How open are you about playing DnD?

[Elf Witch]

I could care less what people think. I don't hide my gaming as a matter of fact I have played at a local bookstore and at Denny's. But then I am geek and proud of it.

As a Wiccan I had to make a decision about being open about my religion in a society that still takes kids away and refuses to rent and can cost you your job. After that gaming was easy.

 

[driver8]

Im a pretty flagrant geek, but a closet rpger. Dont know why since I dont care what people think in regards to other things. Odd really.

 

[jeffh]

A related question, especially for those of you 'somewhat in the closet' (poll choice #2). How do you handle this situation:

An acquaintance/co-worker/random stranger/whoever who doesn't know you're a gamer a propos of nothing in particular mentions "yeah, I used to play D&D all the time" and proceeds to relate a few old gaming war-stories that make abundantly clear that the person in question both hasn't played the game a day since his twelfth birthday and also has a completely munchy view of it ("this one time we killed Zeus and it was awesome..."). Do you: (snip list of options)

Had a guy do that to me IN FRONT OF A GIRL WE WERE BOTH TRYING TO PICK UP about a year ago. Aargh! Here was someone so bad with women that striking out wasn't good enough for him, he had to drag me down with him.

I tried to change the subject, repeatedly, but I don't think he would have known a hint if it had jumped up and down in front of him wearing a "HINT" t-shirt while shouting "I'M A HINT!". I then did a bit of comparison of gaming styles, having given up on the girl, because he was *STILL* going on about it. That interested him, which at least meant he would shut up and listen periodically.

Back to the subject of the thread. I don't hide my gaming at all; the above incident was the only time I've been the least bit embarassed by it since I was about eleven, and that was more at the *type* of gaming my would-be rival had been into than at gaming itself. I mentioned it to a prof and he's since brought it up in class, so about a hundred of my fellow students are aware of it from that, along with pretty much anyone who knows me at all well. I find that the two most common reactions to it are utter indifference, and curiosity as to what the heck it is, with mistaking it for a computer game coming in a strong third. Rarely have I gotten a negative reaction, and when I do I can usually defuse it quite easily, typically with about two sentences of actual rebuttal and a witty one-liner. (A lengthy lecture is worse than useless in that situation.)

 

[elvnsword]

I could care less what people think. I don't hide my gaming as a matter of fact I have played at a local bookstore and at Denny's. But then I am geek and proud of it.

As a Wiccan I had to make a decision about being open about my religion in a society that still takes kids away and refuses to rent and can cost you your job. After that gaming was easy.

I agree completely EW, I too am wiccan and in a place where anything not babtist is akin to being satan himself. (had trouble with the last GF over that...) Gaming is a much lesser part of my choices to be open or closed with. I came out of the religeous closet first, adn realized if I got condemned for that, then I would get condemned for gaming too, (mabye more for gaming which I don't care as much about being condemned for). As such, I encourage DMs everywhere to deal with Intolerance by inviting the intolerant one to the gaming table for a night. and play a "Three wise men campaign"

::winks::
always away around...
Elvnsword

 

[Zappo]

I have no qualms about it, I mention it if we're talking about our hobbies. I rarely bring it into the conversation myself, but the reason for that is that I would then have to explain what an RPG is, and that is definitely quite some work. The reactions I get are something like 60% "What the heck are you talking about?", 38% "Oh yeah, like Diablo/Baldur's Gate!" and 2% "Tried it once ten years ago, didn't like it" (usually because of some brain dead DM). Of course, if I feel this person would enjoy playing, then it's worthy work.

The most negative reaction I get is obvious disinterest. Noone ever had a strongly negative reaction.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Had a guy do that to me IN FRONT OF A GIRL WE WERE BOTH TRYING TO PICK UP about a year ago. Aargh! Here was someone so bad with women that striking out wasn't good enough for him, he had to drag me down with him.

Quick question, one you need not answer publicly,

WHY would you want to be witha woman who would judge you for being yourself?

If gaming is part of what you do, do you really think it would be fun to keep it hidden from your girlfriend? Do you want to be with someone who is so judgemental that you can't tell her about your hobbies?

This is just one of those situations I always hear about that seriously I can not wrap my mind around. :\

Never mind. I just re-read your post and saw that you were about 11 when this happened...but I was not specifically addressing you It was just a general thought.

 

[Elf Witch]

Quick question, one you need not answer publicly,

WHY would you want to be witha woman who would judge you for being yourself?

If gaming is part of what you do, do you really think it would be fun to keep it hidden from your girlfriend? Do you want to be with someone who is so judgemental that you can't tell her about your hobbies?

This is just one of those situations I always hear about that seriously I can not wrap my mind around. :\

Never mind. I just re-read your post and saw that you were about 11 when this happened...but I was not specifically addressing you It was just a general thought.

I was wondering that myself until I caught the part about being eleven too but I still am surprised at the people who choose to hide their hobby because they are worrried about what people might think. If they played golf or were football fans would they still feel the need to hide what they enjoy?

Of course I don't live in a small town so I don't know if that makes a difference. Gaming books are easy to find I see several other groups who meet at the local Borders to play.

And then again my natural personality is to rebel against what I see as hypocrisy and I have never been shy aboust standing up for my beliefs no matter how unpopular.

I jst think it is sad that we live in a society that is so judgemental about what people choose to do in their spare time.

 

[Christian Walker]

If anyone asks me what my hobbies are, I list D&D as one of them. If they look at me funny, I kill them and take their stuff.

I'm real close to making a new level.

 

[DrZombie]

Basically I don't tell people I'm a gamer because they don't have any bussiness knowing what I do or don't do. I'm not ashamed or anything, just none of their business. All my friends and family know, and I see o reason to hide anything.

 

[s/LaSH]

I'm open, if it comes up. I've also got enough rehearsed material upstairs to go on a minor evangelist rant if the situation calls for it. It often doesn't. Most of the time, it's bumping into other peoples' friends (at family luncheon, mostly) and explaining what I do for a living (draw pictures of weird stuff).

I sorta want to track down my buddy's girlfriend and give her a good talking-to, however - she didn't react well to him mentioning his hobby. A pity I've only seen her once, before they even started dating... maybe I didn't make a good impression, talking about portable nuclear reactors, Warcraft 3 Night Elf units, and assorted weirdness. Oh well, c'est la s/LaSH.