D&D, only for children

[MerricB]

Oh, there's probably no doubt I've misspoke myself above. The topic is interesting, though.

Cheers!

 

[MerricB]

As one of those "early 80s surge" people, my recollection is that I was not aware of DnD being a "kids game" at all. In fact, DnD was towards to upper end of challenge and very mature as far as content, vocabulary level, etc. (I think the fact that it was "Gygaxian" pretty much says enough).

I would almost say that - a game created for 12-year-olds might not be the same thing as a game that interests 12-year-olds. I know as a 12-year-old, we would rather play ADnD badly than play basic DnD well.

I'm not so much talking about the game being childish (for it certainly was not!), but more about the perception of the game as being for children, teenagers and geeks.

Cheers!

 

[Jupp]

First off, my impression is that D&D is not marketed to kids or teens at the moment. Advertising is geared towards adults, at least that is how I see it.

I would like to see more advertising geared at teens. I do not know about the US but around here RPGs are mostly played among adults because kids and teens do not even know about RPGs since there is no advertising done for that age group. It would be nice to see an RPG company getting more advertising done that draws some young blood into the hobby. It's nice that the hobby has grown up with us players but that does not bring new players to the table. Also seeing advertising in places outside of the gaming scene is a good idea. Older players mostly look for new players of the same age, so getting younger people into RPGs with that is not really going to work.

D&D has the nice feature that you can tailor it for about all age groups. You can have a board came for the kids, the Basic Game for the teens and the full core rule books for the older folks. But alas the first one does not even exist (at least in the the US) and the second one is not really advertised by WotC.

And let's not forget that everything that could manage to bring a kid awav from the TV, computer or console is a good thing I would rather see my kids playing D&D than staring at some pixels or the latest manga tv series for hours and hours

 

[MerricB]

I think the D&D Basic Game is aimed at 10+.

The D&D Board Game (the UK one) has problems for Wizards as it doesn't share much resemblance to regular D&D mechanics.

Cheers!

 

[gizmo33]

I'm not so much talking about the game being childish (for it certainly was not!), but more about the perception of the game as being for children, teenagers and geeks.

But that's what I'm saying - there was no such perception when I started (I realize I may not represent everyone else). I started about 1980. It seemed to me to be a game designed for suspenders-wearin' bearded older people like the kinds at the computer clubs at the time.

"Kids" stuff involved color pictures with no backgrounds and little explosion graphics like "Zow", or anthropromorphic animals with big cute eyes. Or ridiculously exaggerated muscles. Kinda like DnD art now. DnD art back then was black and white line drawings. There's nakedness, or close to it, in many of the books. Character costumes were historical (often anachronistic), but not the weird outfits of He-Man. Of course I statted up the He-Man characters right away, but I felt like I was mixing two genres.

 

[Steel_Wind]

I think the game actually has to be aimed at kidsin some way, so that the game continues to grow rather than decline as we all get older.

I think this is correct. At least pitching D&D at teens and college students and try to grow that base as lifestyle gamers/customers seems wise.

What they really need is another James Dallas Eggbert III to vanish and give some recurring free publicity

 

[Eternalknight]

I think this is correct. At least pitching D&D at teens and college students and try to grow that base as lifestyle gamers/customers seems wise.

What they really need is another James Dallas Eggbert III to vanish and give some recurring free publicity

Heh, but maybe without the tragic consequences

For the record, I was 10 (and the year was 1990) when I began playing, as were most of my friends at the time.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Maybe... except that most video game players aren't, according to sales demographics, teenagers.

No, but teenagers do play. I know I did. Video game and computer game magazines are things high-schoolers read; also Maxim would probably to pretty well, given that it's to 13- and 14-year-old boys what Seventeen is to 13- and 14-year old girls.

 

[MerricB]

For the record, I was 10 (and the year was 1990) when I began playing, as were most of my friends at the time.

Change the year to 1982, and that's my story.

Cheers!

 

[Eternalknight]

Change the year to 1982, and that's my story.

Cheers!

Must be something in the Victorian water Actually, funnilly enough, the first place I discovered D&D was Ballarat...