Nice piece, but I generally disagree with the proposition. This isn’t just a ttrpg problem. Nothing on the internet is permanent. And I’m comfortable with that.
I see you have a neocities site; I had a geocities site, try to find it. I had a public PhishHook database, it’s long gone. Even the Internet Archive won’t last forever.
But of all the knowledge that came before, all the homebrew rules on scraps of paper, all the advice shared at the table, most of that isn’t in the public record either. And yet we continue on without trouble.
It’s human to want to leave a lasting legacy. Always has been. But never will be. Nothing is permanent.
But it’s also human nature to create. So, yes, do that. And when it is destroyed create something else.
I guess it's not about creating something permanent, but buying more time. You can't fight back the entropy or the darkness, but you can delay them just a bit longer - just hoping someone from the future will keep up the flame after discovering some vintage (i.e. from 2025) game they fall in love with.
"Build up a flame. Drive back the dark." I stood there a few minutes taking in the words. I realized that damn, if we don't catalog our experiences and build something for future and present gamers, what will we have to be remembered by?
What will people be able to recall about our stories and the creative work, if there is nothing to be found? Thank you for this sharp call to action to build something, even if it is not the strongest flame. I will help combat the dark, even if it is difficult.
← Return to manifesto
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
Dear, this is fire, I love it
Nice piece, but I generally disagree with the proposition. This isn’t just a ttrpg problem. Nothing on the internet is permanent. And I’m comfortable with that.
I see you have a neocities site; I had a geocities site, try to find it. I had a public PhishHook database, it’s long gone. Even the Internet Archive won’t last forever.
But of all the knowledge that came before, all the homebrew rules on scraps of paper, all the advice shared at the table, most of that isn’t in the public record either. And yet we continue on without trouble.
It’s human to want to leave a lasting legacy. Always has been. But never will be. Nothing is permanent.
But it’s also human nature to create. So, yes, do that. And when it is destroyed create something else.
My itch page and this comment won’t outlive me.
I guess it's not about creating something permanent, but buying more time. You can't fight back the entropy or the darkness, but you can delay them just a bit longer - just hoping someone from the future will keep up the flame after discovering some vintage (i.e. from 2025) game they fall in love with.
When I read this part:
"Build up a flame. Drive back the dark." I stood there a few minutes taking in the words. I realized that damn, if we don't catalog our experiences and build something for future and present gamers, what will we have to be remembered by?
What will people be able to recall about our stories and the creative work, if there is nothing to be found? Thank you for this sharp call to action to build something, even if it is not the strongest flame. I will help combat the dark, even if it is difficult.
Love this.