Are you in the RPG closet?

[Odhanan]

It's a way to feel special, I guess, and I'm not saying that to be insulting.

I'm guessing -just guessing- that Diamond Cross has more in mind with that belief of his that everyone who plays D&D is abnormal, and that normal people view D&D as something abnormal, that he is letting us know. I'm guessing there's some past history here, but I don't really know, so I won't speculate further.

 

[Maggan]

Do your friends, family and work colleagues know that you play role-playing games?

Yes. And I know they like to take photos, or read up on submarines, or create avant garde movies, or play in a trash metal band in their spare time.

Gaming is a way to pass time, on par with any other hobby.

but what about casual acquaintances or family members you only see a couple of times per year?

Distant relatives knows sort of that I have interests in gaming. They wouldn't know D&D from WoW even if the game suddenly acquired a real persona and stabbed them in the back, but they know I'm a gamer.

Come to think of it, I think my distant family knows a lot more about what I do for fun than I know about their hobbies. Do you know what your uncle's hobby is? I haven't got the faintest clue.

Casual aquaintances? If the subject comes up, I tell them. Most often the casual nature of the conversations excludes topics relating to hobbies, and are more concerned with the weather and upcoming holidays. And maybe sports results.

More to the point in my case, what about colleagues from work?

They can't really miss when I come back from the FLGS with a big honking boxed game.

Is it wrong to hide your hobby if you think people will look down on you for it?

I don't think there's anything wrong with keeping your hobby private, for whatever reason. Most people don't care, won't remember what it is you do even if you tell them.

Do you know your colleagues hobbies? Does it bother you if you know, or does it bother you if you don't know?

Don't sweat it, is my advice. Keep it private if you want to. No big deal.

I get far more grief for listening to Genesis and using a Macintosh computer than I get for playing D&D.

EDIT: The really strange things is that I like Genesis with and without Peter.

/M

 

[Zhaleskra]

Come to think of it, I think my distant family knows a lot more about what I do for fun than I know about their hobbies. Do you know what your uncle's hobby is? I haven't got the faintest clue.

I know what one of my uncles' hobbies is, or at least was. He's collected a lot of toys. At least one house he lived in when my cousins and I were little kids had several secret passages.

The interest that I'd get the most flak for is being a furry. Because people watch too much TV or read sensationalizing magazines. I said that verbatim when my sister, who is older than me, was worried about all the weird sex stuff that she saw on CSI. I also informed her that fursuits, whether you make them yourself or commission someone, are VERY expensive.

I did once make the mistake of making the very first thing I told a classroom about myself is that I was a gamer. For the most part, the only people I really do anything to hide gaming from are people still affected by the big ol' Satan scare. Sometimes not even then.

 

[Alan Shutko]

My covert advertisement letting the initiated know that I'm a fellow gamer is a little statue of Cthulhu that peers out over my wall. I met three gamers a week after I put that guy up; one even added another Cthulhu right next to him.

Obryn, I love it! Unfortunately, I can't do that at work right now. Not because I'm afraid of what people would think, but because my current cube is on the client tour path and we are allowed very limited personal effects. (At first, they weren't going to allow anything, but the department rebelled, so we got our family pictures back.)

I'm pretty open about letting people know. It doesn't hurt that I'm in a software development department. We've got a whole bunch of folks that are gamers of one type or another. If gaming comes up in conversation, I'll tell all. Usually it comes up around gencon, since folks are interested in where I'm going for the better part of a week.

I've had no negative experiences. Might be luck. Back when Obryn got me into gaming in middle school, my folks were completely ok with it and even got me my first gaming book (GAZ3 Principalities of Glantri). And we spent many hours in our basement gaming. They still don't see a problem with it. I'm a pretty well-functioning adult with a good job, a wonderful wife, and now a stinking cute son, so it all worked out.

I definitely get more weird looks from explaining that one of my OTHER hobbies is programming. "You mean you go home and do the same thing you do at work?!"

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I get far more grief for listening to Genesis and using a Macintosh computer than I get for playing D&D

I catch hell fir my Mac luv too.

As for Phil Collins Genesis vs Peter Gabriel Genesis...that's like two completely different bands... I'd say that's OK.


(Of course, I listen to Genesis, too. I prefer PC's incarnation...but think PG's solo work is superior to either.)

 

[Maggan]

(Of course, I listen to Genesis, too. I prefer PC's incarnation...but think PG's solo work is superior to either.)

What Genesis music is played depends on my mood. I've gotten far more adventure ideas from the PG era than the PC era.

And yes, PG solo is artistically superior to PC solo. But I've listened more to PC than PG. It's a crazy world we live in.

As for the discussion on "normal", I consider myself eminently normal. I have a wife, a house, a job, a car, friends, several hobbies of which one is gaming (honorary mention goes to building a greenhouse), and an interest in Serie A and winter sports. Nothing strange about that.

/M

 

[Greg K]

Well, it is kindof hard to hide it at school.

When I was tutoring Photoshop and Illustrator at a local college, my boss put a big sign by the lab door so people would know the tutors. The sign contained our photographs and area(s) of speciality- in addition to photoshop, illustrator, and flash basics, he listed D&D.

On top of that, he asked me in front of one of his classes if I and friends hoisted a drink in Gary Gygax's name to mourn his passing (this was right after Gary's death and it was in the news).

Since then, I have learned at least 20% of the students in the Multimedia department play table top rpgs (3e DND, White Wolf games, and even Rolemaster). A few even helped me do a mock Mutants and Masterminds commercial for my After Effects Class.

And, even if my boss had not announced it, it is on my facebook page!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Re: Normal

Statistically, playing RPGs is not normal. Its a fringe hobby participated in by less than 1% of the populace.

In the sense of being like other hobbies, though...its pretty normal. I've encountered women who lump it in with other "Dude" things like poker night or bowling- as long as nobody starts cheatin' on 'em, they don't really care.

 

[Cyronax]

Re: Normal

Statistically, playing RPGs is not normal. Its a fringe hobby participated in by less than 1% of the populace.

In the sense of being like other hobbies, though...its pretty normal. I've encountered women who lump it in with other "Dude" things like poker night or bowling- as long as nobody starts cheatin' on 'em, they don't really care.

Totally agree. I typically say I'm playing 'poker' as my go to excuse for being busy on Sundays for certain people. I do really love poker too, but I play it only 1/20 the amount I play D&D.

Anyway, I have recently been gambling with some guys at work, and one of them commented that he thought I'd be better at cards since I say I play nearly weekly. I just it pass, but I thought it was ironic.

C.I.D.

 

[TarionzCousin]

Regarding gaming, I am in the closet, but I am also fabulous. So if anyone really scrutinizes me they can tell.