New Faces (Forked: Its the terminology that kills me...)

[Tervin]

Lets face it, none of us are the elite in rpging terms. We like D&D which pretty much makes us scum.

So true.

In the early 80s they told me that they played Call of Cthulhu or RuneQuest or Rolemaster or Chivalry & Sorcery, so they were better than me.
Then they played GURPS or Kult or Warhammer so they were better than me.
Then they played freeform so they were better than me.
Then I played Storyteller games for some years, so I was better than me.
Then they played indie games so they were better than me.
Now I am old and my hearing is too bad to hear what they are saying. But I am pretty sure they are still better than me, because I play both 3.X and 4E. And love the variety.

Oh, and new players are good. I don't think they need to be young to be new though. There are lots of grownups who love fantasy literature and films that are potential D&D-players, if they just find a group with a gaming style that fits them.

 

[stonegod]

To quote an old physics chestnut:

A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.

The amusing thing being of course, is that the new guard eventually becomes the entrenched old...

New people mean change, which is ultimately tumultuous. The flux of WoD players in the 90s is a great example. It kept the hobby alive and revitlized it some ways. The influx of new folks for 3E was similar. New folks bring new ideas. You don't have to like the new ideas, but you can learn from them and adapt (even if that is "Not my cup of tea.")

4E brought us a new DM. That makes me happy.

 

[Fifth Element]

I really don't get the whole "bad taste" idea. How can something that's completely subjective be bad, or good for that matter? Even if the great majority of very smart people like something, that doesn't mean if you like it, you have good taste.

There's no such thing as good taste or bad taste. Everyone's tastes are different, and none are superior to others.

I could go on to say how I must have good taste in comedy, since I like Monty Python, Fawlty Towers and the Office. Many here would agree, I think, that that shows good taste. But what if I then say I also like Trailer Park Boys, Red Green and Larry the Cable Guy (all true, BTW)? What does that do to me? Is my good taste now bad? Eclectic taste, sure, but how do you measure it to determine whether it's good or bad? You can't.

 

[Turanil]

I really don't get the whole "bad taste" idea. <...>
There's no such thing as good taste or bad taste.
<...>
I could go on to say how I must have good taste in comedy, since I like Monty Python, Fawlty Towers and the Office. Many here would agree, I think, that that shows good taste. But what if I then say I also like Trailer Park Boys, Red Green and Larry the Cable Guy (all true, BTW)? What does that do to me? Is my good taste now bad?

May I suggest that Bad Taste is in fact very good?

 

[Lurks-no-More]

Only if u call yourself elite. If someone else calls you elite it speaks to an inherent lack of confidence in thier character and beliefs, its a tacit admission of the "elitists" superiority along with an overriding theme that they should be guilty for knowing they are better then you, when they said nothing of the sort. it was really just you imprinting your insecurities on them.

No, but they are calling you an elitist, not elite. There's a difference; you appear to be an elitist, but you certainly aren't elite.

 

[Nifft]

May I suggest that Bad Taste is in fact very good?

Adding to NetFlix queue now.

Thanks, -- N

 

[WayneLigon]

Anyone who says new faces are bad has forgotten that they were the new face once. No-one comes out of the womb with dice in their hand.

New faces are vital to gaming. New ideas, new ways of doing things, new concepts ... these are all good things, particularly in a hobby that's in danger of becoming too attached to useless, pointless traditions instead of useful, productive ones.

The hobby's health should be of concern to everyone. Even if you've played with a group for ten years that doesn't mean that this year things won't change to the point that you all break up. Where will your new players come from then? So, yes, it will affect you and does affect you.

 

[Andor]

New faces mean more money going to FLGS and publishers which means more games get produced and we have places to buy dice and find new friends.

In the gaming industry as in everything to stop growing is to start dieing.

 

[ironvyper]

So, if I say someone is an elitist and I wouldn't want have anything to do with him, I am actually meaning to say "you're way better then me"?

I do not think that's how it works. Or, more accurately: That is not how it works.

Exactly, just like the people who call a certain politician elitist because they went to a better school, started a better business, and know better then them how to run something. Its basically saying "oh your better then me so i dont like you".

 

[ironvyper]

Lets face it, none of us are the elite in rpging terms. We like D&D which pretty much makes us scum.

ironvyper, if a Vampire fan derides players of D&D as mere hack & slashers and you say his attitude is elitist, does that mean you are acknowledging that he is your superior?

If for some reason i chose to use that term then yes it would. I wouldnt say that though, i would say something like "well not all of us want to have an amatuer drama club everyweek because we have real jobs or any job at all to be frank and sometimes we just want to relax with something simple. " Full disclosure on that though, i actually tried out the vampire meetup group here in vegas a few years ago with an ex..... and maybe it was an exception but i saw more people who were actually gainfully employed and in touch with reality the last time i saw my great grandmother in a retirement home for alzhiemers patients.