40 year old man wants to join my game

[Piratecat]

So, from where I'm standing, there was no "semi-mythical initiation" into D&D by an older peer.

Just as well. It involves a goat. And not in a sexy way, either.

 

[Aeolius]

Just as well. It involves a goat. And not in a sexy way, either.

ba-aa-aa-ad image, there...

I am reminded of a Halloween night many years ago, when I was still in college. My favorite professor invited me to a Halloween party for local authors and English teachers. Everyone was in costume, there were strange alcoholic beverages, and we cooked a goat on a spit in the backyard.

Whoops... that just put me in that over-40 D&D-playing oddball crowd.

 

[TheYeti1775]

Just as well. It involves a goat. And not in a sexy way, either.

Depends on your image of sexy.

Really though my Crystal hasn't changed colors yet, I'm only 33.
I started around 11-2 yrs old, and have been playing since. When I was 16, I joined in a group where the oldest was 46 and I was the youngest. Had 8-10 players at any given time all spread through those ages.

 

[interwyrm]

There is a difference between groups with people aged 12 to 60 and a 40 year old wanting to join a group of 20 year olds. It *is* weird. There is additional common ground in the 20 year old group, and adding a 40 year old breaks that up.

A 40 year old inviting 20 year olds to play in a game he is running is a little different. I'm not sure if I'm explaining myself right. It just feels weird.

 

[Nifft]

There is a difference between groups with people aged 12 to 60 and a 40 year old wanting to join a group of 20 year olds. It *is* weird. There is additional common ground in the 20 year old group, and adding a 40 year old breaks that up.

So the 20 year olds should add a 14 year old as a counter-balance for the 40 year old?

Cheers, -- N

 

[ivocaliban]

So the 20 year olds should add a 14 year old as a counter-balance for the 40 year old?

Cheers, -- N

Just give the 40 year old the 14 year old's phone number.

Problem solved!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

There is a difference between groups with people aged 12 to 60 and a 40 year old wanting to join a group of 20 year olds. It *is* weird. There is additional common ground in the 20 year old group, and adding a 40 year old breaks that up.

Really? Lots of D&D groups are talking about Fallout Boy during sessions?

Because, as a casual perusal of ENWorld will show you, D&D fans of all ages like the same genre shows, books and so on. The 20 year olds will be talking about a Song of Ice and Fire or the Last Air Bender or whatever, and the 40 year old is almost certainly on the same page as them.

Heck, my 63 year old father plays WoW and mourns the cancellation of the Dresden Files.

 

[The Ubbergeek]

At which age we have to drop videogames/anime/rpg/etc? kind of make me sad...

I'm 29... neitheir really old (but seen as old by some kids -.- ) or young.

 

[Snapdragyn]

Because, as a casual perusal of ENWorld will show you, D&D fans of all ages like the same genre shows, books and so on. The 20 year olds will be talking about a Song of Ice and Fire or the Last Air Bender or whatever, and the 40 year old is almost certainly on the same page as them.

Exactly. The age difference is far the lesser cultural gap between myself & the twenty-odds in my new group (stuck being the token gay again *sigh*). From Monty Python to OotS, most of the jokes have referenced material with which I was already familiar, & the couple that haven't simply added new fun for me: the free MMROPG "Dungeon Runners", & the webcomic "Looking For Group".

For Pony!

 

[Tewligan]

Really? Lots of D&D groups are talking about Fallout Boy during sessions?

Because, as a casual perusal of ENWorld will show you, D&D fans of all ages like the same genre shows, books and so on. The 20 year olds will be talking about a Song of Ice and Fire or the Last Air Bender or whatever, and the 40 year old is almost certainly on the same page as them.

Heck, my 63 year old father plays WoW and mourns the cancellation of the Dresden Files.

I don't think your Fallout Boy example is very far off from reality, actually. If I'm hanging out with my friends at a game, we aren't talking JUST about the game. We're a group of friends getting together - we may talk about a concert, girlfriends/wives, or a host of other things. I guess that other groups may be able to knuckle down and only talk about game-related things when they sit down at the table, but in the groups I've most enjoyed being in, we were friends who had common interests/reference points outside of "nerdery" (as my girlfriend so lovingly calls it...) I'm just more likely to have common ground with someone around my same age than with someone 20 years older or younger than I am.