I Hit It With My Axe: Episode Eight: Don't Tell Us, Right Now!

[Layzor]

I dunno, this is the first episode I have given a chance in a while and I just don't really get it.

Why are they porn stars? Is it just because they are out of place like a minstrel show?

I just don't really see why I would want to watch a bunch of people who wouldn't be as fun to hang out with as my friends playing a game I wouldn't want to play with them.

 

[zsd]

This was the best episode yet. There was a lot of good stuff going on.

Also, it was such a relief that Justine Jolie is into it. I mean, Sasha Gray may be a nice lady, or a good friend, or whatever, and she's smoking hot, BUT she has been a giant sucking chest wound of not-fun in every episode so far. Maybe there were other factors at work I don't know about, but I am glad to see her go.

 

[inkBot]

This was an enjoyable episode. It shows through that you're enjoying the game, and Justine seems (as said) more into it than Sasha did.

Some cuts felt a little too fast still, but overall this was really good. Looking forward to the next one =)

 

[Nikajo]

I've only ever played the computer game versions of DnD (baldurs gate, neverwinter nights) so my perception of it is probably a bit skewed because of that but watching this makes me want to give it a try. I know some people that play their own version of DnD and they said I could join them sometime so maybe I will.

I must admit I wasn't to sure about the first couple of episodes but it's definately gotten a lot better since then. Keep it up

 

[Archon]

I'm not going to dis 1st ed it was the groundwork for a functional game system, but it was just the ground work. More rules were implemented, changed, and improved upon because the game system is flawed, just like Zak's DMing is, in my opinion. In any case, he wasn't even running a 1st ed game. Or he was running a 1st ed game using newer books, which seems less than effective. And in any case, my main issue is with the girls playing. No, I do not like the way Zak runs, but his players don't know enough about the game for him to run it properly. They'd all die every five seconds and the majority of the campaign would be character creation. Everyone would get bored.

Well, if you don't think OD&D and 1st Edition were a functional game system, we will simply have to agree to disagree. I've been running six players from The Escapist team through OD&D for the last 47 weeks consecutively and the game has been functioning just fine.

I don't dislike 3.5 at all; much of what it did was beautiful, from ascending AC to streamlining saving throws to unifying the game mechanics. But it also introduced lots of broken mechanics too. My D&D 3.5 campaign requires more house rules than my OD&D campaign to make it work.

 

[Susan Arendt]

I seriously want that cookie that Connie was eating. Looks incredibly tasty.

Also, you guys need to come visit so we can play together.

 

[Arlyn]

I'm not going to dis 1st ed it was the groundwork for a functional game system, but it was just the ground work. More rules were implemented, changed, and improved upon because the game system is flawed, just like Zak's DMing is, in my opinion. In any case, he wasn't even running a 1st ed game. Or he was running a 1st ed game using newer books, which seems less than effective. And in any case, my main issue is with the girls playing. No, I do not like the way Zak runs, but his players don't know enough about the game for him to run it properly. They'd all die every five seconds and the majority of the campaign would be character creation. Everyone would get bored.

Well, if you don't think OD&D and 1st Edition were a functional game system, we will simply have to agree to disagree. I've been running six players from The Escapist team through OD&D for the last 47 weeks consecutively and the game has been functioning just fine.

I don't dislike 3.5 at all; much of what it did was beautiful, from ascending AC to streamlining saving throws to unifying the game mechanics. But it also introduced lots of broken mechanics too. My D&D 3.5 campaign requires more house rules than my OD&D campaign to make it work.

I don't think first ed was completely disfunctional, I just think it left too much room. There were too many situations in which house rules became almost necessary for the game to run smoothly, at least in my experience. I think WotC saw most of those problems and fixed them. It was by no means perfect (otherwise there wouldn't be so many ways to make Pun-Pun), but it was an improvement to the system. I acknowledge that it's completely possible that the DMs I played with were just crap, but all the 3.5 games I've played ran smoothly as far as the rules were concerned. So, as far as I've seen, first ed was faulty, and there's a better rules system now. If you think something is too broken, simply don't allow it, and the problem is fixed, easy. Where as in first ed there was a list of house rules almost as long as the PHB itself.

 

[Panayjon]

And this is why the Storyteller system is superior!

*flees*

 

[LunarTick]

Zak, your goblin voice is awesome!

Amen to that brother!

Yes, I agree. Zak really hits it with his goblin voice. I think every DM has his own prefered voice. My old DM reigned supreme at old people. I usually get my players with animal voices (badger/sheep) and overstimulated faeries.

And to, again, agree with most other posters here, I too thought this was the episode this far. (I really appreciated the names coupled with the players.)

 

[Gildan Bladeborn]

And Rorschach, we can totally tell it's you. This "II2" handle isn't fooling anyone who's read your journal.

I thought that dialogue structure looked somewhat familiar! Now I can't help but read those posts in a Rorschach voice, which has made them a lot funnier. Thanks!

 

[Souldrinker]

I just wanted to say that after i finished watching these videos I checked up on some of the actresses 'other' videos. I have to say that "I hit it with my axe" has really opened my eyes and revolutionized the way i see actors. How that they ARE people too. I like these videos because they invite the viewers to stop being at an arm length and really get to know these people. There is no falseness about any of it and its just like you are just hanging out and gaming.

Any of these people are people i would want to run DnD with and not just care about what they do in their professional life. That being said doing something that they like for a living shouldn't looked down upon at all...especially something that takes as much balls and confidence as porn.

 

[tedero]

That was the first episode that really made me LOL. Very entertaining. Good job ladies and DM!

 

[richgfong]

I seriously want that cookie that Connie was eating. Looks incredibly tasty.

Also, you guys need to come visit so we can play together.

Where is the Escapist located? I'd love to play AND check out the office while I am at it [I can afford time for a good D&D game]. On a side note, what you guys do for the gaming industry is tremendous, in my opinion. Gaming, afterall, can be and is a social medium =)

 

[Mordicai Caeli]

Easily my favorite so far. Opposites is just the sort of stupid madness where goblins excel, & the success of the much-maligned mushroom book was great pay-off. I feel like the crew had a lot of fun, which made it a lot of fun to watch.

 

[Low Key]

So I've watched all the episodes so far, and while the show is...interesting?...to say the least, maybe I'm just too used to seeing pornstars doing something other than play D&D.

I'll keep watching though. I have never played or watched anyone play D&D, so I'll chalk it up to a "learning experience". Yeah, that's it.

 

[The Random One]

Ha, this episode was great. The previous ones were just okay, but I throughly enjoyed this one. The Bizarro language bit was awesome, I actually laughed at it. I need to use it in a game so that everyone gets confused.

 

[Susan Arendt]

I seriously want that cookie that Connie was eating. Looks incredibly tasty.

Also, you guys need to come visit so we can play together.

Where is the Escapist located? I'd love to play AND check out the office while I am at it [I can afford time for a good D&D game]. On a side note, what you guys do for the gaming industry is tremendous, in my opinion. Gaming, afterall, can be and is a social medium =)

We're in Durham, NC. I should try and figure out how to have an online D&D session so we can play with members of the community...

 

[richgfong]

I seriously want that cookie that Connie was eating. Looks incredibly tasty.

Also, you guys need to come visit so we can play together.

Where is the Escapist located? I'd love to play AND check out the office while I am at it [I can afford time for a good D&D game]. On a side note, what you guys do for the gaming industry is tremendous, in my opinion. Gaming, afterall, can be and is a social medium =)

We're in Durham, NC. I should try and figure out how to have an online D&D session so we can play with members of the community...

I can't see D&D being played online (I haven't done it myself). The face to face interaction shared is probably the hardest thing to replace (I wonder whether playing with group webcams on a site like http://www.stickam.com/ would alleviate the problem...)

You guys are in North Carolina... doh, that's too bad. I'm in California -- would love to have dropped by and checked out the office. Again, what you guys do is super cool!

 

[RDubayoo]

Justine seems way too nice to be a porn stsr.

 

[frankieface]

I'm really glad to be reading the positive comments regarding the episodes.
I believe Mandy brilliantly explained what some people seemed to have such a hard time understanding.

I enjoy this RPG, I enjoy Zak's DMing, the hybrid of the type of D&D we're playing, our characters and the real life people who rolled them up (my friends).

I'm sorry you get heartbroken or upset when you feel like this is being marketed to you, specifically because people assume that if you love D&D/videogames that you're lonely and love boobs. Hey, sometimes I'm lonely and love boobs too, I'm not upset because someone offers me something that I like. Maybe I don't like it. Just because someone assumes I like, LA ink for example, because I have tattoos, doesn't mean I'm going to curse Kat Von D, her friends and the creators and insult them. I just say, "Heyyy, look at that, perpetuated stereotypes, weird." Then I don't watch the show and I move on. Then I watch something like Freaks and Geeks and laaaaauugh and try to have a good time, because I like good times.

One more thing. I think it's silly to compare this show with mass marketed shows with a high production value. "Why is this show poorly lit, poorly edited, not in HD, not written with additional stereotypes and misogynistic one-liners and mainstream actors, WHY ISN'T THIS SHOW FRIENDS, I WANT TO SEE RACHEL, JOEY AND CHANDLER ROLL UP THEIR CHARACTERS WHYYYY".

Okay thank you for reading this and being awesome and liking it and talking about how much you like it, I like those of you who do that!

<33, Frankie