Gaming in an Age of Non-Discovery

[Grimstaff]

Not to wax philosophical or anything, but some friends and I, over a beer or three, came up with an interesting hypothesis: RPGs fulfill an instinctive urge to explore and adventure in a world that is rapidly running out of frontiers.
In other words, the Marco Polo's and Vasco deGama's of today find an outlet for their wanderlust through gaming (assuming they cant afford a trip on a Soyuz!).
Just something to chew on...

 

[Xombie Master]

*chew chew*
Mmmm, philosophy.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

*Takes a big bite and washes it down with a paper plate*

 

[Crothian]

THat is something people do, others have a frully defined and explored world....just not explored by the PCs.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

There's definately a lot of wish-fufillment going on in gaming. I'll give you that.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

Not to wax philosophical or anything, but some friends and I, over a beer or three, came up with an interesting hypothesis: RPGs fulfill an instinctive urge to explore and adventure in a world that is rapidly running out of frontiers.
In other words, the Marco Polo's and Vasco deGama's of today find an outlet for their wanderlust through gaming (assuming they cant afford a trip on a Soyuz!).
Just something to chew on...

That's one of my motivations. The world's just too small.

 

[Crothian]

There's definately a lot of wish-fufillment going on in gaming. I'll give you that.

So, in your games you are sexy??

 

[Mark CMG]

Not to wax philosophical or anything, but some friends and I, over a beer or three, came up with an interesting hypothesis: RPGs fulfill an instinctive urge to explore and adventure in a world that is rapidly running out of frontiers.
In other words, the Marco Polo's and Vasco deGama's of today find an outlet for their wanderlust through gaming (assuming they cant afford a trip on a Soyuz!).
Just something to chew on...

I was listening to a recent radio interview (forgive me for not remembering who the panelists were) that discussed the evolution of "curiosity" from a vice to a would-be virtue. It seems that sometime during that age "curiosity" went from being the purview of gossips and spies to being a worthwhile trait for someone interested in expanding their knowledge of "Natural Philosophy" (generally, the Sciences). It seems to me that their were likely a great many persons living in that age who had no outlet for their natural curiosty. And if that be so, one has to calculate that a high percentage of the population, when they weren't busy struggling just to live, were somewhat frustrated at not having such an outlet. Sure, there were other games, and entertainments after a fashion, but how many were as truly satisfying as an RPG of today is to someone living in our times?

So, in your games you are sexy??

Oh, you're so transparent. Your post says, "No" but your postcount says, "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

 

[Haffrung Helleyes]

frontiers/curiousity

I'm not sure I agree that the world is bereft of challenges and frontiers.

Here are a few things that I have personally done:

explored the ruins of Angkor Wat, in Cambodia

crossed the ancient kingdom of zanskar , navigating icy ledges, narrow gorges, and high passes high in the himalaya, with a caravan of pack horses

been to the north face of Everest, in Tibet

been to the sunday market in Kashgar, China

crossed the khunjerab ("river of blood" pass into pakistan from china, and taken the karakorum highway through Hunza in the himalayas, to Islamabad

taken a narrow riverboat down the Nam Ou River in Laos

canoed two miles into a bat-filled cave full of mayan pottery and skulls in Belize

climbed a 250 foot mayan pyramid before sunrise in a rain forest, surrounded by the eerie howls of howler monkeys

I was alone for the vast majority of these excursions... I did join a guided expedition for the Zanskar trip -- if you want to do the trip I took, go to www.project-himalaya.com

So, I think there's still adventure to be had!

Ken

 

[Henry]

...an interesting hypothesis: RPGs fulfill an instinctive urge to explore and adventure in a world that is rapidly running out of frontiers.

Actually, I find that RPGs fulfill an urge to live vicariously in a world where it is a virtue to be sedentary. It sounds marvelous to go to exotic places, meet interesting people, and befriend/rob/save/kill them, but not so glamorous to "answer the call of nature" without modern facilities, or eat cooked tree grubs because the nearest grocer is 1500 miles away, or actually run from or fight people or animals who want to kill you.

Why do that when I can relive the best parts in my imagination? The DM and fellow players are the control that ensure that I get surprises along the way instead of it being just my imagination providing them.