How mainstream is D&D / RPGs

[evildmguy]

I usually don't mention it but it has come out at most of my places of work because a co-worker plays and so we talk about it. That did include a "christian company" and while I don't respect the owner for many reasons, at least he never said anything negative about the hobby. (My co-worker and I did have to explain it to our cow-orkers (to use the Dilbert term) and I think they still thought it weird, but they already thought it was weird, so no big deal.

I don't put it on my resume but I am tempted. I started dealing Poker for fun at a local spot (no gambling allowed, it's just for fun) and seriously enough, being a GM has helped me "control the table" as a dealer. I know how to go around the table, give the person their options, call it out and keep going! And it has been a lot of fun!

Put it this way though... It's popular enough to have been made fun of on the simpsons.

Simpsons? Heck, we should track this as there have been a lot more!

Jesse - FREAKING HILARIOUS!!
Buffy - Again, a great scene!
Angel - ongoing with a small three episode character.

Dang. That's all I have and I know there are more! Anyone else remember any?

And this doesn't include the movies!



Have a great one! Take care!

edg
Alternity Pimp

 

[IronWolf]

Never on the CV. Learned long ago not to put hobbies on a resume and now I have enough professional work experience I wouldn't have the room to anyways!

As for co-workers and non-gamer friends.... I am not afraid to tell them I play, but I don't exactly run around saying I play D&D either. If hobbies come up or someone asks what I am doing this weekend I don't hesitate to say what I am up to. And there is always the occasional game related T-Shirt, computer wallpapers, etc.

 

[DragonLancer]

I really find it weird that gamers are afriad/concerned/worried about including their gaming on their CV or to the extent that they wouldn't mention it to friends and co-workers.

A friend of mine was like this when he got into playing MtG with us. He would turn up at the pub where we played wearing a huge great hat to cover his face incase anyone who knew was there. I told him not to be stupid, and not to be ashamed for his hobby & gaming (he played D&D as well and wouldn't tell people about it).

Don't be ashamed of your gaming.

 

[Wombat]

How "mainstream" are rpgs?

I offer this simple point:

This last week I went into both a Borders and a Barnes & Noble bookstore. In both of them the new Vampire book is on the "New Releases" shelf, right next to NY Times bestsellers.

This doesn't mean that everyone plays, but there is at least a sizeable part of the community that recognizes rpgs and accepts them, at least as much as they accept the various competing political and religious books on those shelves.

I sincerely doubt more than 8-10% of the American public has ever played a game (and that probably only briefly), but the games are acknowledged enough that it is worth it to mainstream bookstores to push these volumes, at least of major releases.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Well, I've been in the "gamer's closet" for a long time. I have had a few negative incidents that have made me cautious about discussing gaming with co-workers or acquaintences who I do not know game. At my current job I know one person who does a lot of tabletop gaming and I've talked about it a bit with her, but otherwise I just avoid the subject, it's just easier to me.

Of course I still suspect my boss is a gamer, but I have not found an opportunity to see if I am right. Sometimes I suspect he is on these boards - there a couple of occasional posters who I think might be him. That would not be good if he was and ever found out who I was and saw the time stamps of many of my postings...

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

How "mainstream" are rpgs?

I offer this simple point:

This last week I went into both a Borders and a Barnes & Noble bookstore. In both of them the new Vampire book is on the "New Releases" shelf, right next to NY Times bestsellers.

This doesn't mean that everyone plays, but there is at least a sizeable part of the community that recognizes rpgs and accepts them, at least as much as they accept the various competing political and religious books on those shelves.

I sincerely doubt more than 8-10% of the American public has ever played a game (and that probably only briefly), but the games are acknowledged enough that it is worth it to mainstream bookstores to push these volumes, at least of major releases.

I think it also may have to do with the fact that many gamers tend to also be the target customers of bookstores - most gamers I know also read a lot and spend a good deal of money on non-RPG books. Bookstores are dangerous places to my finaincial health. My wife calls my reading an addiction and she is probably right

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

What is the population of the US (in 1999)? If 1% of the country regularly games - how come it has such a low key profile.

A better question is, if only 1% of the population regularly games (2.5 mil would be closer to .5%, IIRC), why did major multimedia companies invest in a major motion picture (which turned out to be awful), dozens of mass-market electronic games, and marketing for both?

If anything, I'd say D&D at least has a disproportionately high profile.

 

[MonsterMash]

I don't list it on my CV, but then again I don't really list hobbies on my CV as I haven't space these days. Even if I was listing outside interests it'd probably be one I wouldn't include as I'm still wary of negative perceptions. As a UK based poster I'm not too worried about the 'you play D&D you must be a satanist' side as generally religion is a lot less strong in british society, but as an IT pro my jobs make me look geeky enough without adding to that.

 

[Arkham]

I don't put D&D or any RPGs on my resume, but neither do I
put any hobbies on there. But I don't hide it from my
coworkers, and make frequent references to it. But then in
my field ( web programming ) being a geek of some sort is
not just assumed, it is often expected.

 

[RFisher]

Just how mainstream are D&D and other role playing games? Do you tell your co-workers about your hobby? Do you put it on your CV (resume)?

In high school they taught us to put hobbies on our resume. So, I used to have it on my resume. These days, in the US in my field, people tend to be really congnizant of what is & isn't proper to discuss during the hiring process. Hobbies are a topic that are generally avoided. So, it's not on my resume anymore.

I don't hesitate to talk about gaming at work or at church. The only time I am reluctant to talk about it is when I sense that doing so would probably lead me into having to explain what it is when I'm not interested in explaining it. Not that I'm not often eager to explain it, but there are times when I don't want to bother.

As to how mainstream it is...I'm not even sure I know what that means.