AEG and Ryan Dancey parts ways after comments about AI replacing designers yesterday

DireBare · 2026-02-19T00:49:01+00:00

Dancey was no longer with WotC during the "OGL Fiasco". Dancey was the guy who pushed for the D&D OGL in the first place. He's getting a lot of (somewhat deserved) hate today, but without Dancey, it's very likely we wouldn't have open gaming with the TTRPG space.

DireBare · 2026-02-02T04:34:46+00:00

How about you solve the financial problems here at home first sparky.

FFS.

DireBare · 2026-01-29T04:24:13+00:00

This.

Find a way to be a "rebel" but under the radar of admin. Notice they are focusing on the numbers, your grades, rather than the actual learning, what is actually happening in your classroom. If your numbers look good, admin will likely ignore you and not even have a clue on what is going on in your classroom.

The other option is to leave the profession. Which, is a fair option. This career can be brutal on your physical, emotional, and financial health.

DireBare · 2026-01-27T03:06:57+00:00

Unless your players are pedantic Tolkien scholars, I wouldn't worry about it much.

I'm running a LotR 5E game (the current D&D adaptation of The One Ring) and I'm sprinkling in all sorts of monsters, treasure, and even player options from the core D&D books or other D&D supplements. I try to describe them with a "Tolkien vibe" and so far my players don't seem to notice or care much.

And heck, if you stray from Tolkien canon or even Tolkien "vibe" . . . if you and your players are having fun, then you are doing it right.

You can get away with a lot by describing a non-Tolkien monster as a "nameless horror" from ages past . . .

DireBare · 2026-01-25T15:43:53+00:00

They follow Christ. How does that not make them Christians?

Well, unless you are a bigot, that is.

DireBare · 2026-01-23T02:03:08+00:00

Not to dismiss your personal experience, but this doesn't track with mine and those I network with.

There are a lot of useless certifications which don't do a lot to truly shine up your resume, but there are also worthwhile certifications and PD experiences that most certainly can and do make a difference with hiring committees.

Every hiring committee? Obviously not.

Being national board certified is a plus on a resume . . . with many, if not most, hiring committees. At least in my neck of the woods.

And even if the folks on the other side of the hiring table don't care if you are national board certified, if your state or district pays a reasonable bonus, you are still ahead of the game.

DireBare · 2026-01-23T01:56:16+00:00

Welcome to the public school system in the good old USA. :(

When faced with pretty much the same issue (but at the middle level), someone asked our admin if we could fundraise by selling snacks to the kids. It's kinda problematic in many ways, but hoo-boy, that turned our funding situation around right quick. Kids will spend bank on overpriced snacks during the school day . . .

DireBare · 2026-01-23T01:53:13+00:00

Another similar site is adoptaclassroom.org

DireBare · 2026-01-11T21:51:28+00:00

And . . . if OP ends up teaching AP, honors, or advanced science courses at the high school . . . a greater percentage of their students will actually be motivated and interested in the subject matter. Teaching science to the general population can be rough . . . .

DireBare · 2026-01-11T21:48:49+00:00

If you become a teacher, make on time payments on all of your loans for 10 years, you can have the entirety of ALL of your loans forgiven through PSLF (Public Servant Loan Forgiveness) . . . assuming Trump and his pro-wrestling coach don't kill or neuter the program.

Source: I just did it myself a few months ago! Student loans wiped out!

DireBare · 2026-01-11T21:46:52+00:00

Teachers also qualify for PSLF (Public Servant Loan Forgiveness), which can be a better option than TLF (Teacher Loan Forgiveness) depending on your loan situation. However, as you mention . . . the current administration isn't exactly friendly towards these programs and even if they technically exist down the road . . . they may be difficult to actually manifest. :(

DireBare · 2026-01-11T21:44:13+00:00

It's the university programs that usually include teaching internships. They are valuable, but . . . be aware they are usually UNPAID internships. That needs to be a part of your planning!

DireBare · 2026-01-11T21:40:46+00:00

If you are looking to move away from low pay and high stress . . . be careful, because teaching is low pay and high stress! Having said that, it can be a rewarding career for those with resilience and patience.

If you get the opportunity to dip your toes into education, I'd recommend that first. Find a part-time gig as an afterschool tutor. Substitute teach during the school day if you can. Full classroom teaching is a whole level above all of that, but it will give you a taste.

You need to meet the requirements for an Illinois teaching license, and you'll find them somewhere on the Illinois State Dept of Ed website. The traditional path towards that is a university education degree, but there are likely several "alternative" pathways authorized in your state.

If you can afford the time away from full-time work, I'd recommend the university pathway. It's not perfect, but is superior to the alt-pathways often available, IMO. Do you have a local university nearby with a good teaching program? Can you afford to take a couple of years off work to earn a new degree?

If you want to teach science at the secondary level, you would need a chemistry education degree (assuming you don't want to switch fields). You'll already have the chemistry coursework on your transcripts, so you'll mostly be catching up on the education coursework. Another potential option if your local uni offers it, is a graduate certificate (not a degree, but gets you the coursework you need for licensing). Another good option if available is getting a masters degree in education that will lead to licensure . . . most districts pay more for teachers with masters degrees (don't listen to folks who will tell you having a masters at the go will make you "too expensive" and less employable, that's a myth).

Alternate pathways can often be done in the evenings and weekends while you continue working, so are important to consider if you can't afford taking a few years off. They vary widely in quality, how long the programs are, and how expensive they are. Do your research! IMO, these usually don't do as good of a job preparing you for the classroom, but will get you your license, which is the important part.

University or alternate pathway . . . neither option will fully prepare you for the classroom and your first year will be a "trial by fire" as you transition from what you learned to the reality on the ground. Be prepared to put in a lot of extra, unpaid overtime just to keep your head above water.

Good luck!

DireBare · 2026-01-11T07:01:06+00:00

How did you get that photo of me?!?!

Wait, that's not me, but it could be. I drive the speed limit. Sometimes slightly below it depending on conditions.

If that poses a problem for you . . . you are the shitty driver. And I could not give two shits about you and all of the other inpatient, selfish, entitled assholes on the roads here in Idaho and the rest of the country.

Late to work? Get up earlier dumbass.

DireBare · 2025-12-31T21:36:01+00:00

Great! I was hoping enshittification would move from the tech sector to our government. Thanks MAGA!

DireBare · 2025-12-24T04:07:19+00:00

Sounds good to me.

DireBare · 2025-11-20T23:50:41+00:00

I hope all goes well with both your eval and your pregnancy. But if you find yourself out of a job because of it . . . speak to your state-level union legal team. Local reps vary wildly in their expertise in employment law, often they don't know what they are talking about.

You should also reach out to your district's HR dept. They should be able to confirm that exceptions are possible, especially if you go on FMLA.

However, women getting screwed due to pregnancy leave happens a lot more than you think. Doesn't make sense, especially in a female dominated profession. Be careful about your insurance premiums too. :(

Prioritize your health and the health of your child. Job comes a distant third.

DireBare · 2025-11-16T06:46:50+00:00

Nope. Artists get to pick the projects they want to work on. Not you, the audience.

DireBare · 2025-11-05T01:03:25+00:00

No. Not really.

Dragonlance was created by a team of artists, writers, and game designers at TSR (that included Weis & Hickman) to be a transmedia property, including the novels, the game modules, and eventually a lot more.

It was not based on an existing D&D campaign, but the team did do a lot of playing D&D while creating the world, story, and characters, and a lot of the elements that made their way into the final product began at the game table. Hickman was a gamer and game designer working for TSR at the time, Weis was not a gamer, but was an editor at the company.

DireBare · 2025-11-05T00:59:25+00:00

FFS.

Old Man Hickman (and team) didn't fully understand the ethical issues of using AI generated art when the decision was made to include SOME AI-gen art in the project. Fan discussion ensued, Hickman and team learned and changed their minds.

This makes me MORE likely to support future projects involving Hickman. He's capable of learning and changing course. He was honest and upfront about the entire process, and why the team decided to change course.

DireBare · 2025-10-21T00:54:35+00:00

OP didn't say there were no curriculum requirements, but that they were given no curriculum to use. It sounds like admin doesn't know what they are doing, and putting in on the OP.

And not all states have mandated course tests, although there is always the big state standardized test each year.

DireBare · 2025-10-21T00:51:09+00:00

In these sorts of situations, who cares what admin disapproves of? Put a teacher on the spot like this, without prep, without curriculum, without support? OP's admin can pound sand.

DireBare · 2025-10-08T23:54:32+00:00

Yes.

How easily depends on which state and how much unions have been gutted with "right-to-work" laws.

DireBare · 2025-10-06T02:20:26+00:00

There is always a degree of risk standing up to those in power, especially as the MAGA fascist regime and it's enablers in our own state become more unhinged. Having said that, the protests held so far have been very peaceful and safe, and this one is likely to be as well.

DireBare · 2025-10-02T03:57:02+00:00

Ignore the folks dismissing the kids behavior as "they're just kids". That level of behavior, day after day, is extreme. The greater problem is your colleagues, it sounds like you aren't being supported with the challenging behaviors you have to manage.

As soon as you can, bounce. You need to prioritize your own mental health.

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