The Golden Age of Gaming

[Shadowslayer]

We're probably now in a Renaissance: A revival of intellectual or artistic achievement and vigor.

I'll go along with that.

If I may draw a parallel (with a Canadian slant): The Golden Age of Hockey is generally considered, among fans, to be the late 50s and early 60s. These were the good old days that the old timers talk about, when there was only 6 teams, the players were gentlemen etc etc. But the reasonings are mostly illusion. The game is actually better now. The players are more skilled, the game is faster, less violent. (Yes, less violent...the stats back it up)

I think the real reason people think of it as the golden age was because at the time, the sport was now easily followed (due to TV) There were only six teams, so if you were a fan, you knew the complete roster of each team without having to think about it. TV also turned some players into superstars. In Canada it was a total shared experience...there was only a couple of channels, and EVERYONE watched hockey on Saturday night. It became a huge part of our culture...thus the Golden Age of Hockey.

I feel that the golden age of RPGs (D&D in particular) was in the late 70s early 80s, partially for the same reason...the shared experience. Most everyone went up against the Giants, the Slavers, the Drow etc. You get two RPG players in a room that don't know each other, but both of them played D&D back then, you'll find they're still talking the same language. (It drives my group nuts when the DM and myself begin to reminisce..we're both of that age and the others are in their 20s)

Is the game better now? Probably. It's definitely better supported. Some excellent quality stuff out there, but so many options for game groups that your D&D is not necessarily my D&D anymore. (then we get on the boards and slag each other because of it...seriously, you think in 1981 we'd be arguing about "roll play vs role play"?) The RPG field is so fractionalized (kind of like the music industry) that its not necessarily a common experience anymore.

That to me says the golden age of RPGs has passed.

 

[Hairfoot]

We're in the golden-est era of RPGs so far, but there may be a boom yet.

The next decade will show us whether CRPGs can supplant tabletop games. If not, D&D might develop a large enough support base to sell itself as viable mainstream entertainment.

As we know from other threads, WotC keeps sales figures close to its chest, so it's hard to say just how much or how fast the game is growing.

 

[Kuld]

Late Jr high and early high school was definitely the ‘golden age’ for me. We didn’t have too many responsibilities and all the time in the world to play. This was the time when we all played D&D every day after school and all day long on weekends when feasible. Good times…

 

[diaglo]

We're in the golden-est era of RPGs so far, but there may be a boom yet.

The next decade will show us whether CRPGs can supplant tabletop games. If not, D&D might develop a large enough support base to sell itself as viable mainstream entertainment.

As we know from other threads, WotC keeps sales figures close to its chest, so it's hard to say just how much or how fast the game is growing.

in amount of sales... i think you will find CRPGs have already buried the pnp side.

just look at Blizzard Entertainments Warcraft, Diablo, Starcraft... sales. and that's only one small company who made it big. Atari, Nintendo... etc... also don't do poorly.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

If the golden age is not right now then it was 1st Edition AD&D pre-Unearthed Arcana.

 

[Steel_Wind]

The Silver Age is upon us...

The Golden Age of Gaming was 1979-1985. The rule of First Edition. Yes, first ed was still going in the late 80's, but it was mostly going through the motions and a lot of players left for other systems and the hobby branched out.

Dragon Magazine was at its height of importance 1980-86.

We are in the Silver Age now. When it will tail off is not yet clear. From the publishers' persepctive, they may think the Silver Age has ended this year - but I think their views are (justifiably) colored by their own financial concerns. From the player's perspective, it's still High Summer and - really - it's never been better.

Dungeon Magazine, I would argue, is now at its height, for much the opposite reason as Dragon was at its height in the early/mid 80s.

 

[Glyfair]

The Golden Age of Gaming was 1979-1985. The rule of First Edition. Yes, first ed was still going in the late 80's, but it was mostly going through the motions and a lot of players left for other systems and the hobby branched out.

Dragon Magazine was at its height of importance 1980-86.

I think you are tying the "Golden Age of Roleplaying" too closely with the "Golden Age of D&D." IMO, part of the reason the early 80's were the golden age of gaming was because there was a lot of exploration of roleplaying games, without getting the feeling that you were stretching just to be "different."

I think games like Traveller, Champions, Rolemaster, Chivalry and Sorcery, Runequest & Top Secret were important contributions to that time period being a golden age. Part of the reason I suggest that we might be in the Bronze Age is because it could be argued that the Silver Age was ushered in when White Wolf & LARPs started to rule the day. I'm not convinced myself, but I think it's worthy of discussion.

 

[diaglo]

I think you are tying the "Golden Age of Roleplaying" too closely with the "Golden Age of D&D." IMO, part of the reason the early 80's were the golden age of gaming was because there was a lot of exploration of roleplaying games, without getting the feeling that you were stretching just to be "different."

I think games like Traveller, Champions, Rolemaster, Chivalry and Sorcery, Runequest & Top Secret were important contributions to that time period being a golden age.

Boot Hill, Metamorphosis Alpha, Gamma World, Tunnels and Trolls, and so on and so on. and don't forget the wargaming side still flourishing.. Star Fleet Battles, Car Wars...

Part of the reason I suggest that we might be in the Bronze Age is because it could be argued that the Silver Age was ushered in when White Wolf & LARPs started to rule the day. I'm not convinced myself, but I think it's worthy of discussion.

what do you consider a LARP?

diaglo "who was making his own armor out of chain link fence and sewing his own tabard and then going into the woods to beat his friends over the head with sticks and throwing tennis balls as spells back in 1981-1988" Ooi

edit: wiffle ball bats, wiffle balls tied on the end of string and handle, pvc with foam,etc...

i also went to events... The Maryland Markland Mercenary Mlitia would meet in Rock Creek Park near DC....

 

[Hairfoot]

what do you consider a LARP?

...and when did LARP rule the roost? I thought LARPing was a niche hobby among niche hobbyists, even before paintball put it to a quick and painless death.

 

[Psion]

Golden Age is such a subjective thing.

On a personal scale, "Golden Ages" come when my everchanging group hits a high tenor with high quality players with a good synergy, and a GM who is "in the zone". This describes my 2nd-Epic level campaign of a few years back. Things like children, changes in jobs, and mere hapenstance tend to make these ages transient for me.

For the Hobby, though, yeah. I think it's a golden age. The "Age of Shovelware" is past, and it seems as if the former deluge of products has been simmered down to products of 180-200 proof goodness. In the realm of d20, the variety is staggering, but so is ability to plug in different products. Venturing outside of d20, there's some good stuff out there too. Some new, innovative games are hitting the street and the deluge of "Storyteller imitators" has died down, and storyteller itself has become a highly playable system. Rules light is no longer being embraced as the second coming of gaming, but it's still out there for those who like it. Classics are alive or soon to be ressurected.