I think I might be a creepy older gamer

[Traveller From Afar]

I dunno, I mean sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Play, have fun, who cares what age anyone is?

 

[Dice4Hire]

I see no problems if it is in the game store.

Of course this assumes the game store owner is not a creepy guy.

 

[Kzach]

Play, have fun, who cares what age anyone is?

That's what I tried to tell the FBI officer!

 

[GameDaddy]

I was in a new store the other night as referenced here and whilst asking the store clerk about running or participating in D&D games, a gamer-geek girl standing at the counter in her school uniform piped up that I should join her D&D game at the store on Sundays.

Thankfully my immediate gut reaction was to balk and politely decline, mentioning that I'm only feeling out my options... although I didn't use those exact words. My words then were far less creepy.

My wife would have some issues with me accepting this particular offer, this is not in any way related to the girl and the qualities of her gaming group though.

If you happen to be single, or just have a girlfriend (bring her along), I'd say go for it.

At worst, you have one bad gaming session where you find the group conduct and behavior inappropriate for a man of your wisdom and years.

At best, you find a new gaming group where you can contribute meaningfully to a new campaign, and you make some new friends.

I probably wouldn't play at a game store though. That's a whole separate issue.

 

[Mythmere1]

If it were me, I'd decline for a reason having nothing whatsoever to do with her gender. When I play with kids, I have too much of a tendency to act like a know-it-all based on my age. Nobody wants to play with someone like that. I stick to players my own age unless I'm the DM (where it's your job to be a know-it-all).

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

I think hanging out and spying on the group in the background would be more creepy than just playing!

We commonly had people checking out the games we were running at the FLGS I frequented. Stopping by the store on the day of the game and listening in on the group to see if their style fits yours doesn't sound creepy to me at all. And if as many games were going on at once occur in his store as the one I frequented, one person wandering the gaming area checking out what people play goes relatively unnoticed. I had many players join my game back in the day after they sat to watch for a short time.

Now, if the store has private game rooms instead of an open play area, then stopping by would be creepy without asking to sit in first.

Edit: Besides, I find it less disruptive to the game to observe that you don't want to play with the group before joining than sitting down to play a session or two before realizing the game isn't for you.