Five things I’ve learned about RPGs from “Mazes & Monsters”

  1. Roleplaying is all about the treasure you get at the end (and coping with your personal problems)
  2. Level 10 is where the fun is
  3. Improving the game means leaving your comfy room and go to a dark cave
  4. Roleplayers wear costumes
  5. If you lost your brother at an early age and your mother is an alcoholic, avoid playing RPGs. They are bad for you.

I actually watched this movie yesterday. “Mazes & Monsters” is an awful based on a novel that was itself based on inaccurate newspaper reports about the James Dallas Egbert III case. The movie is even worse than I remembered it. The depiction of roleplaying is inaccurate (of course) and the acting is bad. But if you are interested in the history of roleplaying and the attacks against it, this movie is very interesting. Make sure to check out the “60 Minutes on D&D” video (via The Escapist).