Are you out of the D&D closet?

[Ziggy]

Here in Norway gaming is no big deal (same as the Netherlands & Iceland I guess). Thus I have no problem with telling people I game, and I'm pretty sure everybody that knows me reasonably well (that includes most co-workers) know I game.

The only thing I will hide in a public space is source material, as some of it look pretty childish & cheesy. Not at home, but I usually don't read it on the train or when flying.

At home an entire room is filled with science fiction, comics, gaming materials (including board games) and lately also miniatures. Everyone who is not blind will notice our hobbies (my wife is a gamer as well) instantly.

.Ziggy

 

[CrazyShapiro]

I don't care what people think about it, especially the close minded ones. I know what D&D is to me, and that’s all that really matters. There are too many different types of people in this world to have to cater to others opinions. Fact is, D&D isn’t evil, bad or otherwise, and you may do the 'judgmental' person a favor by enlightening them to this fact.

On the other hand, if I had to conceal it to avoid hurting my children by jeopardizing my job or something similar, I may do it, but hopefully I could maneuver my way away from the situation eventually. The type of person that would be so angry/closed about something like this would be a serious a pain in the rear to have to work with or deal with on other issues, I guarantee it!

 

[Henry]

I'm "out", also, among my co-workers, though it's more of a "don't ask, don't care" policy. And Like Aroyche, I just added another bookshelf to handle the materials load.

My bosses know, and a couple of co-workers, but in general no one else does because no one asks - despite the fact that I have some gaming paraphenalia on display at my work!

Maybe if I had put up that big Pentagram mural in my cubicle, there'd be mroe interest...

 

[Some guy from Ohio]

Howdy CrazyShapiro!
Welcome to our little board and thanks for gracing my tread with your first post. He’s an old friend of mine I am going to drag out of 2nd ED and into 3rd ED this very weekend.

 

[Wild Karrde]

I usually just say something to the effect that I like to play games. I'll let them decide whether it's poker or something of that nature. If they're really curious or I think they're cool with it I'll tell'em but other than that I keep it to myself.

And for the record My girlfriend does know I play. All of the girls in my past knew I played. However it's not like I tried to talk to them the first time by starting a D&D related conversation which I know alot of gamers tend to do, lol.

And you gotta break them in slowly if they don't know what it is. And keep'em away from the gaming stores for awhile til they really like you, heh. My girlfriend thought gamers were like me and my friends until I stopped with her at a store and she could see all the "my life only consists of gaming" people. Talk about a wake up call, heh. She can still smell the stench of unwashed bodies wafting from the adjoining room.

 

[Gilthanas_Galanodel]

Hi,
All of my close friends know that I play and so do a few of my not so close friends, and none of them have a problem with it. I have even convinced a few people who weren't interested befroe to start playing. In fact the only problem with playing D&D where I live is one really annoying player, who can't RP to save his life and always comes up with completely unoriginal characters.
Cya

 

[Gargoyle]

I'm pretty open about it now. I especially enjoy talking about Chainmail Bikini Games. The looks I get are priceless. But I wasn't always that way.

I first heard that D&D was evil in a private Christian school in '82. They said the same thing about rock & roll, and I knew I liked that, so as soon as I could I bought the red basic rules box.

After becoming thorughly engrossed in it and buying every product I could get my hands on, my mother burned it all a few years later, so I moved out.

So as time went on, I couldn't reveal my hobby at school or to my parents without risking problems. After joining the military, I realized that there are a lot of players out there, and I decided not to ever hide it again.

Today she knows that we play, though I'm not sure she understands that I'm running a d20 publishing company. I've explained it to her, but she changes the subject or ignores me.

So she still doesn't approve, but doesn't dare make an issue of it, and is more than happy to watch her grandchildren while we play and during our GenCon trips.

But my mom's basically very closeminded and gullible. She saw on TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network) that Harry Potter was evil, and told me so, hoping that I wouldn't let my kids get involved in it. I asked her if she had read any of the books, "no...but it was on TV.." Then I tried to patiently explain to her that it was harmless fantasy fiction, just like the romance novels she reads. I then bought all the Harry Potter books with the eager anticipation that I'll someday have my 4 and 1 year old boys enjoy them enough to ask their grandma to read it to them.

People will believe what they will, and I still love my mom even though I can't stand being around her sometimes (common relationship, you can't pick your family) and wonder if I was adopted some times.

Incidently, money seems to make anything acceptable to people, no matter what their beliefs are. Take the following quote from Thunderhead's post:

The funny thing... EVERYONE at work knows I love comic books, and I've never hid that particular hobby of mine... I take 'em to work now and then, and no one thinks anything of it... Strange...

It's not strange because everyone knows comic books appreciate in value. They've heard of people selling them for hundreds of dollars more than they were bought for, and they understand that aspect of the hobby. Same with Magic the Gathering cards, or being a technical computer person. They still think it's geeky, but they can understand profit.

D&D is a game that never ends where nobody wins in the traditional sense, seems to cost a lot of money, and takes up a lot of time; all for no tangible profit. It bewilders anyone in a capitalist society who has no first hand experience with it.

But once I mention that I'm starting up a publishing company to produce role-playing supplements, they seem to get it, even though they really haven't. I don't play D&D because I wanted to make money, I started the company because I love to play D&D.

 

[CrazyShapiro]

Girlfriends?

Well not a one I dated was a role player, but now 3 of my X's are! (well they play sometimes.)

Seriously, there is no reason to be secretive about this (hmm, hmm, SGFOhio!) Its a very creative hobby, and brings out the kid in all of us. SOME people may be closed minded about it, but that is their problem.