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How to get younger players into PnP RPG's
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<blockquote data-quote="Mercurius" data-source="post: 4741339" data-attributes="member: 59082"><p>The pessimist in me says that tabletop RPGs are dying a slow death, more an artifact of Gen-X in particular than something that will continue to grow through the generations. Sure, there are still kids coming into the hobby but most who would have gotten into RPGs 20 years ago now, as you say, turn to video games instead.</p><p></p><p>I actually work with teenagers--I'm a dorm counselor and teacher at a boarding school--and have found the various responses to my status as a D&D player interesting. First of all they are surprised that a 35-year old plays Dungeons & Dragons. The nerdy computer kids think it is cool and want me to run a game for them, the non-nerdy kids are confused and associate it with the nerdy computer kids, even though I'm not at all into computer games. One overly macho kid was making fun of D&D when I pulled the Vin Diesel card on him (he was also talking about seeing Fast and Furious); he was shocked and mildly disturbed, even threatening never to see another Vin Diesel movie. Some of the more open-minded non-nerds were intrigued but the only way they would actually ever play would be if I offered to run a game (which I could at some point, I suppose). As long as it didn't interfere with their ever-so important social activities.</p><p></p><p>But it takes a certain type to actually get into gaming to the same degree that you or I, or 95% of ENWorlders, are into gaming. From the above I'd say there are three general groups in terms of potential tabletop players:</p><p></p><p>1) Nerds - these are the computer gamers, some who might have played tabletop RPGs, most of whom have not and never will. Even those that do play will still default back to computer games because they are easier and don't require others to play.</p><p>2) Closeminded non-nerds - They have a strong aversion to anything perceivably nerdy so will never even try. Lost causes <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p><p>3) Openminded non-nerds - This is where a chunk of new gamers could be found--think artists, musicians, thespians, intellectuals and other creative types. But the vast majority of them, even if they enjoy their experience, won't get deeply into gaming.</p><p></p><p>So the prognosis for tabletop RPGs is, imo, unfortunately not very good. They will probably always (or at least for some decades to come) exist in at least a cult status, but I see the a steady decline from here on out...especially when you take into account the eventual rise of Virtual Reality technology...and even more so if the idea of a Singularity has any merit.</p><p></p><p>But another thing comes to mind. Given the eventual, even imminent, rise of virtual technologies I see a cultural split occuring. Not everyone is going to want implants and not everyone is going to want to replace their own imaginative capacities with virtual/computer generated ones. We see this already with the many folks (like myself) who like tabletop RPGs but don't like computer games. I am not talking about complete luddites, but there will be a large section of the population--if still a minority--that uses virtual technologies only minimally. Imagination-based activities like RPGs may even thrive among such folk.</p><p></p><p>But who knows, really?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mercurius, post: 4741339, member: 59082"] The pessimist in me says that tabletop RPGs are dying a slow death, more an artifact of Gen-X in particular than something that will continue to grow through the generations. Sure, there are still kids coming into the hobby but most who would have gotten into RPGs 20 years ago now, as you say, turn to video games instead. I actually work with teenagers--I'm a dorm counselor and teacher at a boarding school--and have found the various responses to my status as a D&D player interesting. First of all they are surprised that a 35-year old plays Dungeons & Dragons. The nerdy computer kids think it is cool and want me to run a game for them, the non-nerdy kids are confused and associate it with the nerdy computer kids, even though I'm not at all into computer games. One overly macho kid was making fun of D&D when I pulled the Vin Diesel card on him (he was also talking about seeing Fast and Furious); he was shocked and mildly disturbed, even threatening never to see another Vin Diesel movie. Some of the more open-minded non-nerds were intrigued but the only way they would actually ever play would be if I offered to run a game (which I could at some point, I suppose). As long as it didn't interfere with their ever-so important social activities. But it takes a certain type to actually get into gaming to the same degree that you or I, or 95% of ENWorlders, are into gaming. From the above I'd say there are three general groups in terms of potential tabletop players: 1) Nerds - these are the computer gamers, some who might have played tabletop RPGs, most of whom have not and never will. Even those that do play will still default back to computer games because they are easier and don't require others to play. 2) Closeminded non-nerds - They have a strong aversion to anything perceivably nerdy so will never even try. Lost causes ;) 3) Openminded non-nerds - This is where a chunk of new gamers could be found--think artists, musicians, thespians, intellectuals and other creative types. But the vast majority of them, even if they enjoy their experience, won't get deeply into gaming. So the prognosis for tabletop RPGs is, imo, unfortunately not very good. They will probably always (or at least for some decades to come) exist in at least a cult status, but I see the a steady decline from here on out...especially when you take into account the eventual rise of Virtual Reality technology...and even more so if the idea of a Singularity has any merit. But another thing comes to mind. Given the eventual, even imminent, rise of virtual technologies I see a cultural split occuring. Not everyone is going to want implants and not everyone is going to want to replace their own imaginative capacities with virtual/computer generated ones. We see this already with the many folks (like myself) who like tabletop RPGs but don't like computer games. I am not talking about complete luddites, but there will be a large section of the population--if still a minority--that uses virtual technologies only minimally. Imagination-based activities like RPGs may even thrive among such folk. But who knows, really? [/QUOTE]
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