Generation Gap in Gaming?

[Keeper of Secrets]

I would say there is always a potential gap. I mean, what are younger people interested in? At 17-19, they are probably interested in members of the opposite sex, interested in excitment and glory. The older crowd may not be as 'afraid' toget involved in adult/mature storylines that could embarrass the younger crowd. Get a younger guy to seriously role play a romantic relationship without getting red faced or having it turn into a naughty joke is a tough road, really.

 

[Wormwood]

I only game with two age groups: 29–40 (my friends) and 9–11 (my friend's kids).

I refuse to associate with any other age group...because I have no idea what the hell they're talking about. It's all just clicks and whistles.

 

[DarrenGMiller]

I only game with two age groups: 29–40 (my friends) and 9–11 (my friend's kids).

I refuse to associate with any other age group...because I have no idea what the hell they're talking about. It's all just clicks and whistles.

I have never felt that way before and don't feel that way in the classroom, but with college age gamers, it is starting to feel that way.

DM

 

[Ed Cha]

I usually play with people around my age, but I love being a player in a game with old-timers (especially for the DM). I learn a lot about story-telling in those kinds of games. I like to DM for younger players, especially those to new to D&D. They seem to have a lot of energy and the excitement of discovery.

 

[Flyspeck23]

11 year gap here - ranging from 20 to 31.

Age (gaming experience): 20 (1), 24 (8), 25 (3), 28 (5), 30 (3), 30 (12), 31 (19).

No real gap here.

 

[reanjr]

I have several questions I would like to ask. First, how many of you have a wide range of gamers' ages at the same gaming table (ex. we recently had about a 20 year range at the table)? Have divisions in your group ever occured along age lines? Do you find that gamers of different ages at the same table are looking for different things out of the game, or does that transcend age?

Gaming age (the time since you began to play) strikes me as way more important than actual age. My table ranges from 17-31. No appreciable difference that seems age-related. On the other hand, I have two 2e veterans, 2 old-school 3e'ers, 2 recent converts, and one fresh babe. Only the fresh one breaks mold with my experience (I didn't let the other players explain ANYTHING to her so as to avoid her ruination).

 

[diaglo]

the players in the current OD&D campaign range from ages 20 to 40+ so the age gap is 20+ years.

there is a little bit of an age issue when dealing with some subject matter. but otherwise, i don't see the problem in terms of differences due to age in play. more so due to what each player expects. we have the wargamer, the accountant, the tactician, the ruleplayer, the rollplayer, the roleplayer, the etc... all of them clearly gamers in their respective rights. and each attacking the challenges from their own point of view.

 

[diaglo]

however, none of the players are still in high school or younger.

so education wise, they have at least graduated. and aren't still struggling to learn who was the 41st president.

that i would see as an issue based on age.

i know when i was 10 playing this game. i didn't know calculus or physics. or even that much about human anatomy.

 

[Buttercup]

In the game I run, the ages range from 52 to 28. In one of the games I play in, the age range is the same, in the other, it's 48 to 14.

There certainly is a difference between what motivates teens and adults--that shouldn't be news to anyone.

In my experience, the teens want to kill things and take their stuff, tend not to focus on continuity of any sort, and have a hard time staying in character. The adults, on the other hand are quite interested in the development of their PC and the story, are willing to look for ways to resolve problems without resorting to violence on occasion and generally have more focus.

 

[loki44]

i know when i was 10 playing this game. i didn't know calculus or physics.

I'd fathom that I'm the geezer in your OD&D game coming in at age 40, and I still don't know anything about calculus or physics. Hope it doesn't throw a wrench into the harmony of the group...

I enjoy playing with younger players, being young at heart myself, and I think it is healthy to have a mix. Actual age means a lot less to me than attitude. A true sign of getting old is losing the capacity for frivolity and play.