Basketball or Golf?

[athos]

I used to think D&D was like basketball, where you had a team of players all with a common goal. To me this made sense. Everyone was trying to stop the giants from pillaging, Lolth from taking over greyhawk, etc. When the party found an item, it was always about who could best use it, not who got to choose first. There was a lot of teamwork and the group seemed to come first.

Now it almost seems like D&D is more like golf. People are more interested in building a perfect character, getting their character to a certain point, etc. It seems to be more about the individual rather than the team. Everyone goes through the 18 holes together, but they are all after different things. I am not sure if this is because of video games encouraging this style of play or if the games have changed or what.

A friend of mine in Wichita said, "with so few gamers out there, it is amazing that we don't get along better with each other". Could this be because over the years, D&D has gone from a team based game like basketball, to a more individualized game, like golf?

 

[Umbran]

I cannot speak to the wider world, but I have not, in decades of gaming, played with a group who did that long-term. Teamwork had generally dominated.

 

[El Mahdi]

I think both approaches have been equally present throughout the history of the game (both individual and team oriented). I've been involved with groups over the years where some have been team oriented, and others were just a collection of individuals. I think it has less to do with the game, or any edition, or even current values as opposed to past values - as it is simply about the people in the group.

 

[billd91]

Now it almost seems like D&D is more like golf. People are more interested in building a perfect character, getting their character to a certain point, etc. It seems to be more about the individual rather than the team. Everyone goes through the 18 holes together, but they are all after different things. I am not sure if this is because of video games encouraging this style of play or if the games have changed or what.

A friend of mine in Wichita said, "with so few gamers out there, it is amazing that we don't get along better with each other". Could this be because over the years, D&D has gone from a team based game like basketball, to a more individualized game, like golf?

Part of the problem could be that there are so few gamers out there. While I have had a stable gaming group for a long time, a lot of people don't have that luxury. They aren't gaming with friends, they're gaming with whatever players they can find posted somewhere, so the teamwork and understanding might not be so easy. I did used to see the more of the non-teamwork, individually-oriented play back when I would drop in to the local student union for pick-up games more than 20 years ago. So maybe there's something to it.

Organized play, with people bringing their own PCs to conventions, might be a contributor as well since that's another venue in which players think about their PC first, the group, made up of people they probably don't know, second.

All that said, I still see more teamwork-oriented play than not. But like I said, I have a long term stable group.

 

[Lanefan]

I don't think the golf analogy applies, but you're on to something with basketball.

In high-school ball, it's usually about the team; and in many cases playing a competitive game for fun first. Outside the game, the players are just some guys in school.

In the NBA, egos, money, and entitlement rule; the team too often becomes secondary. Outside the game, it's all about the individual.

Yes, both are in theory playing the same game (and we can argue until we're blue about which is better), and during the game both types of team can often function perfectly well as a team. But all resemblance there ends.

Lanefan

 

[Diamond Cross]

It's been my experience that, at least with the people I've played with, no teamwork and most just wanted to be the bbtg (biggest baddest tough guy) of the party so they can dominate everybody else.

I don't really understand why RPGS tend to bring out this kind of behavior.

Maybe because there's no real incentive to teamwork and just have fun with a character for some players.

 

[renau1g]

D&D to me is like Hockey, but I'm Canadian

Edit: for those with issues re: teamwork, perhaps 4e might be worth a try. If you run off by yourself to be the baddass you're likely to get pummeled by the opposition, especially if you're a striker and that type of personality would like head that way.

 

[El Mahdi]

D&D to me is like Hockey, but I'm Canadian
...

I don't recall D&D having an "enforcer" role...

 

[Dedekind]

Maybe it is more like the Ryder Cup where individual performance determines team outcomes? The foursomes format requires that the two players on a team alternate who strikes the ball and they alternate who tees off on each hole. There is strategy in determining who to put on what teams for synergy purposes, but it still comes down to individual performance.

 

[renau1g]

Enforcer = Defender
Skilled Forwards = Strikers
Coaches = Leaders
Defensemen (especially on the powerplay) = Controllers