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Role Playing (Games)

Facing Overwhelming Demand, Non-Profit 'RPG Research' Looks for Help (thegamer.com) 32

Posted by EditorDavid from the 20-side-dice dept.
Software developer/sys-admin Hawke Robinson is the CEO of RPG Research, a 501(c)3 non-profit, volunteer-run, charitable organization founded in 1977.

He's also long-time Slashdot reader kmleon, and shares this story from the gaming-news site The Gamer: RPG Research recently sent out an urgent call requesting more volunteers, more warehouse space, and more donations to help meet the overwhelming demand it is currently facing. In a truly good news/bad news situation, the organization has seen donations increase by 600% from previous years, while 2020 has increased demand for the organization's programs by more than 1,000%.

The increased demand is simply more than RPG Research is currently staffed and equipped to handle, resulting in the call for aid. Along with the need for more volunteers, RPGR is also seeking a sizeable warehouse to house office space, events, the RPG Museum, as well as to hold the RPG bus and trailers. The ideal warehouse being sought is "a 2,000 (minimum) to 4,000+ square foot warehouse" somewhere "in the greater Spokane Washington or Post Falls Idaho region...."

The international (six continents) organization began studying roleplaying games and their effects in 1983, and since then have presented their findings through various programs in educational settings, prison systems, and therapeutic medical settings.
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Facing Overwhelming Demand, Non-Profit 'RPG Research' Looks for Help More

Facing Overwhelming Demand, Non-Profit 'RPG Research' Looks for Help

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  • basic skills requested (Score:5, Insightful)

    by TimothyHollins ( 4720957 ) on Sunday December 20, 2020 @05:08PM (#60851920)

    As a hint for future summaries, it might be a good idea to *start* the summary with what the organization actually does. Adding it in at the end as an afterthought makes the whole thing seem like nothing but an attempt at garnering donations.

    • Donations of what, roleplaying games?

      • Donations of what, roleplaying games?

        I may be going way out on a limb here, but my guess is money.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by rtb61 ( 674572 )

          Money and role playing concepts targeted at various groups to achieve various psychological outcomes at a much lower cost than psychotherapy, preferable used in conjunction with psychotherapy, group therapy and mood stabilising and promoting pharmaceuticals. To teach improved social interactions, to teach outcomes for negative behaviour and of course teach positive behaviour. Fine for normals but a waste of time for genetic psychopaths, apart from teaching them how to scam the system, so they can get out to

          • promote positive activity and punish negative activity (perhaps even a shock collar, one for the neck and a smaller one for the nether regions, not too mean dependent upon the level of shock)

            How very 1984.

            Question for those who think this is a good idea - 2 + 2 = ?

    • Re:basic skills requested (Score:4, Informative)

      by OldUserBackAgain ( 6505346 ) on Sunday December 20, 2020 @05:28PM (#60851958)

      That site looks sketchy. Most links I tried to follow lead to a 404. And any that claimed to provide some kind of information about them seemed more to beg for assistance than actually telling the visitor what their vision, missions and goals are.

      Also, in my country, someone claiming to have some kind of "Learning pathway" to become a healthcare provider focusing on mental health and/or therapeutics (https://rpgresearch.com/learning-pathways) would require a license. Big no-no!

      They throw around the term "research" a lot, even in their name, yet there isn't anything resembling research under that heading. Show me at least ONE paper ffs!

      My first impressions is that this is a sect. Please prove me wrong.

      • Well, you woud first have to show that you are right with actual evidence. Since, surprise, we do not share a common gut with you. (Dunno, maybe you're part of a HumanCentiPad. ;)

        Until then, we got no evidence one way or the other, and the only conclusion is that it's useless.

        I, personally, can only add, that science knows that most of the brain cannot tell imagination from reality. So role playing can result in real experiences and real changes in your mind. But that also takes very strong similarities (ba

        • science knows that most of the brain cannot tell imagination from reality

          Meaningless statement as "most of the brain" isn't involved with that function.

      • Re: basic skills requested (Score:4, Insightful)

        by BarbaraHudson ( 3785311 ) <barbara.jane.hud ... com minus distro> on Sunday December 20, 2020 @06:02PM (#60852046) Journal

        You spelled "scam" wrong.

        In other news, I'm creating stresearch, to study and improve slashdot trolling. Gimme money (or would that be considered literally feeding the trolls) :-)

        • Very, very probably this.

          For an organisation that has been 'Researching [the effects of RPGs] since 1983', it is a little bit disconcerting that their research page ( https://rpgresearch.com/resear... [rpgresearch.com] ) contains this:

          NOTE THIS PAGE IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP COMPLETE THIS PAGE, PLEASE CONTACT US.

          and as GP stated, fuck all with regard to actual research.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Luthair ( 847766 )
          I've started Lamborghini Research, I need several hundred thousand dollars to buy a lamborghini as well as a free heated garage.

      • I agree. They are the ones asking for money. They need to prove they are above board.
        You don't have to prove they are sketchy.

    • Re:basic skills requested (Score:4)

      by arglebargle_xiv ( 2212710 ) on Sunday December 20, 2020 @05:42PM (#60851990)

      They study the effects of roleplaying games. Which is something we used to do while I was at school, most lunchtimes and often on weekends as well. We didn't need funding, or a warehouse, or volunteers.

      How TF did this make the front page of Slashdot?

    • As a hint for future summaries, it might be a good idea to *start* the summary with what the organization actually does.

      Obviously, "RPG Research" does research on Role Playing Games or Rocket Propelled Grenades -- duh.

  • I use a BFG 9000.

  • ... in the last paragraph of TFS. ;)

    I still don't fully get what that actually is for, and is in practice.
    They play D&D and get money for it?
    Sounds like it, but I don't think that can be right. (Then again, Trump got elected, so pigs *did* fly, so who knows anymore... ;)

    Or is it more like game theory. That kind that has nothing to do with games as we know them but with social experiments (that somehow are always based on American students that are completely the opposite of ye normal homo sapiens from E

    • Reading from the summary and the submitters profile, botvvery much.

      They want some space for an office, to park a bus inside, and a "museum."

      2,000 square feet minimum.

      In other words, they don't have a real office or anything else, because 2,000 square feet is nothing, and if that's what you're looking to expand into, you're most likely running out of your home.

      The museum idea is bs during covid, and probably will remain so afterwards. The bus? Park it outside and stash any crap in a monthly rental st

    • I still don't fully get what that actually is for, and is in practice.

      This from a guy who earlier told someone stating "My first impressions is that this is a sect.", citing a dearth of info on the web site about what they do "Well, you woud first have to show that you are right with actual evidence." (for their opinion).

  • ...still need research?

    • No, but their website needs an archeologist to sis's our wtf they're doing. Broken links, links to the most uninformative and apammy-looking Pages outide Russia, and obvious bs.

      After trying to navigate it, it's obvious that anyone donating money has more money than brains, and couldn't be arsed to do proper research.

      There's slashvertisements, and then there's whatever you'd call this.

      I'd call it doomed.

      Here's a thought - run it on April Fools Day. Maybe withb the pink ponies theme. Then we'll be for

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by PPH ( 736903 )

      And there's a non-profit charity funding it?

    • Research on RPGs is constantly needed because armor is improving.

      RPGs use a Monroe Effect shaped charge. They can be defeated by active armor or composite armor.

      Possible improvements include automatic terminal guidance, a mechanism to pre-detonate the active armor, or varying the shape to improve penetration of composites.

  • on the priority list right now

  • They want people working for free (look at the huge volunteer list). and/or give their money, to 'study' RPGs -- in the middle of a world pandemic when people are worried about their safety/health, their jobs, or even having enough to eat?

    Put in the "Yeah.... I don't think so" column

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