andPOP » Robin Williams

Gamer’s Mind Blog: Infinite Ammo

Brett Caron — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:03:52 +0000

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Don't be scared, you won't need all of those. At once.

Nerd Games (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love RPGs)

You start work at a new office. You meet someone on the subway or a streetcar, and conversation starts. For someone like me (men in their early twenties), mentioning to someone you play video games still has a bit of a nerdy connotation to it. Although video games have definitely become a mainstream form of entertainment for boys and girls alike and even more significantly men and women, if you ask someone you just met if they’ve played Fallout 3 or Oblivion, you run the risk of sounding like a nerd (not that there’s anything wrong with that). You may even come across as childish, although it’s become popular opinion that video games can and are played by men and women of all ages. All said though, it’s not really too big of a deal.

Now try the exact same situation, but instead of asking your new-found friend if they have played the new Call of Duty or Batman: Arkham Asylum you ask them if they know what Dungeons and Dragons is. Completely different story. Telling someone in 2009 that you play Dungeons and Dragons is like telling someone in 1989 that you play video games – or Dungeons and Dragons, for that matter.

Playing in a basement is not a requirement.

Now comes the part where I explain what Dungeons and Dragons is to the people who are ready to skip the rest of this article and Youtube “Cats Doing Things That Are Mildly Amusing.”

Dungeons and Dragons is a roleplaying game that has been the biggest influence for every other RPG ever made since. Ever. Oblivion, Mass Effect, Diablo, you name it. Even games like Mafia Wars on Facebook are a result of the core idea of roleplaying games. It is played by 2 or more players and one Games Master (GM). The long and short of it is that each player creates a character according to the structure of the game, following a procedure to define their character’s various abilities and modus operandi. The actual playing of the game is essentially that the GM is telling a story, in which all of the players are playing the roles of their respective characters. Hence, role playing game. There is a combat system so when the party needs to throw down it’s easy and fun to play and the rest of the time it is relatively free-roaming, with the GM providing narrative and some direction to the party who can act as they wish to accomplish the goal (save the girl, get the rock/sword/etc.). And along the way you earn experience, which makes your characters gradually more badass, and gold, which allows you to buy more badass equipment for your characters, further increasing the badass quotient.

Sound familiar? It should – it’s every RPG of all time. So what’s with the stigma associated with paper-and dice RPGs? The only difference between what I explained above and say, World of Warcraft is that the stories are invariably more interesting, the dynamic of the party is more story-driven, and instead of developing carpal tunnel syndrome clicking incessantly you roll dice to determine the outcome of combat and some skill-based checks here and there. Also, you play across a table – not across a city, province, country or continent.

I haven’t been playing paper-and-dice RPGs for as long as I have been video gaming. I was introduced to a great game called RIFTS by a good friend of mine when he moved to Toronto from Montreal. Since then, I have kept playing with a group of friends throughout high school and during our respective post-secondary educations. Sometimes a game is called off for a date or prior engagement, but we play once a week pretty regularly. We’ve gone through elves, dwarfs, humans and half-orcs. We’ve played rogues, wizards, sorcerers (yes, there’s a difference), fighters and clerics. Dragons? Slain ‘em. Dungeons? Crawled ‘em.

Chapter 4 is how to play a half-elf without sounding like a douche

But I digress. The stigma of being a RPGamer – I just made that up, by the way, (edit: No I didn‘t – thanks, Google) has kept a lot of people from enjoying this great genre of gaming. The fact that most people will play more FarmVille in their lives than RIFTS or D&D is depressing to say the least. I will say that as much as I despise it, World of Warcraft has done more to bring paper-and-dice RPGs into the mainstream (by way of their similarities in a community-multiplayer idea) than anything else in the last 10 years. A game that you really can’t play by yourself sounds like a hard idea to pitch to traditional gamers, but it worked. Oh boy, did it ever work.

Although WoW brought the Diablo-esque MMORPG into mainstream culture, it’s still seen as a nerdy activity by most, and paper-and-dice RPGs even more so. But I say great – I enjoy having a group of like-minded friends not worried about what everyone else is thinking, ready to play the nerdiest game we can think of. It doesn’t hurt that some awesome celebrities play D&D – Vin Diesel is a class-A nerd, along with Robin Williams (although I’d imagine getting him to sit at a table for more than 10 minutes is more difficult than learning the game), Marilyn Manson, Stephen Colbert (getting him to shut up for a minute is probably even more difficult than getting Robin Williams to sit still) and of course, the ever-awesome Kevin Smith (who I would imagine runs very dialogue-heavy campaigns).

So the next time you meet a stranger and are looking for something to say, try asking if they have ever played a video game. If they say yes, you could try asking if (gasp!) they have ever tried D&D. You can always say “me neither” if they say no.

Just watch out for those Live Action Role-Playing (LARP) people. You know, the ones that dress up as their characters and swing Styrofoam swords at each other? Stay away from them; those guys are nerds.

Robin Williams Pumping Strong After Successful Heart Surgery

Jeremy Singer — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:18:53 +0000

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After going under the knife for a weak heart, Robin Williams underwent a successful aortic valve surgery on March 13, and is now recovering at Ohio’s renowned Cleveland Clinic.

“Mr. Williams’ operation went extremely well and we expect him to make a full recovery,” said the hospital’s cardiothoracic surgeon A. Marc Gillinov. “His heart is strong and he will have normal heart function in the coming weeks with no limitations on what he’ll be able to do.”

According to E! News, Williams is already showing signs of his gut-busting sense of humor.

“A couple of hours after surgery, he was entertaining the medical team and making us all laugh,” said his doctor.

Williams postponed the remaining dates of his Weapons of Self-Destruction comedy tour earlier this month after experiencing shortness of breath. After consulting with doctors, it was determined he needed to have surgery.

The comedian has already taken time out from his recovery to thank those involved in his health scare and also look forward to the tour which will most likely pick up in the fall.

“The professionals at the University of Miami Hospital and ultimately the Cleveland Clinic were all fantastic,” he said. “I can’t thank them enough for their kindness and dedication while I was in their care. I must also thank all the people who have expressed their love and concern for me. I have been deeply touched by their support.”

“I can’t wait to get back on the road. I’m thinking the next leg of the tour will be Weapons of Self-Destruction and Reconstruction!”

Health Problems Force Robin Williams To Cancel Shows

Eva Lam — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:06:06 +0000

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Robin Williams has postponed four performances of his one-man show in Florida after experiencing shortness of breath.

According to a statement on his website, the 57-year-old comedian is being evaluated by doctors, who recommended a week of rest.

The cancelled shows, which were to take place Wednesday and Thursday, will be re-scheduled.

Williams is expected to resume his 80-city “Weapons of Self-Destruction” tour on Monday in Jacksonville, Fla.

The comedy tour kicked off last September and is the funnyman’s first in six years.

Williams will appear in theatres later this year in the “Night at the Museum” sequel, “Battle of the Smithsonian.”

Mel Gibson Inspired Robin Williams Rehab Stint

andPOP Staff — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 19:20:02 +0000

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Robin Williams has said that his recent trip to rehab for alcoholism was inspired by Mel Gibson’s alcohol-related downfall.

In an Access Hollywood interview airing Tuesday, Williams says that Gibson’s arrest and the ensuing controversy was a “big wake-up call.” He said that Gibson’s determination to seek out help motivated him to treat his own problems with alcohol.

“Well, if (rehab) was good enough for him, I’ll go,” explained the 55-year-old actor. “If you’re violating your standards faster than you can lower them, (it’s) time to go away.”

The announcement that Williams was entering rehab came less than two weeks after Gibson was arrested for drunk driving. During the arrest, Gibson made a number of anti-Semitic and sexist comments that sparked furor throughout Hollywood and the world.

Robin Williams Seeks Treatment for Alcoholism

andPOP Staff — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 18:01:08 +0000

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Actor and comedian Robin Williams has entered a treatment program for alcoholism after being sober for 20 years.

Reuters reports that, according to publicist Mara Buxbaum, Williams “found himself drinking again” after two decades off the wagon. He “has decided to take proactive measures to deal with this for his own well-being and the well-being of his family,” she said in a statement.

Williams drinking used to be so excessive that he’d use it as comedic material in his stand-up routines.

The 55-year-old actor plans to return to work this fall. He currently has four new films to promote: “The Night Listener,” which opened last week, “Man of the Year,” which is due out in October, the animated “Happy Feet,” which hits screens in November, and “Night at the Museum,” set for release in December.