Aging and Gaming

[GrimCo]

I recently had numerous people from my core group change due to moving and something of a fallout due to game preferences. If one of my gaming buddies didn't have people he knew, I wouldn't have a group right now. While I don't mind gaming with younger people at game days at the local FLGS, for a regular group I'd prefer people closer to my age which limits my choices.

Sorry to hear that. I had something similar happen back in younger days. Our HS gaming group fell apart when HS ended. One player moved to another city for university, DM and other player went to do mandatory military service, another one just stopped answering texts. So no gaming for year and a half, but i stayed in touch and hang out with one guy from that group (that guy is now one of my closest friends and was my best man). His sister introduced us to 2 of her friends who also didn't have group. If it wasn't for her, i would probably stop playing way back in 2007.

I totally get your point about preferring to play with people of same age. I'm in similar boat. No so much age wise but in similar life phase. I played two sessions last year with newish group (i know dm and one player since 2018). They are all single, in late 20s/early 30s (except one player in early 40s but he lives like he's in early 20s). On the other hand, i'm married, have 2 kindergarden aged kids, Just scheduling was nightmare, had to cancel couple of times, managed to play 2 sessions in 3 months and then i just quit that group cause i felt bad being one that cancels most of the time. Playing during the week from 18/19 till almost midnight is big ask.

I find online play considerably harder to run, and less enjoyable as a player. I'm not averse to it, but it is decidedly lower on my ranking of desired.
Tier 1: FTF home game;
Tier 2: public location FTF game, or private boardgames;
Tier 3: Private trusted group VOIP, FTF public space boardgames,

Same. Online play just doesn't do it for me. I'm stealing your list and adding a caveat to tier 3. Private friend group VOIP but for short adventures only.

At this point in life, if my group stopped playing, i would probably just stop playing also, at least until are in higher grades of elementary school. Until then, schedule is pretty rigid and free time slot for any ttrpgs/boardgames is mostly Sunday morning. For video games, i can spare few late evening hours every month.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

It is brutal. I have the space…and a game table. I have lots of minis. I have most of the books. I have a room full of boardgames…

But I am so tired after work. The dogs need to be fed. Gotta take the kids to sports…home maintenance…family stuff- aged parents. Damn time to work again. Luck to game 1-2 times a month. I make terrain and play video games and read some…but nothing beats a table soon friends dice and minis.

 

[Laurefindel]

I’m 48 and I’m in my prime.

I know what I like.

I know what I’m good at.

I know my « type » and therefore can decide to go with or against it.

I’ve got a good group of friends.

I’m much more aware of making it fun for everyone first and foremost.

We have a wide spectrum of games and systems that we enjoy.

We have more (somewhat) disposable income for games/props/snacks/gifts.

Our kids are now adults, or at least old enough to be on their own, or game with us.

Our wives/husbands understand our geeky needs to gather and play imaginary dragons.

Being gamers and geeks is no longer a social stigma.

…

The only thing we’re missing is more time for games. We’re all professional musicians or theatre techs or playwright/directors or volunteers or healthcare workers; so between gigs, community sports and night shifts, we’re having a hard time even playing two nights a month.

 

[Jd Smith1]

Online gaming has been the best thing for my hobby since I started in 1979.

I was tired of the hassle of trying to assemble and maintain a like-minded group of gamers week after week, years after year, lugging my stuff to the game itself (I live in the country, and also I am not interested in having other people in my house).

I had been using a VTT for a decade or so, and then I stumbled upon Roll20, and gaming was transformed in a heartbeat.

I game in the comfort of my own home, there are vast multitudes of good gamers a only single Reddit post (and vetting process) away,

Frankly, I could game literally as much as I want; but I've cut down to one game a week because I have other hobbies which interest me more.

 

[bergec]

Online gaming has been the best thing for my hobby since I started in 1979.

I've been gaming with my current group for twenty years and I don't know that we could have kept up with weekly games when folks started having kids and such without online gaming. We moved online with Covid, but have stayed online because it is just so much more convenient for people. We do an in-person game once every month or two and it is great to see folks, but nobody wants to try and manage that weekly.

 

[GrimCo]

For people that primarily enjoy gaming for the sake of playing the game, online play is great. It gives much more flexibility in scheduling, opens up more people to play with and cuts down on logistics. It's great tool.

For people like my group and me, gaming isn't only about playing game. It's about socializing with people irl, doing something fun away from screens. In essence it's good opportunity to hang out solo with friends. Unfortunately, online play just doesn't scratch that particular itch that well.

 

[Jd Smith1]

For people like my group and me, gaming isn't only about playing game. It's about socializing with people irl, doing something fun away from screens. In essence it's good opportunity to hang out solo with friends. Unfortunately, online play just doesn't scratch that particular itch that well.

For you, that's true. I find online/electronic socializing superior to in-person, with a couple exceptions. The best part, for me, is the elimination of third parties, such as intrusive pets or feral offspring. Or viruses borne by said feral offspring.

Plus, gamers can play while sick.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

The only thing we’re missing is more time for games. We’re all professional musicians or theatre techs or playwright/directors or volunteers or healthcare workers; so between gigs, community sports and night shifts, we’re having a hard time even playing two nights a month.

Yeah that's the one thing we were delusional about when we were in our late 20s - we were like "Well, when we're in our mid 40s and later we'll have tons of time for gaming!", but it turns out people have a lot of stuff that gets in the way still at this age! It was actually easier to genuinely clear nights out back then than now, even though we might technically have been working more demanding jobs or the like.

 

[Belen]

For people that primarily enjoy gaming for the sake of playing the game, online play is great. It gives much more flexibility in scheduling, opens up more people to play with and cuts down on logistics. It's great tool.

For people like my group and me, gaming isn't only about playing game. It's about socializing with people irl, doing something fun away from screens. In essence it's good opportunity to hang out solo with friends. Unfortunately, online play just doesn't scratch that particular itch that well.

This is what I miss most but I have old group members in different states now so online kept people together

 

[Belen]

Yeah that's the one thing we were delusional about when we were in our late 20s - we were like "Well, when we're in our mid 40s and later we'll have tons of time for gaming!", but it turns out people have a lot of stuff that gets in the way still at this age! It was actually easier to genuinely clear nights out back then than now, even though we might technically have been working more demanding jobs or the like.

Agreed. @Alenda and I are just now able to game together again now that our last kid is 7.