Dykstrav, let me say that you raise a lot of good, valid points. I agree that WotC's adventures (and products) are feeling kind of "genericized and flavorless" to me. I particularly agree with the problem of players wanting to play the half-dragon, half-pixie, half-orc multi-classed warlock/paladin. The game has indeed changed.
That being said, I strongly disagree with your "why are gamers being so divisive nowadays."
Dykstrav said:
What's really bothering me is how the player base has slowly been changing. It seems to be acceptable practice (or at least expected) to be uncivil to other gamers with whom you do not agree. Uncouth gamers really disturb me- I've worked with democrats, republicans, independents, muslims, christians, pagans, jews, and atheists that can get along with each other on the job (and even develop genuine friendships) even though they can't agree on anything. I've had the impression that gaming is far less important to most people than politics and religion, so why are gamers being so divisive nowadays?
Compound this issue with the fact that as a gamer, there's an expectation for you to like anime and video games and all the other "weird kid" stuff that's cool now
What this sounds to me, personally, is the good ole "Why, in my day!" conversation we all love hearing. Has the game changed? Yes. Has the player base widened? Yes. However, I think you're really busting out with the rose-colored glasses when you speak of gamers being divisive
nowadays, leading one to believe in the Golden Age of Civility back in the 70's/80's.
The Comic Book Guy persona from the Simpsons had real-life inspiration. People complained and haggled and had arguments - and were asocial - even way back in the ancient 70's/80's. In fact, I would go out on a limb to say that they complained and haggled and had arguments just as much then as they do now. The topics and issues may have changed, but I don't think gamers have become less civil, or gamers were more civil 20 years ago.
From what I've seen, the "weird kid stuff" is because of new players entering the fold, which is a good thing in my opinion. Younger people are playing, which means younger interests will come up.
The gist of your topic seemed to be about change. I agree that D&D as a game has changed, and I also think that it has gained more of a mainstream appeal, thus bringing more people into the hobby. Yet while the game system and rules governing it have obviously become different, I don't think the player base has somehow become more crude and crass. The Comic Book Guy still exists. The argumentative rules-lawyer still exists. The cool guy that everyone likes still exists. And if anything, I believe there is even more variety amongst players nowadays than the "Comic Book Guy playing OD&D in his basement" era, with which a clannish attitude sometimes accompanied.
In essence, I agree with some of what you're saying, and disagree with other points. I'll defintely join the chorus and say that if you want to take a break, you should take a break, and if you want to run a game a certain way, you should run it a certain way. There's nothing wrong with that. But I think it's important to keep some perspective and not fall into that "In My Day" mindset that can be sweet to have, in the bittersweet kind of way.
