Different Strokes

We're a very tolerant folk us gamers are. Having heard some differences of opinion on a number of things this last week, some of which had become quite intense, I cannot recall ever hearing gamers be so at odds about something that it has promoted either very loud and harsh words or, heaven forfend, violence.

I do recall a long and tedious argument about picking pockets in D&D and how it was impossible for a thief to succeed in a Pick Pockets roll and take a random item from a certain character's Bag of Holding. It was a long night and I think it was unlucky that the thief happened to take the highly important scroll rather than a few packets of iron rations but ultimately, as if that had happened it wouldn't have caused quite so much turmoil.

Discussions are frequently interspersed with ridicule and subtle tests of one's knowledge; never get involved in the 'Batman v Spiderman who would win?' argument without knowing, in considerable depth, every single storyline and episode of the two comics otherwise you will be in difficulty. "Yes but if you had actually read Chapter 4 of 'The Dark Knight returns again with a new cloak part IV you would know that he carries an anti-webbing agent in his second from the left of his belt buckle utility belt pouch".

Then of course there are the D&D v MERP, Space Marines v Mechs, Horde v Alliance arguments, but as these are normally engaged after a few pints and nobody can remeber them the next day I don't think that they are worthy of comments.

This is, of course, how things work in the UK. We are the most civilised of gaming communities and will merrily berate an individual for anything from rolling a '1' to wearing a football shirt, at least we do not go as far as some Chinese gamers.

One bloke murdered his friend who was playing on his online game account and sold his favourite magic sword for large amounts of cash. That is not the sort of thing we do over here, oh no, for a start, we British are not silly enough to go around letting anyone using accounts or giving passwords away, are we?

Anyway, that's it really, I think I meant to waffle on but think as it's friday, I'll wait for the weekend for some real twaddle.