How much is too much?

[TerraDave]

I will fourth the advise on book buying...less is more.

I think the reason you don't hear much about "addiction" in tabletop is that you do need other people to play. Of course, I guess you can still join multiple groups and do store events. But the threshold is different then just turning on your computer or x-box, and thats what I think most adicts are doing, to the detriment of tabletop, or other things that might be important in life.

 

[Oryan77]

and find out how much tabletop games play a role in your life?

Put it this way, most of us posting here are probably at work right now. Yet we're posting about D&D on the internet.

The forums are sort of like an AA class. Except we encourage each other to indulge in our addiction. Not only that, but we give advice on how to do it even better than we did before. The only time I would be worried is if the wife or boss complains about your gaming habit.

I spend a lot of my downtime just thinking about fantasy stuff in general. It's actually relaxing to me.

 

[Dausuul]

I can remember gaming in high school (man, am I old). ... Two of us were slightly worse then the others, thanks to the internet. We both had forums that we posted on regularly on the subject, and you might as well say that took up our Wednesday.

If you were posting on Internet forums in high school, you have no business calling yourself "old."

 

[Ahwe Yahzhe]

"Old?"

If you were posting on Internet forums in high school, you have no business calling yourself "old."

Not necessarily. I ran a PBP game for 3 years and posted on lots of forums in the 80's, pre-Internet. Back then, they were just called BBS (Bulletin Board Systems) that you had to dial directly with your modem.

God, I'm OLD.

-AY

 

[Oryan77]

Not necessarily. I ran a PBP game for 3 years and posted on lots of forums in the 80's, pre-Internet. Back then, they were just called BBS (Bulletin Board Systems) that you had to dial directly with your modem.

You said "not necessarily" and then followed it up with saying, "pre-Internet". Wouldn't that still mean "you're old only if you played D&D before you were able to use the internet"?

I know gamers like to argue and tell everyone they are wrong all the time, but I think Dausuul's statement still holds true.

Besides, you're just a whipper-snapper. I ran 'play by mail' games, pre-BBS. I'd write a letter to the DM and had to wait 3 days for his response. I grew up playing with my father though. When he was young, he had to use smoke signals to play D&D with his far away friends.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Ah yes.. fond memories of the old pbpx ("play by pony express") games. Good times!

 

[Oryan77]

Ah yes.. fond memories of the old pbpx ("play by pony express") games. Good times!

PBPX, I like that. I tried giving you xp but it said I needed to spread it around before giving it to you. So I spread it on my crotch, but it still won't let me give it to you.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Hello Squnk and welcome,

I think what you are doing sounds like the rush of ecstasy of a fresh virgin nymph who hath found her calling. Getting a "base" of gaming books to begin with is fine from the sounds of things. However, I shall provide you with two warnings that from the blush of things seem not to apply.

A member on these boards about half a year ago found themselves playing too often to escape what seemed a difficult time in his marriage. When you find yourself lying to your loved ones about your gaming "habit"; it is then that you know you are going too far. Fortunately, that member with advice from the board took a step back from gaming to sort those personal things out. He has not been back since but I look forward to him hopefully returning once again and wish him well if his return is not to be.

The second is one a little closer to me and in fact something I have not yet discussed online or on this forum. A dear member of my gaming group took his life one month ago. It was not the first time he had tried but it still took us all by surprise and has affected everyone in my group deeply (we have not yet played a game since but have plans to reunite in a couple of weeks). In the end, I think life was too hard for him, despite the genuine affection that our group had for him, it was not enough. He could get easily depressed although he would never show it. He was always smiling. Unfortunately, gaming and WoW and other such things were his escape from his life.

May you truly rest in peace Juz.

Now, the point of this is that gaming is almost always never the problem, but it can be a symptom. With this on board, I think you should feel comfortable with what you are doing. It sounds like you have found the greatest hobby in the world and I bid you welcome. There are many great people on these boards and I hope you afford yourself the opportunity to meet them over the coming months and years.

Best Regards and Welcome once again,
Herremann the Wise

 

[xipetotec]

As I keep stating, I'm a noob, been playing d&d 3e for about four months now. This being my first experience with tabletop gaming. I've just found myself becoming very obsessed with playing, especially in the last couple months. I'm on average buying 2-3 books a week, constantly online reading and posting on RPG forums, always trying to get a game going with my group almost every break, and honestly spending the majority of my day thinking of ways to develop my characters or just about the d&d world in general. It really seems like I can't get enough.

This hasn't had any major negative effect on my relationship with my wife, work, or my life YET. I'm just not sure if this is just the initial excitement of finding a awesome new hobby that seem to strike the rite chord with me or possibly the starting of a serious problem?

I was hoping to get some input, hear about other people's life experiences, and find out how much tabletop games play a role in your life? So just how much is too much?

That's funny, I'm in almost the exact same boat. I sort of took it up a few months ago, and immediately became obsessed. My obsession spanned 3 games 4E, Star Wars Saga, Call of Cthulhu. It didn't cause any issues with my wife PER SE, except that she felt this came out of "left field" and how odd that I had such an avid interest in this after all these years ( Keep in mind, I've had lots of other "geeky" obsessions... ).

I can tell you that I've calmed down, having absorbed a good amount of knowledge. But I'm still always on the lookout

 

[Hussar]

You said "not necessarily" and then followed it up with saying, "pre-Internet". Wouldn't that still mean "you're old only if you played D&D before you were able to use the internet"?

I know gamers like to argue and tell everyone they are wrong all the time, but I think Dausuul's statement still holds true.

Besides, you're just a whipper-snapper. I ran 'play by mail' games, pre-BBS. I'd write a letter to the DM and had to wait 3 days for his response. I grew up playing with my father though. When he was young, he had to use smoke signals to play D&D with his far away friends.

Smoke signals? Fire? FIRE??!?! Luxury.

Back in my day, we had to train rabid ferrets to drag stone tablets between the players and the DM.