Greg.sRant

Today is a sad, sad day for all table-top dungeon crawlers, as David Arneson, who co-created the alternative-reality role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Gary Gygax, has passed away at the age of 61.

In 1974 him and Gygax, who died in March of last year, came up with the idea and published the first edition, which to my knowledge is one of the craziest editions ever (they even had hitpoints for Jesus Christ). But regardless, it set the stage for what would become the popular parent's-basement game, and future iterations. Not to mention an entire culture.

I have dabbled (ok, more than dabbled) in the game, and to be honest, I loved it. It is one of the nerdiest-sounding things to do, but it is a great break from reality, and a fun party game (as long as your party is good at acting and playing level 10 characters).

Rest in peace, good sir, and may you find your way to the ethereal planes.

Link: Yahoo!

I have made a huge conversion of the things I've liked during the past few years. Perhaps its me growing up a little bit (doubtful). Perhaps it is my subjective ADD kicking in. Perhaps it's the need for a "change of pace." I don't know what it is.

Anyways, one of the things that has switched with me has been what I listen to. When I was younger, I listened to a lot of metal, punk, etc. Nowadays, I am getting into more softer stuff. A lot of classic rock and 70s and 80s music dominantly (although I still love my metalcore and harder music).  However, there is one thing I never saw myself getting into a few years ago:

 Podcasts.

Yes, I'll admit, I hated podcasts. I thought they were pointless and boring. After all, who wants to listen to somebody talk for an hour and a half about a single subject? That's no good for a guy with the nickname Turbo.

Perhaps, though, I was misunderstanding the podcast. Perhaps.... a little scared. I am not one who is afraid of change, but I am also not one who welcomes it. If it happens, it happens. But podcasts were so perpendicular to my tastes that I never thought they could be enjoyable. A book-on-tape or K.D. Lang experience (still not much a fan of either).

Then, one day a while back while hanging out with my good friend Kyle, I got introduces to the podcast that started it all: Podcast Beyond. What is Podcast Beyond, you say? Well, I'll tell you!

It's a video game podcast.

Specifically, however, a Playstation 3 podcast on IGN.com. But it wasn't so much about nerding out for an hour while I could probably be listening to Yanni, but moreso the authors who made the experience. All of the participants on that podcast are magnificient, debonnaires of their field. And they are funny as hell.

That was my proverbial gateway drug to podcasts. Soon after, I dabbled in other video game podcasts. Three Red Lights, Command Prompt, Game Scoop. All hosted by IGN, all extremely well done (well, except for TRL). But then, I needed more...

I turned to the harder stuff: 2.5 hour long game podcasts, like 1UP's, then *gasp* Barack Obama's fireside chat podcast (for that quick fix), and even How Stuff Work's podcast about things I should know, but probably really don't need to. Do you know that as of 2004, 138 bodies are still on Mount Everest? NUTS!

But then that goes to show that I am actually learning things. Instead of listening to the same tune over and over again (how many times can Journey and Boston be played? Ed: Obviously not enough!), I am taking the time to become more intellectually enriched. I am keeping up to date on current events, even if specifically to more nerdy things. I don't care, it's what I like.

And that's one thing that will never change.