What Does the RPG Hobby Need Now?

[Reynard]

Ghosts is the most popular sitcom on TV right now. It had 6.3 million viewers in last year's season finale (watched w/i 7 days not including Paramount+). Despite it being popular and currently filming, you won't find gamers amplifying its portrayal of D&D but you will find people still talking about season 1 of Stranger Things (outdated geeks in basement trope) that's 9 years old.

I can absolutely assure you that playing in a public park, a coffee house, a brewery, a coworking space are all practical and will do more to bring in new players than hiding in a basement or going to another convention.

Of course it will. I am saying people are already doing that. A lot. Very few gamers are ashamed of their hobby anymore.

 

[bedir than]

Of course it will. I am saying people are already doing that. A lot. Very few gamers are ashamed of their hobby anymore.

I live 3.4 miles from WotC HQ. Public play is not common here, in Renton, where there are more professional designers than any other city of over 100,000 people. Spin off companies are based here and the neighboring cities.

They also don't play in public.

 

[MGibster]

I live 3.4 miles from WotC HQ. Public play is not common here, in Renton, where there are more professional designers than any other city of over 100,000 people. Spin off companies are based here and the neighboring cities.

I don't typically play in public because it's noisy and distracting. It's bad enough at my local store's game days on account of the noise.

 

[Gorgon Zee]

I ran it a couple times, once with friends and once at a con, and it was just meh for me. Nothing horrible, just boring.

I think Tolkien rewards a higher level of prep. That has been my experience of running The One Ring -- and one of my players is a noted TTRPG writer who ALSO runs a high-prep TOR game. Given that Tolkien's appeal as a book is the depth and thought that went into his world, I am not surprised that it doesn't work for a style that is looking for zero-prep.

The new rules do work pretty well. Compared to the older style it's a mixed bag, but they do a better job of evoking Tolkien's world than any other system out there, so I am able to forgive the clunkiness of some parts when the overall effect works.

Free League does seem somewhat erratic over rules. The presentation and general feel of the games is great, but, yeah, some systems in TOR could be better. But the rules do work well for campaign play, which is more than can be said for Aliens (at least the current version). And the TOR sourcebooks have a great set of writers, so they have been very much as strong point.

 

[payn]

I live 3.4 miles from WotC HQ. Public play is not common here, in Renton, where there are more professional designers than any other city of over 100,000 people. Spin off companies are based here and the neighboring cities.

They also don't play in public.

Here in the Twin Cities public play is pretty rare for RPGs. IT was all over the place before covid with AL and PFS. Though, FLGS here is all magic and wargames. There is one shop that caters soley to RPGs but has private smart rooms so not really public.

 

[Reynard]

I live 3.4 miles from WotC HQ. Public play is not common here, in Renton, where there are more professional designers than any other city of over 100,000 people. Spin off companies are based here and the neighboring cities.

They also don't play in public.

Are you saying there are no bars, breweries, libraries or other venues that host game nights in Renton?

I'm skeptical.

 

[Jd Smith1]

This is a niche hobby that requires group effort and commitment. That's not going to change.

Online TTRPG systems like Roll20 or Foundry are the hope for the future, because it allows gamers to find suitable groups despite living in areas where gamers are rare.

 

[bedir than]

As someone who plays in a public non-gaming space for my primary game I have to say that it's been wonderfully peeling back the perception of D&D.
People watch us, talk to us and see that we're just some people telling a weird story together, kind of like sitting around a campfire but with dice.

Are you saying there are no bars, breweries, libraries or other venues that host game nights in Renton?

I'm skeptical.

That's what I'm saying.
There are dedicated GAMING spaces. Gamers use those.


As the OP asked, what I think the RPG hobby needs is to pull out of the spaces they created and to play where non-geeks/nerds/gamers are. I don't know how to be more clear. Playing at conventions doesn't grow the hobby. Talking to other gamers doesn't grow the hobby.

Meeting people who don't play already is what the RPG hobby needs.

 

[Reynard]

That's what I'm saying.
There are dedicated GAMING spaces. Gamers use those.


As the OP asked, what I think the RPG hobby needs is to pull out of the spaces they created and to play where non-geeks/nerds/gamers are. I don't know how to be more clear. Playing at conventions doesn't grow the hobby. Talking to other gamers doesn't grow the hobby.

Meeting people who don't play already is what the RPG hobby needs.

I suppose it must be a New England thing. It is easy to find bars and breweries with monthly game nights here. I would have guessed the pacific northwest would have been simar.

 

[bedir than]

I suppose it must be a New England thing. It is easy to find bars and breweries with monthly game nights here. I would have guessed the pacific northwest would have been simar.

If it is an organized game night it is a space specifically designed for gamers.

That's like saying the convention center hosts PAX so PAX is public gaming