At what age did you start gaming?

[Desdichado]

That's a difficult question -- does it mean when did I first game, or when did I start really gaming, for instance? And what about my gaming dark age, when I didn't like anything out there, or my gaming semi-dark age when I was into WW but too busy to do much more than buy and read books? You could say from one perspective that I started gaming at about age 7 or 8, but from another perspective, I didn't start until 13-14. Another perspective puts me in my mid-twenties and yet another has me almost 30.

 

[Chauzu]

Although I had D&D before 13, I didn't realy start playing until I was 13. If I remeember right.

 

[Shadowdancer]

I started while I was in college, either 21 or 22.

 

[aurin777]

I think the age has become younger, not older, that people start gaming. I played basic, and then I played 2e. It took us years to use all the nuiances of 2e. Rules made little to sense, and they were not standardized so it took forever to get all of the rules in line. 3e is easy to follow and all uniform, easy for young players to get hold of. I could teach an 8 year old to play 3e like a board game, but give me a month with an 8 year old and the second edition books, we'd barely make it through character creation.
~~Brandon

 

[Chauzu]

I think the age has become younger, not older, that people start gaming. I played basic, and then I played 2e. It took us years to use all the nuiances of 2e. Rules made little to sense, and they were not standardized so it took forever to get all of the rules in line. 3e is easy to follow and all uniform, easy for young players to get hold of. I could teach an 8 year old to play 3e like a board game, but give me a month with an 8 year old and the second edition books, we'd barely make it through character creation.
~~Brandon

lol, yeah, that's why we started with basic, then skipped to 3E.

 

[Gospog]

Age 7.

And just look what it's done for me.

 

[The Sigil]

I think there are plenty of D20 publishers out there. I don't see why we can't have both varieties.

Neither do I. Which makes me even more curious as to why we don't.

My only "marketing" guess is that older folks tend to have more disposable income than kids... but IME kids are much more effective "salespeople" to parents if they want something than I could ever be.

Where's the equivalent of the old Basic Set? Whoever comes up with and supports that could be in position to make a lot of cash...

posted by Crothian
Well, you're just getting into the publishing business and Sigil has a couple of pdf's on the market. It's will take a publisher to make this happen. So maybe someone needs to start a thread over there asking them what their target audience is and why there are no products aimed at the younger crowd.

If my PDFs are ever profitable enough, you'd better believe I'll be looking to make the 3.5e version of the Basic D&D set see print.

--The Sigil

 

[megamania]

I was first asked to play when I was 12 or so. I didn't break down and do so until I was about 20. Poor judgement but I'm playing twice as hard now to make up for it!

 

[Arnwyn]

I started when I was 17 (my first year of University).

If that's the "prime time" in life to discover D&D, why aren't we serving that group with material - both in what is covered (staying away from mature subject matter) and how it is covered (easy rules)? After all, we older, more experienced folks can "make up" the "mature" stuff fairly easily, right?

Because you're apparently not seeing the aging demographic. Sure, "back then", everyone started young - and they've all aged. Thus, the producers of products have catered to the largest demographic. And rightfully so.

As to your assertion that publishers should serve the younger group with material? Well, no thanks. I'd rather them serve ME and my age group, since I have a career, family, and life. IMO, of course!

 

[diaglo]

As to your assertion that publishers should serve the younger group with material? Well, no thanks. I'd rather them serve ME and my age group, since I have a career, family, and life. IMO, of course!

ditto, a stolen quote from Ghost.