How does your family view your hobby?

[BluWolf]

My sister to this day (23 years later) still call me a geek. They have never had any interest in it. Its just good natured ribbing. Besides, one of my sister's has triplets (all boys) she will get her's when I buy them all PHBs for their 10th birthdays!!!

My younger brother played a lot in high school but doesn't anymore. He just lost interest.

All my mother worries about is why I don't call more often.

My wife doesn't understand the game or hobby but she does understand my passion for it. She doesn't mind my gaming and is good friends with most of my fellow gamers. She just couldn't care less about participating. Which is fine by me.

No one on either side of our families is what I would refer to as a "religious freak". Meaning the narrow-minded-holier-than-thou" types. So I have never run into this prejudice in person. Seriously not in 23 years of gaming.

 

[Jeph]

Hmmm...I think that every member of my generation out to 2nd cousins either is or is dating a gamer. . .

No generation after us yet . . .

As for the parrents/uncles/aunts/whatever, they all used to be trekkies or trashy sci-fi readers, so they don't have a problem with it. They think of it as "createiv," which is definitely true.

-jeph

 

[Creamsteak]

My youngest brother plays now, but the second he turns 15 or 16 I know he will quit the hobby. My other younger brother, and my mother, don't understand it at all. They are lazy, drinking, social wanna-bes. Fighting over my hobby is very common in my house. You can imagine how my argument with thier "hobby" stands.

 

[Cador]

My mother was the one who introduced me to D&D. It was back in the mid-80's, and she had read a newspaper article about an interesting new game where you got to be a warrior or wizard and explored imaginary worlds. She has always read a lot of science fiction, so I think the aspect of imaginary worlds caught her interest. Anyway, the day after reading the article she went to the store, bought the red D&D Basic set and said I should try it. That I certainly did.

My father is a psychiatrist and he did a radio interview defending D&D a few years later, when the media ran concerned stories about possible D&D-related suicides and alleged occult religious practices.

Neither of my parents have done any gaming themselves. But my mother read the D&D Basic rules, and my father understands how the game is played. So I think that's what makes them quite relaxed about it.

Just curious: The relatives and acquaintances that are concerned about D&D, have any of them actually read any of the rulebooks?

 

[hammymchamham]

Just curious: The relatives and acquaintances that are concerned about D&D, have any of them actually read any of the rulebooks?

Before I started playing DnD a couple years ago, my view of DnD (and roleplaying in general) was 'Whats that?' Pretty much all I got was from TV, which said too often 'These kids killed themselves/animals/someone else, and they were playing DnD/role playing games.' And I was like 'And how is their role playing connected to being a murderer?'

I really don't see how anyone can think DnD is 'Satanic.' I've never actually cast 'Magic Missle' (at the Darkness or at anyone), never actually killed a city guard, swung a sword, put on body armor, charged at a bugbear, been roasted by a dragons fire breath.

(But some of my charecters have)

Maybe if I read some anti-D&D web pages, I would understand their arguments, and know how to explain why they are wrong

 

[garyh]

I'm an only child who isn't too close to his extended family, so no sibling or extended family reactions. However...

Father: Introduced me to "The Hobbit" back in junior high, and he still plays all the old Nintendo RPGs we both used to play. Last time I talked to him, he was telling me about his current game of Dragon Warrior III. Also, we read virtually the same catalog of fantasy authors. So yeah, he's cool with it.

Mother: Thinks both my dad and I are a bit odd.

Girlfriend: Thinks I spend a bit too much on the hobby, which is likely true, but a couple years ago she started painting minis with me, and this weekend we're playing in her first campaign, so I've gotten her into playing, too.

Girlfriend's folks: When they heard me telling my girlfriend about 3E when it came out, they hauled out a bunch of DnD books from the 70's. Seems they played back before they had kids. So, they too are cool with the hobby.

 

[Theron]

Girlfriend's folks: When they heard me telling my girlfriend about 3E when it came out, they hauled out a bunch of DnD books from the 70's. Seems they played back before they had kids. So, they too are cool with the hobby.

You have NO idea how old that makes me feel.

Of course, technically speaking, I played back before I had a kid. But he's only two.

- Playin' since '78 TB

 

[BluWolf]

Maybe if I read some anti-D&D web pages, I would understand their arguments, and know how to explain why they are wrong

"He who arrives at point by passion can seldom be moved from it by logic."

Or some such quote... I'm drwaing a complete blank on how the proper quote goes or who said it???

A little help here??

 

[hammymchamham]

just to understand. understanding is not the same of being in agreement.

 

[garyh]

You have NO idea how old that makes me feel.

Of course, technically speaking, I played back before I had a kid. But he's only two.

- Playin' since '78 TB

My gf was born in '77, and I in '78.