If our Hobby has a problem, it is the difficulty of interpersonal communcation.
- Thread starter Edena_of_Neith
- Start date
Edena_of_Neith
First Post
Posted by S'mon:
RPGs will always be a minority interest because they are primarily attractive to nerds, who tend to have difficulty with interpersonal communication and may even have autistic tendencies, yet RPGs require a high level of flexible (ie not structures/formalistic) interpersonal communication to function. So the people who actually play RPGs tend to be nerds who are good at interpersonal communication, a subset of an aready limited group.
I think that's what Edena was saying (I skipped most of it).
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From Edena_of_Neith:
That is not what I said.
I never made any statement about what kind of people RPGs attract.
I never made any statement about Gamers having some kind of special trouble with freeform interpersonal communication.
I most certainly never made any statement about Gamers having autistic traits.
I have seen a dismayingly large number of Gamers who insist on insulting their fellow Gamers. I don't particularly know why they insist on doing this, but they do it anyways. It poisons the well and harms the Hobby, but they still do it.
RPGs will always be a minority interest because they are primarily attractive to nerds, who tend to have difficulty with interpersonal communication and may even have autistic tendencies, yet RPGs require a high level of flexible (ie not structures/formalistic) interpersonal communication to function. So the people who actually play RPGs tend to be nerds who are good at interpersonal communication, a subset of an aready limited group.
I think that's what Edena was saying (I skipped most of it).
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From Edena_of_Neith:
That is not what I said.
I never made any statement about what kind of people RPGs attract.
I never made any statement about Gamers having some kind of special trouble with freeform interpersonal communication.
I most certainly never made any statement about Gamers having autistic traits.
I have seen a dismayingly large number of Gamers who insist on insulting their fellow Gamers. I don't particularly know why they insist on doing this, but they do it anyways. It poisons the well and harms the Hobby, but they still do it.
Victim
First Post
The problem with RPGs isn't communication, it's coordination. Setting up a group is basically a coordination game - you need people to agree on times, game system, game style, avoid personal conflicts, etc in order for there to be any payoff. And since most RPGs are designed to work best over a campaign, the real payoffs require people to be able to continue to coordinate.
DragonLancer
Hero
Victim said:
The players in my gaming group are all hard working types who juggle family/relationship, work and other commitments, and for the past ten years have never failed to agree that every sunday 7-11 is D&D evening. If they can do it, anyone can.
the black knight
First Post
The original post, while making a couple good points, seems to go on forever. This is not a thesis committee, OP, this is a message board. Brevity is your friend.
Edena_of_Neith
First Post
LOL! I myself thought: what am I trying to do, write a Doctoral Thesis here?
Unfortunately, I seem to be unable to say what I wish to say in few words. That is the province of a Good Writer, that he or she can do so. But I never pretended I am (or was) a good writer.
Anyways, if you can wade your way through my muddle and Fluff, the Crunch is there. It make take the Patience of Job to find it, but I guarantee that you'll find the Crunch in my posts eventually!
By the way, I think a certain poster was right when he said: The Stars Must be Aligned Properly for a Gaming Group to Meet.
It ain't easy, in this world of 60 hour weeks and holding down two jobs, both spouses working, children, house and car upkeep, medical concerns, and about a billion other concerns, for people to get together to game!!!
Interpersonal communication? LOL. Indeed.
Indeed, the DM and players must have the STRENGTH AND ENERGY remaining, to engage in interpersonal communication. After the workweek, taking care of children (a 24 hour job right there), taking care of all the other concerns, where we Gamers finds that energy is magic in itself.
Unfortunately, I seem to be unable to say what I wish to say in few words. That is the province of a Good Writer, that he or she can do so. But I never pretended I am (or was) a good writer.
Anyways, if you can wade your way through my muddle and Fluff, the Crunch is there. It make take the Patience of Job to find it, but I guarantee that you'll find the Crunch in my posts eventually!
By the way, I think a certain poster was right when he said: The Stars Must be Aligned Properly for a Gaming Group to Meet.
It ain't easy, in this world of 60 hour weeks and holding down two jobs, both spouses working, children, house and car upkeep, medical concerns, and about a billion other concerns, for people to get together to game!!!
Interpersonal communication? LOL. Indeed.
Indeed, the DM and players must have the STRENGTH AND ENERGY remaining, to engage in interpersonal communication. After the workweek, taking care of children (a 24 hour job right there), taking care of all the other concerns, where we Gamers finds that energy is magic in itself.
StupidSmurf
First Post
S'mon said:You really think the average gamer IQ is 100? :\ I'd have thought more like 110 or so, around average college level. Or maybe you don't believe in Intelligence at all? That seems like not believing in Strength or Charisma.
Allllllllllll I'm saying is that I don't buy the concept that gamers, as a group, are necessarily smarter than non-gamers. I've known some perfectly bright people who don't play and aren't interested in RPGs, and I know some "dumber than advertised" types who DO play.
Kuld
Explorer
I hate to jump in so late in the game but I believe that intelligence is very hard to gauge even with a standardized IQ test, ASVAB tests, etc... I always score high on these tests and I really don’t consider myself to have an above average intelligence.
As a technical instructor, I’ve seen so many people with such diversity in intellect, that it upsets the vary definition of intelligence. Some one could be very smart in one area but be so clueless in another and to a degree where some would consider that individual “stupid”. Which, I assure you is not the case. What may be the case is that this person’s intelligence may not be “technically oriented” which has nothing to do with “overall intelligence”. It merely states that they should probably choose another career path.
IMO, intelligence comes in all shapes and sizes, colors and amplitude. Someone who you may consider to be “not so bright” could very well be a blast to play an RPG with. People always surprise me; something I hope will never change.
As a technical instructor, I’ve seen so many people with such diversity in intellect, that it upsets the vary definition of intelligence. Some one could be very smart in one area but be so clueless in another and to a degree where some would consider that individual “stupid”. Which, I assure you is not the case. What may be the case is that this person’s intelligence may not be “technically oriented” which has nothing to do with “overall intelligence”. It merely states that they should probably choose another career path.
IMO, intelligence comes in all shapes and sizes, colors and amplitude. Someone who you may consider to be “not so bright” could very well be a blast to play an RPG with. People always surprise me; something I hope will never change.
