Or rather the two extremes around it, as the excluded middle usually requires some subtlety of thought and openness of mind, which is why it gets so excluded. I'll start with the one raging right now:

An RPG is a game just like poker or volleyball and everyone, GM and players alike, must follow the rules equally, exactly as written.

vs.

The GM is the absolute authority and any attempt to undermine that by making the rules more powerful than him or her will end in a mutiny by rules-lawyering players.

That shit (and the bannings- especially yours) have really started to suck the fun out of that place for me. Mockery has become rather redundant.

I was going to post in that thread(s) that I prefer to use the rules, but I'll make a judgment call if I have to, but man there just isn;t any point. We don't have discussions anymore over there, just circle jerks. can I say circle jerk here?

You know, I actually honestly didn't mean this post to be a direct jab at therpgsite. I can see how it quite easily could be seen as that way, though, now looking back at it. I just thought it would be fun (and perhaps therapeutic) to see a list of the extremes of these kinds of arguments. But clearly following the argument over there is what triggered the thought (though the 4e fights over on rpg.net contributed as well).

I've got one more:

4e is an MMORPG

vs.

Grognards enjoy old school D&D out of nostalgia only

I'm doing my best!

Yes.

I am glad to hear this Walker. I really do not wish inter board warfare with Pundit and/or his site.

Which is why people should post other examples of excluded middles, so this thread can move on from my undiplomatic choice in the OP.

Mostly there are so many and that would be why I find it difficult to narrow the field. Essentially, any argument may be presented this way. Let's take a look:

Old School gaming is all about pirating and or unoriginal reprints.

Vs.

It is the purist form of gaming one can engage in since it is the original.

Forge games are noting but tree hugging diceless pretentiousness.

Vs.

Forge games are the one true evolution of role playing to a new form.

Games are about rules. RPGs are games and therefore only about the rules.

Vs.

Games are a free form cheat fest for the player called the "GM". Only he can cheat.

Any topic will do. You can do it with anything, rpgs ar enot special in this way...

Vs.

This is a problem endemic to RPG discussion. Due to its nature, arguing rules breads a dichotomy of views, one extreme pitted against the other with no room for quarter or admission of a middle ground. This only happens in RPG discussions....

Oh, that's quite clever. Kudos to you, sir.

I don't even get consulted?

Man this place is just another place full of tyranny!


No man, this is Free Specch!

See how I did that?




Note: this is not serious. I'm giving Bill a friendly jab...