D&D 5E Long time players and 5e’s success

[Warpiglet-7]

We are genX, and we have introduced our kids to d&d, they now play in certain campaigns with the adults. And, they now run and play in their own games with their gaming friends. We have and continue to do our part to pass on the "love the game" despite the absolutely hostile environment the current scene has become. But you know, you go to a con like GaryCon and vibe is super positive and filled with awesome games and people, it gives you some hope. And the kids play and run games at the cons now as well.

And we spend, huge whale amounts on minis, terrain, accessories and stuff to support the hobby. Not really with wotc any more, used to up to a few years back, but not any more with them. Remember, they don't want my business any more.

I don’t know. They are putting a lot of stuff in that makes me feel like a potential
Customer! I don’t agree with everything of course but I think they are trying to capture a wide array of gamers in truth

 

[Cadence]

The younger players have their own view of the world. I am shocked every time I return to ENWorld because it is so different from Eric Noah's old site and the early days of the forums. The difference is not the growth of ENWorld as a brand but rather the posters. A lot of the current folks would not be able to handle the older posting culture.

That said, young people always have a more self-centered approach. They see the world through a different lens and older players are part of the past. I am sure that many of the original posters from the early days were similar. The site is 25 years old now if you count Eric Noah's original 3e site.

It feels like the really active posters on here are far from "young people" as a whole.

What's your age group?

I'm curious to know the range of ages here in this part of the forums so i thought I'd a pool.

www.enworld.org

The truth is that older players and DMs continue to drive sales because that crowd had more disposable income and the middle-aged folks are still in charge and creating much of the content.

I am less of a fan of the virtue signaling, the old days were so problematic and must be destroyed crowd though. I hope to live long enough to see the next generation to the same thing to them.

It is quite true that the current owner Morrus has added a rule to the original ones Eric Noah had: Terms and rules and that the mods enforce it.

Combining the folks on here skewing older and many have played since OD&D, B/X, or AD&D, with the folks on here apparently being ok enough with the moderating to stick around, it doesn't feel like they're trying to destroy the old days?

 

[el-remmen]

I think whales are more important than long-time gamers.

I thought you meant literal immense sea mammals at first and was like DUH!

Gamers are probably bad for the environment while whales have important ecological niches to fill!

 

[el-remmen]

the absolutely hostile environment the current scene

The what now?

 

[cranberry]

My take is a bit more cynical. They chose Greyhawk because it was already available. They didn't have to pay anyone to create anything new. Just add some polish and release an old product like it was brand new.

As for us geezer gamers, we've got more disposable income than younger generation, and in about 10 years, we'll have an extra 40 hours per week to play, chat on forums, go to game shops, etc...

People are living longer, and GenX will hold on to our legacy and influence with an iron grip.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

GenX will hold on to our legacy and influence with an iron grip.

Gen X has influence? Is this new?

 

[Cadence]

Gen X has influence? Is this new?

One of my son's friends loves 80s music because that's all his dad plays in the car. And the college students at the bagel shop have come to like some because that's what the owners play.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

One of my son's friends loves 80s music because that's all his dad plays in the car. And the college students at the bagel shop have come to like some because that's what the owners play.

My daughter likes the Smiths and has Iron Maiden records on vinyl…and now plays D&D.

(Pats self on back in a smug way)

 

[bloodtide]

I would too, but I suspect that GenXers don't contribute a hugely outsized portion compared to their numbers.

Age does not matter to:
*The Showoff- at any age...you know this person. They have everything...or nearly everything. And they are the first to buy new stuff...and not just buy stuff but special pre order "I know a guy" get it before everyone else. Oh, and they show it off...

*The collected will just buy everything...they "got to have them all"

After that...well there is some truth to "young folks just buy stuff" and "adults tend to think about things first."

One thing I do wonder, is how much money is being spent that WotC is not capturing, from 3PP books to unofficial merch. Of course, I am sure WotC would like to know that too.

I'm not so sure they want to know...they seem to oddly ignore this.

This too is EXACTLY what I am talking about.

The game does not proliferate as well if older gamers are not involved!

Well, my point was people have been playing D&D in the back ground for nearly all of the 50 years. Pick any point in time, and I'm sure 100's of people are playing D&D on any given weekend.

I do have a nice, passing the touch story. About a year after I started running D&D games at the rec, I was approached by a young girl (14 at the time). She wanted me to run a game for her and her friends. They had tried and just "could not get the hang out it". I told her no, as I only ran games for adults and recommended she try some of the other kid DMs. She did not give up and made a while case that she wanted me to teach her to be a DM. So I agreed, to a couple teaching games so she could get "the hang" of DMing.

And so started the Pretty Princesses. Five girls, each with a 'bored' princess adventurer banding together to save their kingdoms and the world. They were and are all great players. They took to the game like ducks to water. It only took a season for her to "catch on" to Dming. Then she took over. We settled into a three week her, one week me DM set up. And this game lasted for four years...until they all graduated from high school. They were set to go different ways after that...so we had one last game. With me as DM the characters disposed their fathers/brothers to take over each kingdom, merge them into one kingdom....and then make that One Land a free land.

They are all adults now, scattered around. We still stay in touch via social media. And they are all till gamers to this day, playing where they are. And maybe twice a year, when they all come home, we squeeze in a time to play and update the One Land.

 

[billd91]

One of my son's friends loves 80s music because that's all his dad plays in the car. And the college students at the bagel shop have come to like some because that's what the owners play.

My daughter would rock out to AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" in the car when I was taking her to and from day care over 20 years ago. She's turning 26 next month.
It wasn't really hard to get both my daughters playing RPGs, loving Star Wars and Star Trek, and Lord of the Rings. I read to that to them a lot for bedtime - along with Winnie the Pooh and (sigh) Harry Potter (Rowling may have effed up her legacy going forward but she can't rob me of the pure joy of reading to my kids years ago).