Composition of RPG Groups (In person)

[Tanin Wulf]

So other threads have got my curious if I'm a statistical anomaly, or if I'm closer to the average gaming experience... so I thought I'd ask and see what emerges: what are you groups like in traditional diversity terms (Gender, Race, Orientation)?

Some quick "ground rules:"

1. I'm looking for in-person groups here (not for any particular reason, just because that's how I prefer my gaming. There is absolutely no judgment of online games, those are fun too!).

2. Since this involves a potentially contentious issue, I say that I have no judgment of you and your group! There is no such thing, to me, of too much or too little diversity in ANY PERSON'S GAMING GROUP. What matters is that they were the best gamers for YOUR GROUP. No judgment.

So My Groups:

I have DM'd groups in 4 different states and been a player in 2 different states.

WISCONSIN (DM): Average was 6 players, 1 DM. Usually 3-4 straight white male players, 1 gay white male player, and 1-2 straight white female players. DM, me, straight white male married to one of the female players.
WISCONSIN (PLAYER): As a player, group was 6 players, 1 DM. Average was 2-3 straight white male players, 2 straight black players, and 1-2 straight white female players (1 or both were usually married to me or the DM). DM was straight white male.

MICHIGAN (DM): Average was between 5 and 6 players. Split at various times between 1-3 straight white female players, 2-3 straight white male players, and 1 gay white player.

VIRGINIA (DM): Averaged 2 straight white female players. 2 straight black female players. 1-2 straight white male players. 1 straight black male player.
VIRGINIA (PLAYER): Averaged 3 straight black female players, 1 straight white player (me) and DM was straight white male.

INDIANA (DM): 2-3 straight white males, 2 straight white women.

(For those keeping track that's 14ish men to 13ish women. 8ish black to 14ish white, and this is all from memory as I wasn't exactly keeping records the whole time.) But never once has this been an issue at the table (even that time we played Scion and had a player who played a Son of Thor who was a send up to blaxploitation movies... and it worked so incredibly well.)

SO WHAT ABOUT YOU? What appears to be a more "normal" group to you from your experiences? Does it line up to something like the above? Is it wildly different? (Again, NO judgment, NO right answer. This is pure academic curiosity and discussion fodder of polite and respectful discussion!)

 

[Lanefan]

Over the 33+ years I've been at this, I'd say the average group I've DMed would be:

- maybe 70% male, 30% female (with wide group-to-group variance, of course)
- all white
- mostly straight? (of those whose orientations I knew at all)

 

[Kobold Boots]

This will not go well.. (gets popcorn and lawnchair)

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I've pretty much gamed, RPG wise, with the same group of people for the last 30 years, on and off, some temp members. But we were all straight white dudes. Well I'm pretty sure we are all straight.

Started wargaming and its more white dudes, though no idea about anything else since I don't know them well outside of the game night. A black dude showed up for one game night but hasn't been back though on FB he posts in the group page and just has too much work. So I don't think our lilly white nature scared him off.

Unlike KB I think there is little to no chance this goes off the rails.

 

[redrick]

I don't mind talking about my own race, gender, sexual orientation, religious identity, but, for some reason, I am uncomfortable making statements about those things for other people who have played at my table. Particularly because I don't always know and would hate to incorrectly identify somebody, even anonymously.

 

[Kobold Boots]

Unlike KB I think there is little to no chance this goes off the rails.

You're either right, or you just released the Kraken.

The last group that I spent about a year recruiting and a few playing with.

13 total
- 4 women (3 white, 1 black, all college educated)
- 9 men (7 white, 1 black, 1 asian, 7 college educated)
Age ranged from 24-40

It was a beautiful mess.

KB

 

[ccs]

ATM, regularly attending players only:

Group #1, the home game:
5 straight white guys between the ages of 24(?) - 48.

Group #2, down at the local shop:
6 straight white guys between the ages of 16-50,
2 straight white women age 17/late 40s

 

[Tanin Wulf]

I don't mind talking about my own race, gender, sexual orientation, religious identity, but, for some reason, I am uncomfortable making statements about those things for other people who have played at my table. Particularly because I don't always know and would hate to incorrectly identify somebody, even anonymously.

I completely understand and respect that point. Thank you.

And thanks to everyone else who has listed their group composition so far.

 

[Obryn]

Right now? 5 men, 2 women. 4 of them are straight and married (2 to each other), and 1 is straight and unmarried. My last two players, I dunno - I've never asked. I know they're dating, but don't make any assumptions from there.

 

[Blue]

Okay. The last three campaigns I've run (3-7 years each) are 5-6 active players at a time, with turnover about 1 player per 18 months. Usually one woman, rarely two, with the rest being men, but my current game had one woman who left during pregnancy so it's currently at zero. Mostly Caucasian players. Currently all players are in 30s and 40s, with the majority being married as time has gone on, though only one campaign had both halves of a married couple.

Last two campaigns I've played were at a local Gaming Club (think FLGS but the business model it to arrange games plus run an ongoing multi-DM world with metaplots and charge per seat instead of trying to compete with Amazon).

I'd say about 20% of the players/DMs are women, with games I've been part of about about 1/3 women. Mix of racial heritages but probably small majority Caucasian. Mix of orientations, including lots of "very came up". Both race and orientation true of the club as a whole and at my tables. Wide range of ages from teen to 50s as well.