The following story was written by a student on the staff of The Jaguar Times as part of Hilliard Bradley High School’s Journalism Production course.
by Ian McCormick
Staff writer
In 1974 when the role playing game Dungeons and Dragons was created by Gary Gygax, no one in their right mind would have dreamed it to be the smashing hit it’s become today. But with just a piece of paper, a pencil, some good old fashion math rocks (dice), and a little bit of imagination, the millions of fans the game has accumulated can be sent on a fantasy adventure like no other in the safety of their very own homes.
However, where would this game be today if it weren't for its incorporation into the wide array of things we call media? Media has shown us various forms of entertainment of which many sources have incorporated Dungeons and Dragons allowing it to grow into its popularity.
This fact has been recognized by various students and teachers at Bradley, as many have something to say on the matter.
One such way to look at how media has had an influence on D&D is by tracing the so-called "Dungeons and Dragons effect" on other role playing games. RPG player and Bradley student Adam Hoyt (11) explains, “More and more RPGs (role playing games) have been established due to D&D... conversely, Cyber and Space D&D’s have become available.”
In this way, media has spread the word of Dungeons and Dragons success and as a result other people want to try their hand at making similar games. As more people make other games they draw in more attention to the RPG community and vice versa, to D&D as well.
Along with new types of role playing games inspired by D&D, it's also evident that thanks to media, more and more “normal people” have become interested in the game. Bouncing off of that, long time D&D player Maxton Wayt (12) explains “Dungeons and Dragons has had a pronounced effect on modern media as of late, heavily redefining the stereotypes previously attached to the RPG genre. D&D is no longer depicted as a game for nerdy 'losers,'' but rather as a fun and valid form of cooperative storytelling”.
With that being said, the more it's depicted in this light, the more viewership and interest the game will gain in the long run and that viewership will once again be thanks to modern media's influence.
So with talk of all the game's success the question that may be pondered is: does Dungeons and Dragons really deserve to be as popular as it is?
Bradley US History teacher Douglas Allen seems to think it does: “I think it is exciting to see media start to come around to the storylines of the D&D World. D&D offers something different because there are so many different settings, storylines, and options for players to create their own content and experiences.”
And I couldn't agree with him more; if you ask about anyone who's had the opportunity to play the game, you’ll see just what it's all about. Whether you like the variety of experiences it combines, giving you limitless possibilities, or the cooperative storytelling aspect that has you making something out of nothing, the game has so much to offer and it's definitely something that media did right by.
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