, April
12th, 2007: Molly Gilmore. Aaron Andersen discusses his short film "The
Roles We Play." "The
whole thing about role-playing is it's all done through imagination.
This is providing the viewer a peek into their imaginations. The
audience is able to see what they're seeing." Keywords:
D&D, film, RPGs
Disciples
of Gygax:
Chicago Reader, April 20th, 2007: Noah Berlatsky. An RPG-themed art
exhibit. Keywords:
D&D, RPGs
Game Ends In
Police Search: Ohio Journal News, May 12th, 2007: Eric
Schwartzberg and Lindsey Hilty. Students participating in a harmless
'Harry Potter mystery game' raise concern from their school and the
police. Keywords:
paranoia, RPGs, school
Dungeons & Dragons'
Murder Mastermind Out of Prison : Fox8 News
(North Carolina), June 7th, 2007: Caron Myers. Chris Prichard, who
murdered his stepfather and attempted to murder his mother, then
attempted to blame the crimes on an obsession with Dungeons & Dragons,
is released from prison after a 19 year sentence. Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder
Reno
couple accused of starving infants while playing video games:
Las Vegas Sun/AP, July 14th, 2007. Young parents ignored their 11- and
1-month-old children after becoming distracted by video games, mainly
the online version of Dungeons
& Dragons. Keywords:
crime, D&D
Massive live-action role-playing
game set on record attempt at PAX : ars technica, August
13th, 2007: Ben Kuchera. Congoers at the Penny Arcade Expo make an
attempt at setting a world record for the most participants in a
LARP. Keywords:
convention, LARP
Nephew draws fire over
card game: Maplewood Ramsey County Review, October
10th, 2007: Alex Davy. Game author and designer John Nephew runs for
city councilman and his opponents attempt to use his game publishing
history against him. The card game "Let's Kill" gets the most
attention, but his work on Dungeons
& Dragons material seems to be entirely
ignored. Keywords:
D&D, politics
Role players cast to
assist military training: Associated Press, October 19th,
2007: John Milburn. Local residents along
with native Iraqis and Afghanis from across the U.S. are hired for
weeks and months at a time to assist with the training of military
advisers in role-playing exercises. Keywords:
LARP, military
All-nighter
stretches young
imaginations: The Citizen, October 22nd, 2007: Erin Plummer.
A high school lock-in event features an all-night Dungeons
& Dragons game. Keywords:
D&D, education, school
They only come
out at night—Vampire players write game as they play : City
Pulse, October 24th, 2007: Joe Torok. A journalist spends
six hours with members of a Vampire LARP group in Lansing,
Michigan. Keywords:
LARP, vampire
Prosecutors seek 33-year sentence for
Norris: Eastside Journal, November 1st, 1997: Carol Ryan. Trial
for David Norris, who attacked his ex-girlfriend with a knife and
hammer, reveals that he was diagnosed with personality disorders.
Norris' sister claims that roleplaying games contributed to the
"deterioration of [his] spirit." Keywords:
crime, murder, RPGs, trial, vampire
Assault
suspect led group with accused killers: Eastside Journal,
(date unknown): Carol Ryan. David Norris once belonged to the same
gaming group as Alex Baranyi. “There is no tie to gothic, fantasy
role-playing''
- Bellevue Police Lt. Bill Ferguson. Keywords:
crime, murder, RPGs, vampire
Zombie
game comes to close: BSU Daily News, November
11th, 2007: Louis Jones. A zombie LARP at Ball State University comes
to a close, and the organizers and players discuss the ups and downs of
the game. Keywords:
LARP, school
Olinger
murder suspect named: Monterey Herald, May
13th, 2006: Julia Reynolds. After 8+ years of searching, police arrest
a suspect in the murder of Kris Olinger. The murder was part of a
carjacking/robbery, and had no connection to the roleplaying groups who
gather at the park where the crime occurred. Keywords:
crime, murder, RPGs
Police search
for accused child molester: WMCTV, May 20th, 2006. An alleged
child molester used gaming books and materials to lure his prey.
Features some common sense comments by a gamer:"Know who your kids are
with - gaming shops are not a babysitter. The mall is not a
babysitter," Keywords:
D&D, crime, RPGs
Army
frowns on Dungeons and Dragons: ynetnews.com, February 28th,
2005: Hanan Greenberg. Eighteen-year-olds who tell Israeli Defense
Force recruiters that they play the popular fantasy game are
automatically given low security clearance. “They're detached
from reality and suscepitble to influence.” Keywords:
D&D, military
Vampire
fan's head found in river: Ananova, January 2nd, 2003. The
severed head of a Swedish Vampire
enthusiast is found in a river. Keywords:
crime, murder, RPGs, vampire
Police
in doubt of role playing connection: www.dn.se, January 2nd,
2003: Dagens Nyheter, translated by Magnus
Widqvist. Swedish police doubt that the murder of Marcus Noren had
anything to do with roleplaying. Keywords:
crime, murder, RPGs, vampire
Vampire
game no motive in murder case:
www.svd.se, January 2nd, 2003: Svenska
Dagbladet, translated
by Magnus Widqvist. No evidence that Marcus Noren was part of a "role
play or vampire game gone wrong." Keywords:
crime, murder, RPGs, vampire
Two men
arrested for dismemberment-murder: Aftonbladet, January 3rd,
2003: Two men arrested for the murder of Marcus Noren. No connection to
roleplaying games. Keywords:
crime, murder, RPGs, vampire
The Latest Attack on RPGs in Sweden: Björn
Hellqvist, January 2003. Björn Hellqvist recaps the Marcus
Noren story. "The family of the
victim had lost a son, but the bad guys got caught, the roleplayers
came
clean, and the tabloids and their so-called experts lost whatever
credibility
they still possessed." We could all learn a thing or two from
Sweden. Keywords:
crime, murder, RPGs, vampire
Ukiah boy
arrested after fantasy game hit
list goes too far:
AP, January 25th, 2003. A 17-year-old boy is arrested for creating a
'hit list' of names of seven other young people. Article mentions that
he plays Dungeons
& Dragons, but any connection between the
two, or even if the list was an actual threat, is unclear. Keywords:
crime, D&D, paranoia, RPGs, school
Maryland teen
admits to sword death: February 10th, 2002. A teenager with a history
of mental illness confessed to the sword slaying of a prominent
scientist,
saying fantasy creatures gave him permission to kill the man in order
to
protect a friend. Keywords:
crime, murder
Richland
native guilty of attempted murder:
Tri-City Herald,, February 28th, 2002: John Trumbo. Jesse Carson, Jason
Blad's partner in crime, is convicted of murder. Carson claimed he was
doing research on serial killers for a novel, and that he and Blad were
engaged in a game of "Night Ops," an unsanctioned recon game often
played by Marines. Keywords:
crime, D&D, military, murder, RPGs, trial
McDermott
tells of killings, stirs outrage: Boston Globe, April 12th,
2002: Michele Kurtz. Defense for Michael "Mucko" McDermott claims that
his ability to tell grand stories comes from his history as a RPG
gamemaster. Keywords:
crime, D&D murder, RPGs, trial
Marines
Sentenced For Rec Trail Attack: KSBW, June 6th, 2002. Blad
and Carson get life sentences for their attempted murder. Keywords:
crime, D&D, military, murder, RPGs, trial
Stabbing
May Be Linked To Role Play:
Montgomery County Herald, March 25th, 2001: Andy Rose and Virgina
Hennessey. Attempted murder by two California
Marines is blamed on gaming, despite no connection found by police or
counsel. Keywords:
crime, D&D, military, murder, RPGs, trial
Saudi
Bans Pokemon:
CNN.com/Associated Press, March 26th, 2001: author unstated.
The fatwa issues an edict banning Pokemon because
it promotes gambling and Zionism. Keywords:
CCGs, paranoia, politics
No, I
Didn't Slam Fantasy Games, Folks:
Montgomery County Herald, March 29th, 2001: Andy Rose.
Four days after his scapegoat piece (see above), Mr. Rose
responds to
the flood of e-mail he has recieved from gamers and sets the record
straight. No, he didn't blame games (despite the title), and
if an NBA player had attempted the murder, he would have written about
basketball. (Note that the crime was later revealed to have nothing to
do with roleplaying games, yet the retraction promised by Rose and the
Herald was never seen.) Keywords:
crime, D&D, military, murder, RPGs, trial
Trial
Stabbing Story Hits Home:
Montgomery County Herald, April 1st, 2001: Cristina Medina.
Recap of the Marine Murder case focuses on one of the accused, and
mentions gaming only briefly. Keywords:
crime, D&D, military, murder, RPGs, trial
Personal
E-Mail to Andy Rose, With Response:
April 1st, 2001. My personal response to Andy Rose, and his
reply, which doesn't tell us much that we already don't know.
Except, of course, that he apparently wrote his story from the gaming
angle because of a previous murder that is wrongly being blamed on
gaming. (Note that the crime was later revealed to have
nothing to do with
roleplaying games, yet the retraction promised by Rose and the Herald
was never seen.) Keywords:
crime, D&D, military, murder, RPGs, trial
Playing
Dead: Vampires Invade Omaha:
The Reader, May 2001: Katherine Neary. A positive piece on
Vampire LARPers in the Omaha area (Omaha By Night? Who knew?)
with only a few nitpicks for one, most roleplayers
indulge in "improvisational acting," not just LARPers. That
aside, this article is a very positive and informative piece. Keywords:
LARP, positive, vampire
Wild
Pitches - Revenge of the Week:
ESPN.com, May 18th, 2001: Jayson Stark. A "professional
baseball player" (whatever that is) discusses his appreciation of
Everquest and its effect on his performance in the field, but the
"sports reporter" (whatever that is) is much too cool to understand
what he's talking about. Keywords:
celebrity
Dungeons
& Dragons - Don't Let It Happen To Your Kid:
adequacy.org, August 1st, 2001: author unknown. An article from a
website that was specifically designed to attract controversy
by
posting false stories (also known as "trolling"), this article has
nonetheless caught the attention of a few concerned parents. The linked
articles really should have given it away. Keywords: D&D,
paranoia, suicide
Mother
Says Teens' Plot to Kill
Police Just a Prank: The Canadian Press, January 04, 2000:
author unstated. The mother of one of three youths accused of
plotting to kill a police officer states that the incident was just a
game. No direct mention of RPG or any kind of
role-playing. Keywords:
crime, murder, paranoia, RPGs
Maybe
It's All a Game to Would-Be Cop
Killers: Edmonton Sun, January 5, 2000: Doug
Beazley. Reporter blames "dimension-hopping killer robots"
for the police-murder plot of three Canadian youths. A
frustrating story in which several gamers and game store employees
prattle on about gamers who can't tell fantasy from reality.
Either the people interviewed were not really gamers, or they
desperately wanted to see their names in print. Keywords:
crime, murder, paranoia, RPGs
New
Charges in Y2K Plot:
Ottawa Sun, January 5, 2000: Andrew Philips. Two of the three
Canadian youths accused of plotting to murder a police officer face
another charge. A very brief mention of the suspects'
involvement in the Rifts RPG appears near the
end. Keywords:
crime, murder, paranoia, RPGs
Alleged
Conspiracy 'Just a Game':
Ottawa Citizen, January 11th, 2000: Don Campbell. The mother
of one of three young men accused of conspiracy to commit murder claims
that the youths were playing a game of Rifts.
Details of the bail hearing are the primary focus of this
story. Keywords:
crime, murder, paranoia, RPGs
Going...Going...Gone!
Hooray! Hits a Home
Run With Cal Ripken, Jr. in Just Like Dad's: Entertainment
Wire, January 31st, 2000: author unstated. Cal Ripken
endorses a line of "role-playing" toys that encourage kids to be "just
like dad." Mention is made that the "role-play" industry is
gaining in popularity, but this may be so much hype. Keywords:
benefits, education, LARP
Adventure
Game Industry Market
Research Summary: Ryan Dancey (WotC's Vice President),
February 7th, 2000. A study with a slightly limited scope, it
still supplies interesting demographics on many topics. Keywords:
industry, RPGs, study
Paducah
Shooting Lawsuit Dismissed:
Associated Press, April 4th, 2000: author unstated. A federal
judge dismisses a $33 million lawsuit filed against a group of
entertainment companies by the relatives of the Paducah shooting
victims. Judge Johnstone cites a suicide case against TSR
that concluded that Dungeons & Dragons was
not a possible cause. Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder, RPGs, trial
Universal
Studios at Universal Orlando
Debuts World's First Life-Size, Ride-Through, Interactive Video Game
Experience: PRNewswire, April 11th, 2000: author
unstated. Universal Studios opens an interactive Men
In Black ride that responds to the actions of the
riders. Keywords:
LARP
Pokémon
and the Pope: MSN
GIST TV news, April 21, 2000: author unstated. The Vatican
gives a thumbs-up to Pokemon. The
Almighty, however, could not be reached for comment. Keywords:
benefits, CCGs, positive
Pokemon
Earns Papal Blessing:
New York Post, April 21st, 2000: Devlin Barrett. More
comments from the Vatican regarding Pokemon,
including one comment that seems to approve of role-playing. Keywords:
benefits, CCGs, positive, RPGs
Slain
teacher's family launches suit
aimed at media violence: Denver Post, April 21st, 2000: Kevin
Simpson. The wife and two stepdaughters of slain teacher Dave
Sanders file a five billion dollar lawsuit claiming
that, if not for Doom, Quake, and The Basketball Diaries,
all high school kids would skip from class to class singing the Smurfs
theme. Keywords:
columbine, crime, murder, RPGs, trial
U.S.
Conducts Mock Biological, Chemical
Attacks: Reuters, May 21st, 2000: author unstated. The United
States government participates in a $3.5 million nationwide LARP to
test responses to simulated biological and chemical attacks.
The event was "carefully orchestrated so as not to alarm the general
public." Apparently, this was due in part to Attorney General
Janet Reno showing up in full Vampire garb. Keywords:
LARP, military
'Now
is the healing time for us': Florida Today, August 17th,
2000: Patricia Walsh and Norman Moody. Randy
Schoenwetter is arrested for stabbing a young girl and her father to
death. Motive is unknown, and the only revealed detail of the accused's
life is that he is a gamer, and that it changed him somehow.
"Chad said Randy tried to get him into the Dungeons &
Dragons." Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder, RPGs
'Going Postal'
is a Myth: Reuters, September 1st, 2000: author
unstated. A two-year study tells us in 249 pages that the
nation's 900,000 postal workers are not more likely to go on shooting
rampages than any other class of workers. No mention of RPG,
but this type of study follows with the phenomena of isolated cases
being viewed as the norm. Keywords:
crime, paranoia, study
Trial
Begins In 'Dungeons &
Dragons' Killing: APB Online (www.apbonline.com),
January 12th, 1999: Randy Dotinga. The Stephanie Crowe murder
trial begins for
a San Diego boy and two of his friends, all three of whom were
D&D enthusiasts. A game store owner testifies that
"players get points when they "kill" people while playing Dungeons
& Dragons." Keywords:
crime, D&D. murder, RPGs, trial
Sellers'
Execution Reignites Debate:
Associated Press, January 25th, 1999: Jay Hughes. Sellers is
slated for execution 16 years after murdering both of his parents and a
convenience store clerk. His many attempts at an alibi are
trotted out here: he "worshipped" the occult, D&D dictated his
actions, he has Multiple Personality Syndrome... none of them
worked. Sellers was executed on February
4th. Keywords:
crime, murder, D&D, RPGs, trial
Death-Row
Man Denied Clemency:
Associated Press, January 28th, 1999: Rochelle Hines. Sellers
is denied clemency, and will die for his crimes. The identical
statement concerning his alibis is printed in this article, despite it
being published with a different author credit. Keywords:
crime, murder, D&D, RPGs, trial
Evil To
The End, Newsweek,
February 8th, 1999. Newsweek strikes again in this piece on
white supremecists. While interviewing Mark Potok, a member
of the Southern Poverty Law Center, the interviewer inserted his own
anti-gaming statement, then quoted Potok as having said it. Keywords:
crime, murder, D&D, RPGs
DNA Report
Rocks Teen Slaying Case:
APBnews.com, February 19th, 1999: Randy Dotinga. Suspects in
the murder of Stephanie Crowe are described as having been "warped by
an unhealthy passion for dark role-playing games like Dungeons and
Dragons." If only they'd stuck with Rainbow Brite:
The RPG... Keywords:
crime, murder, D&D, RPGs, trial
Schools
Sued on Religious Grounds:
Associated Press, February 23rd, 1999: Jim Fitzgerald. Three
Roman Catholic Families are suing their school district over their
claims of violation of their religious and privacy rights.
What began as an attempt to remove Magic: The Gathering
from local schools has escalated into much more. M:tG
is called "worse than witchcraft," and has cards that have "lurid
depictions of demons." Keywords:
CCGs, magic, paranoia, pokemon, trial
Satanism
Lawsuit Has Weighty Issues:
Associated Press, February 27th, 1999: Jim Fitzgerald. The
White Plains case gets chaotic, and Judge Charles Brieant gets very
impatient with the entire mess (he gets in a couple of good
one-liners... look for them). Keywords:
CCGs, magic, paranoia, pokemon, trial
Gunmen
Recalled as Outcasts:
Washington Post, April 21st, 1999: Marc Fisher. A faulty
description of the Gothic subculture that claims it is "(i)nspired by
fantasy games such as Dungeons and Dragons..." A
painful study in cluelessness. Keywords:
columbine, D&D, paranoia, RPGs, vampire
Classmates
Describe Shooters As Obsessed With Goth World: SF Gate, April
21st, 1999: Jaxon Vanderbeken,
contributing. A piece that was later pulled by SF Gate,
possibly due to shoddy reporting and misquoting of an
interviewee. Several disparaging statements about Vampire:
The Masquerade are attributed to a police "goth expert" from
Ohio, but it is very possible that they were twisted from several
positive statements that were actually made. Keywords:
columbine, goth, paranoia, RPGs, vampire
Bay Area
Goths Say Media Has It Wrong: SF Gate, April 22nd, 1999: Neva
Chonin. A pro-Goth and mildly pro-game piece that showed up
not long after several negative pieces. After SF Gate pulled Classmates Describe Shooters As
Obsessed With Goth World, they began redirecting web traffic
from that article to this one. Was that their way of saying
they're sorry? Who can tell... Keywords:
columbine, goth, positive, RPGs, vampire,
Schools
Told To Watch Violent Kids:
Associated Press, April
22nd, 1999: Anjetta McQueen. D&D is listed as a hobby
chosen by teens who wish to "rebel," along with collecting World War II
weaponry. Oooooh! We're rebels
now! Keywords:
columbine, education, D&D, paranoia, school
Colorado's
carnage is inevitable in
our culture of violence: Boston Globe, April 22nd, 1999: John
Ellis. An editorial, blaming all teenage violence on violent
entertainment. D&D is mentioned as a supplementary
source of daily violence to that found on television. Keywords:
columbine, D&D, paranoia
Shooting
Prosecutor Speaks Out:
Associated Press, April 23rd, 1999: Ted Anthony. Littleton DA
Dave Thomas wonders aloud about the influences on our teens...
including D&D. That the police never found any gaming
materials among the possessions of the suspects makes you wonder... was
someone sowing some arbitrary anti-game sentiment at the
scene? Keywords:
columbine, D&D, paranoia
Clues
Aren't Always in the Clothes:
Tampa Bay Online, April 26th, 1999: Ace Atkins. Kathleen
Heide, a criminologist from the University of South Florida, lumps
D&D with Mortal Kombat as a game that sends a "message of death
and destruction." Assuming she wasn't misquoted, Heide
doesn't seem to know the difference between a tabletop RPG and a video
game.
Terror,
bombs and White Wolves:
May 5th, 1999: Didi Örnstedt and Björn Sjöstedt. Sweden's
anti-game duo posted this to their web page as a response to the
Columbine shooting and subsequent bombings in London. Their
paranoia even causes them to attempt a connection between White Wolf
games and a neo-nazi group. White Wolf is also accused of
supplying "all the information one might want on how to kill and
assassinate." The original Swedish, as well as an English
translation, are supplied.
Judge:
N.Y. School Violated Rights:
Associated Press, May 21st, 1999: Jim Fitzgerald.
The judge in the White Plains trial (see above) finds the school
district guilty of violating the religious rights of three Catholic
families on some counts, but rejects the parents' complaints about the
tolerance of Magic: The Gathering in the
school. Keywords:
CCGs, magic, paranoia, pokemon, trial
WordCHECK
Systems and Youth Magazine
Team Up to Identify Violent-Prone Kids: PRNewswire, June 4th,
1999: author unstated. A popular software program and a teen
writing magazine team up to develop a program in which writing
assignments are checked for keywords that could spell
trouble. One of those keywords is "dungeon." No
mention is made, but one can only wonder if "dragon," "vampire," and
"magic" are on the list as well. Keywords:
education, paranoia, school
Initial
Print Run of Dungeons
& Dragons Adventure Game Boxed Set Sells Out:
Business Wire, June 8th, 1999: author unstated. A report on
the sales of the new introductory set. Keywords:
D&D, industry
National Tour
and Limited-Edition Dungeons & Dragons Boxed Set Kick Off 25th
Anniversary Celebration: Business Wire, June
15th, 1999: author unstated. Wizards of the Coast announce a
10 city tour to celebrate the silver anniversary of
D&D. WotC encourages all participants to bring food
for local food drives. Keywords:
D&D, industry
The
Private War of Benjamin Smith:
www.time.com, July 6th, 1999: author unstated. Character
portrait of a racist includes "played Dungeons [&] Dragons as a
kid" among his hateful actions, as if it blends right in. Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder, paranoia
Y2K
Could Be a Mixed Blessing:
The 700 Club, July 26th, 1999: Chris Mitchell. In their
regular series on the Y2K bug, the 700 Club mentions a role-playing
game developed by the Arlington Institute as a tool to help people deal
with the repurcussions of a possible crisis. Keywords:
LARP, paranoia
Dungeons
&
Dragons Gets Revamped for the New Millennium and a New Generation of
Fans: Business Wire, August
6th, 1999. A press release on the (then) upcoming Third Edition of Dungeons &
Dragons. Keywords:
D&D, industry
Pastor
Calls Pokemon 'Poison':
Denver Post, August 14th, 1999: Erin Emery. Mark Juerva,
children's pastor for Grace Fellowship Church, led children in a
bizarre Pokemon-sacrificing ritual that featured him burning Pokemon
cards and chopping action figures with a sword as his flock of 85 boys
and girls chanted "burn it!" and "chop it up!" His actions
are praised by the head pastor of the church. Keywords:
CCGs, paranoia, pokemon
Playing in the
Imagination: Dungeons and Dragons: Lakeland (Florida) Ledger,
September 5th, 1999: Cinnamon Bair. A human interest story
about a group of gamers and the hobby they enjoy. Most of the
players mentioned are in their 30s; occupations listed include lawyer
and structural engineer. A well-written, pro-gaming article,
and an extremely rare gem. Keywords:
benefits, D&D, positive, RPGs
Not
Just Your Routine Burglary
Gone Bad: CNN.com, September 6th, 1999: L.D.
Meagher. Book review of Aphrodite Jones' The Embrace
(based on the murder of Rick and Ruth Wendorf by Rod
Ferrell). RPGs are mentioned as influences in Ferrell's life,
but this review describes the book as focusing more on the emotional
problems of Ferrell and Heather Wendorf, his girlfriend and the
daughter of the victims. Keywords:
crime, murder, RPGs, vampire
Pokemon
Trading Card Game Awarded
National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval: Business Wire,
September 15th, 1999: author unstated. The NPC calls Pokemon
a "a compelling game that involves strategy, creative thinking and a
dash of luck." The game joins the ranks of several other
family-friendly toys, games, and products. Keywords:
benefits, CCGs, pokemon, positive
Pokemon
or Poker?: Associated
Press, date unknown, author unknown. A San Diego law firm
brings Nintendo of America and Wizards of the Coast to court over the Pokemon
card game, claiming it is "illegal gambling." Insert lawyer
joke here. Keywords:
CCGs, pokemon, trial
Quebec
Teen Stabbed at School Over
Pokemon Cards: Reuters, October 27th, 1999: author
unstated. A teenager is stabbed in a schoolyard while trying
to recover his younger brother's Pokemon
cards. Keywords:
CCGs, crime, pokemon
Dark
Dungeons: The
Escapist, November 1999: William J. Walton. A short essay on
the Chick pamphlet of the same title, which is possibly the most widely
distributed piece of anti-gaming literature in the history of the
hobby. Includes links to several online archives where you
can view the entire pamphlet. Keywords:
D&D, paranoia, RPGs
Pokemon
Symbol a Swastika?:
Associated Press, November 1999. Parents become irate at the
presence of a manji, a Japanese good luck symbol,
found on an imported Pokemon card. Keywords:
CCGs, paranoia, pokemon
Pokemon:
What's Behind the Latest Toy
Craze: The 700 Club, November 15th, 1999: Kim
Bonney. The 700 Club brings their usual hysteria to the Pokemon
craze. Included are warnings that kids who enjoy Pokemon
might also get hooked on Magic or Dungeons
& Dragons, claims that the game causes nightmares,
and that players "role-play the chants" from the game. Keywords:
CCGs, paranoia, pokemon
Puerto
Rican Lawmaker Wants Probe of
Pokemon Craze: Reuters, November 30th, 1999: author
unstated. A rather balanced story regarding the request by
Roberto Cruz for the Puerto Rican government to investigate the Pokemon
craze. Keywords:
CCGs, paranoia, pokemon
Roleplaying
Relaxes Sailors:
The Eagle, December, 1999: James R. Stilipec. This article
from the shipboard newspaper of the U.S.S. Carl Vinson does an
excellent job of explaining the concept of role-playing games, and how
much enjoyment and relaxation the sailors get from playing
them. Keywords:
benefits, D&D, military, positive, RPGs
Experts
reveal: Pokemon Mania is
actually good for your kids: Woman's World, December 7th,
1999: author unstated. This article from a woman's weekly
magazine praises the benefits of Pokemon and Harry
Potter. (Did Hasbro buy this magazine at some
point?) Keywords:
benefits, CCGs, pokemon, positive
Quebec
Official Eyes French Pokemon:
Associated Press, December 10th, 1999: author unstated.
Quebec's culture minister tells Wizards of the Coast that they must
begin publishing a French-language Pokemon or
begin to face fines. Keywords:
CCGs, pokemon
Poke-Crime
Sweeps Nation! Kinda:
Another Universe, December 11th, 1999: Matt Brady. Brief
recaps of recent Pokemon-related violence. Keywords:
CCGs, crime, pokemon
Naughton
Lawyers Try Role-Playing
Defense: ZDNet News, December 12th, 1999: Lisa M.
Bowman. Patrick Naughton's lawyers claim that he was
role-playing in a chatroom when he attempted to meet someone he
believed to be a 13 year old girl. No mention of RPG, but if
history serves, this strategy won't work. Keywords:
trial
Vampire-like
activity started with role
playing: Associated Press, January 20th, 1998: author
unstated. A Winsconsin Rapids gang of vampire wannabees
terrorizes the locals and seeks lonely teens for recruitment.
Mention is made by ex-members that the gang has it's roots in Vampire:
The Masquerade, but that things began to go too far. Keywords:
crime, RPGs, vampire
Vampire
Cult Trial To Begin Monday /
Jurors Dismissed In Vampire Trial: Associated Press, February
1st and 2nd, 1998 (respectively): Mike Schneider. Some
details of the start of the Ferrell case in February of 1998.
The"occult markings" found on the bodies of the victims is revealed to
be a letter "V" with circles around it, one circle for each member of
the clan. No direct mention of gaming in either
story. Keywords:
crime, murder, RPGs, trial, vampire
Corpse (a
Real One) Found After Whodunit Play / Guest Dies at Murder
Mystery: Associated Press,
February 20th & 26th, 1998 (respectively): Todd
Spangler. A woman murders her husband after the two of them
attend an interactive murder mystery party. At no point is
the connection made between the party and the crime, as would have been
done had it been a Vampire LARP or weekly
D&D game. Keywords:
crime, murder, LARP
Jury:
'Vampire' Leader Should Die /
Vampire Leader Sentenced to Death: Associated Press, February
27th, 1998: author unstated. Details on the sentencing of Rod
Ferrell. No mention of gaming in either article. Keywords:
crime, murder, RPGs, trial, vampire
Teen-ager
Sells Vampire Cult Story: Associated Press,
March 7th, 1998: author unstated. Heather Wendorf sells her story for a
book titled "The Embrace" (a term seemingly culled directly from the Vampire
RPG), and a possible $50,000 movie deal. No mention of gaming
in this article, but this could lead to much worse things...Keywords:
crime, murder, RPGs, vampire
Oregon
Victim Planned Military Career:
Associated Press, May 22nd, 1998: David Foster. One of
Kinkel's victims, Mike Nickolauson, "liked to play a role-playing game,
like Dungeons and Dragons" that he made up himself, with another
friend. No connection is made between his hobby and his
untimely death (which, believe it or not, is a surprise!). Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder, RPGs
Trial in
Bellevue's worst-ever slaying
case moves closer: Seattle Times, September 17th, 1998: Alex
Fryer. Mentions role-playing and "pop-Gothic culture" in the
Alex Baranyi murder case, as well as the defense's claims that Baranyi
suffers from mental disorders and delusions. Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder, RPGs, trial
Young
defendants win separate trials in
Bellevue murder case: Seattle Times, October 7th, 1998: Alex
Fryer. In the Alex Baranyi murder trial, "scores" of
witnesses are expected to testify that the suspects acted out "Gothic
fantasies" and played D&D
- but the judge has rejected
testimony from two gaming groups who banned them for "crossing the line
from pretend violence to real contact." Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder, RPGs, trial
Slayings
Described In Brutal Detail:
Eastside Journal, October 13th, 1998: Tracy Johnson. A brief
mention of Alex Baranyi's distant history as a gamer during his murder
trial. Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder, RPGs, trial
Friends
Describe Baranyi's Fantasy World:
Seattle Times, October 14th, 1998: Alex Fryer. During
testimony in the Alex Baranyi murder trial, some friends mention his
role-playing personas. Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder, RPGs, trial
Baranyi
Found Guilty: Eastside
Journal, November 5th, 1998: Tracy Johnson. Alex Baranyi,
found guilty of murdering Kim Wilson and her family, blames the act on
"messed up genes." He also denies that role-playing had
anything to do with his actions, and states that he has not played in
years. Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder, RPGs, trial
Bad
Blood: Electronic
Telegraph, April 12th, 1997: Daniel Jeffreys. Interviews with
former friends of Rod Ferrell and Heather Wendorf. Pay close
attention to references to a game called "Masquerader," with includes a
rule that "a vampire who spots a rival blood-sucker must attack,
anywhere or any time." Someone needs to take better
notes. Another attempt to connect Ferrell with RPGs, which is
not the truth. Keywords:
crime, murder, RPGs, trial, vampire
Magic's
Kingdom, Newsweek, May
25th, 1997. A piece on Wizards of the Coast that casually slams the
gamers, while it praises the business. The obligatory reference to Magic
getting banned from a school is included. Keywords:
CCGs, magic, school
Introduction
to the Occult,
The 700 Club, October 31st, 1997. An obligatory Halloween
piece for the 700 Club, this one dives right in to Magic: The
Gathering, calling it "a game where you're attacking your
living, breathing opponent by using devils to conjure demons and cast
spells." Now, who is it that
has a problem telling fantasy from reality again? Keywords:
CCGs, magic, paranoia
Assault
suspect led group with accused
killers: Eastside Journal, no date available (assumed to be
November 1997): David Norris is revealed to be the former "leader" of a
gaming group that once included Alex Baranyi (alleged proof of "gaming
conspiracy," anyone?). Still, they did manage to print an
excellent statement by Police Lieutentant Bill Ferguson: "Some people
are prone to doing those things, whether they are involved in
role-playing or not." Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder, RPGs, trial
Prosecutors
seek 33-year sentence for
Norris: Eastside Journal, November 1st, 1997: Carol
Ryan. Sentencing begins for David Norris, a Bellevue,
Washington man accused of attempting to murder his girlfriend with a
knife and hammer. His sister blames the crime on the recent
breakup of the two, as well as their involvement in a vampire
role-playing game which "contributed to the deterioration" of Norris'
spirit. But... don't vampires bite
people...? Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder, RPGs, trial
A dozen
girls come forward as targets of
self-professed vampire: Virginian-Pilot, January 19, 1996:
Mike Mather. Details of the John Bush vampire clan.
The card game Vampire: The Eternal Struggle and Dungeons
& Dragons are both mentioned. Keywords:
crime, D&D, LARP, RPGs, trial, vampire
Vampire-hunting
detective is Virginia
Beach's expert on the weird: Virginian-Pilot, February 5,
1996: Mike Mather. This article details the life and
adventures of "cult cop" Don Rimer, who is also interviewed on the
"dangers" of gaming in the 700 Club article Teenagers
Seeking the Occult Find Death Instead. Rimer is best known
for inflating the actual
number of game-related cases from a handful to "hundreds." Satanic
panic in action! Keywords:
crime, RPGs, paranoia
Vampire
-- Not Just A Game:
The 700 Club Newswatch, February 12th, 1996: Tod Freeman.
Concerns the John Bush sexual assault case. During this broadcast, a
scene of several decks of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle
cards are shown sitting on a table along with a crystal ball and a
skull, with a healthy dose of dry ice thrown in for creepy, "occultic"
atmosphere. In a later broadcast concerning an ex-satanist turned
born-again Christian, this shot was used again as stock footage of
"occult paraphernalia," even though the story had nothing to do with Vampire
cards. Keywords:
CCGs, crime, paranoia, RPGs, vampire
Witness
says self-proclaimed vampire
threatened her life during rape: Virginian-Pilot, March 12,
1996: June Arney. Many new details are revealed on
the Bush case. Vampire: The Eternal Struggle is
mistakenly referred to as an RPG. Keywords:
crime, D&D, LARP, RPGs, trial, vampire
Self-proclaimed
vampire indicted on 35
charges against teen girls: Virginian-Pilot, April 2,
1996: June Arney. Jon Bush case. An identical
statement is printed
that calls Vampire: The Eternal Struggle an
RPG. Keywords:
crime, D&D, LARP, RPGs, trial, vampire
The
Situation In Italy, a
collection of news stories concerning the suicide of "Roberto" (real
name not given) in late May / early June,1996. Translated into English
from Italian, so some of the text is a little rough. Directly followed
by a lengthy rebuttal by myself, as posted to rec.games.rpg.advocacy.
This incident spawned a campaign to seize games and shut down related
shops throughout Italy. Thankfully, that campaign fizzled
quickly. Keywords:
crime, D&D, RPGs, suicide
Spate of
suicides linked to US game:
London Sunday Times, June 6th, 1996: Chris Goodwin
(contributing). The alleged suicide of "Roberto C." is
believed to be linked to roleplaying, despite contradictory testimony
from the victim's parents, evidence from a medical examiner that it may
not have been suicide, and gross misconceptions about what role-playing
really is. Keywords:
crime, D&D, RPGs, suicide
As trial
opens, prosecutors say Virginia
Beach ''vampire'' wanted sex: Virginian-Pilot, September 10,
1996: Jon Frank. Passing references are made to a "vampire
role-playing game." Keywords:
crime, D&D, LARP, RPGs, trial, vampire
"Vampire''
Bush convicted of sexual
crimes against underage girls: Virginian-Pilot, September 11,
1996: Jon Frank. Claims that Jon Bush recruited
teenage
girls into a game of "Vampire: The Masquerade," despite other claims in
earlier stories that Bush was the only player of his clan
members. Keywords:
crime, D&D, LARP, RPGs, trial, vampire
"Vampire''
tells judge he's sorry for his
actions: Virginian-Pilot, October 31, 1996: June
Arney. Recap of the earlier Jon Bush stories, brief mention
of Vampire. Keywords:
crime, D&D, LARP, RPGs, trial, vampire
Teenagers
Seeking the Occult Find Death
Instead: The 700 Club Newswatch, November 8th, 1996: Kim
Ferrall. Concerns the Szcupski/Zarcufsky double suicide in
Plymouth, PA. Interesting to note: part of the "occult paraphernalia"
found on the scene was a Bible, and Rimer states that there are
"hundreds" of police documented gaming-related deaths, when he (or
anyone else) would be extremely hard pressed to name even a handful of
them. Keywords:
crime, murder, D&D, LARP, paranoia, RPGs, trial, vampire
Three
brief articles on the Wendorf
double murder case: The 700 Club Newswatch, December 2nd,
3rd, & 5th, 1996, respectively. These three articles,
from early on in the case, are almost proof in themselves that games
were not involved, for the simple fact that the 700 Club does not
mention RPGs in any of them! It would not be for a
few more days before the story would become "embellished" to include Vampire. Keywords:
crime, murder, LARP, RPGs, vampire
Teens
Face Court Quietly:
Orlando Sentinel, December 8th, 1996: Lesley Clark. Concerns
the Wendorf double murder case of 11/25/96. Note carefully the mention
of the fact that police found "no evidence of vampiric activity" among
the bodies of Wendorf's parents. Keywords:
crime, murder, LARP, RPGs, trial, vampire
For Some,
Vampire Fantasy Can Be All Too
Real: Orlando Sentinel, December 8th, 1996: Lesley
Clark. Concerns the Wendorf double murder case of 11/25/96.
This is intended as coming from the gamer's point of view. I
even get my two cents in on this one; look for it! Keywords:
crime, murder, LARP, RPGs, trial, vampire
The Wendorf
"Vampire" Murders' connection to
Roleplaying: December 11th, 1996: Gordon
Olmstead-Dean. A statement on the Wendorf double murder case,
as made by the president of the Interactive Literature Foundation. A
must-read. (addendum: the ILF has since disbanded and reformed as
LARPA. You can still reach them at www.larpaweb.net.)
Keywords:
crime, murder, LARP, RPGs, trial, vampire
Re:
Role Playing Games
(soc.religion.christian discussion), with response by Jeff Freeman,
from the
soc.religion.christian newsgroup, and republished as part
of the Christian FAQ for Sydney University. (no specific date listed):
David Fisher &
Jeff Freeman. A frequently quoted document on the supposed dangers of
RPGs for Christians, with a rebuttal by Jeff
Freeman. Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder, suicide, RPGs
Playing
With Dragon Fire,
Breakaway, August, 1994. From Focus On The Family's
teen-oriented magazine comes this account of a young man's experiences
with D&D that reads like an Alcoholics Anonymous
diary. A rebuttal from myself follows. Keywords:
crime, D&D, murder, suicide, RPGs
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