D&D General In this day and age, people still laugh when you invite them to play D&D.

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

This is accurate, but @DarkCrisis did say they invited these people to play at their FLGS, so probably not a factor here.

Yup, missed that. @DarkCrisis , adjust advice accordingly...

 

[AlViking]

I missed that it was at the FLGS as we. Then my suggestion would be - don't invite them as much as tell them when and where. Let them know they can just stop by to check it out. No pressure, let them know just being an observer for a bit is fine.

But also accept that a lot of people are just being polite.

 

[jasper]

This is super true. I have something of a 3 strike rule I took from my Uncle.

If you express interest, I'll offer 3 times, you find a way to decline or excuse yourself that's fine by me, but I am not chasing after anyone due to their own hang ups.

Your uncle got that from me. Thief. Rogue, collector of unauthorized ideas. I started the 3 strikes way back in the early 90s when I got tired of people MENTIONING Interest and never showing up. It is a rare treat then and now when they do show up.
As with ANY hobby, Time and place determines interest. And small talk DOES NOT mean interest.

 

[el-remmen]

It is strange that pretending to have interest in what someone else is talking about can be simultaneously polite and impolite, but it is true.

 

[Piperken]

It's interesting to hear this, esp. in light of points Charlaquin mentions.

There's other factors involved ofc with inviting into/accepting a place at an at-table game, like:

• Table fullness.
• Significant age difference. While I'm aware a lot of DMs/players here have mentioned their age diverse tables that are very welcoming, some younger ppls understandably do avoid tables if there's > than 20+ year age difference, unless it's a specific case (a con one-shot, an after school club, immediate family, etc.)
• How well new on-boarded player will mesh with other players at the table, and w/ schedule.

 

[Seramus]

“Folks in their early to mid 40s” are older millennials. The youngest of gen X are in their late 40s now, and “people in their 20s” are mostly Gen Z. The youngest millennials are still clinging to their late 20s, but that’s not going to hold true for much longer.

When you're on the fringes like mid 40s, I find it usually comes down to how you were raised. Attentive and caring parents who might be overbearing but still technically engaged? Millennial. Aloof and absent parents who don't know where you are, and leave the key on the latch - be home before dark? Gen X.