Being the Cool Dad Once Again (Thanks, D&D Next)

I was a playtester during the opening rounds of D&D Next playtesting. It turns out that the best outcome of my D&D Next playtesting is that I am now the Cool Dad among my daughter's college friends (they are the Dr. Who crowd at her university).. I am well aware that the Cool Dad title lasts but a short while. I was the Cool Dad with my son's friends for span of time, thanks to playing in a couple of rock bands. But the coolness wears off quickly when you have to say Read Dad stuff like "Get a job" or "You'll put an eye out" or "Eat all of your brussel sprouts" or "Holy Crap, your girlfriend is hot!" or "The UPS man is your biological father, ask him to cosign your student loan documents." Yes, I know something will happen along the way that will bring shame to my children and I will just be regular Dad again. But I will enjoy the Cool Dad title while it lasts.

The Purpose of It All

"ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is first and foremost a game for the fun and enjoyment of those who seek to use to use imagination and creativity... ...the reader should understand that AD&D is designed to be an amusing and diverting pastime..." AD&D 1e DMG p. 9


I don't usually quote Gygax as Holy Writ, but I do find this little gem to be useful when I find myself getting sucked into gaming as more than gaming. I try to game with the intent of finding fun, enjoyment, amusement, and diversion. It is why I don't waste time or energy in gaming polemics or edition wars. Life is hard enough without fighting about a game with elves, flumphs, and funny dice (There is a Wikipedia entry for Flumph...how groovy is that?).