Why Game?

[devilbat]

And the new player is a bit of goth-type as far as I can see.

mmmmmmmm goth chicks.

 

[MadMaxim]

Don't be so quick to judge Mad. Chicks that are mildly goth can be hot.

Maybe you're right, warlord. She does seem kind of nice, and she likes to cook which is a big plus in my book, since I'm only capable of wrecking havoc trying to make a decent meal

 

[MadMaxim]

mmmmmmmm goth chicks.

I take it you like goth chicks, devilbat

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

For me it's more of a, "Why not game?" Especially when the opportunity presents itself.

My lifestyle has kept me moving every 3-5 years since I graduated from High School, which meant DnD games were hard to come by. So I joined a game whenever or wherever I could find one.

Now that I'm older and not as likely to move (or at least, not to move out of the Bay Area) I find that I want to keep my Campaign going for as long as I can. It's a great stress reliever, I get a chance to behave like a man (read: belch whenever I feel like it, make crude remarks, tell off-color jokes, mercilessly tease my friends and behave in an altogether less than refined way).

But I also get to be creative, be the DM, bring good memories and enjoyment to my friends and have a lot of fun.

So I guess I game because each moment spent gaming is one I'd never look back on with regret. How often can we say that about the sum total of our repetitive, everyday experiences?

J. Grenemyer

 

[Li Shenron]

I was reading some articles from the 30th Anniversary of D&D and a particular statistic got me thinking: the median age of the average gamer is 35. With a career, spouse and kids, no less. So, why game? Life is busy, and complicated. Is gaming just an escape, a distraction from everyday life?

Or is it something deeper, perhaps an attempt to recapture some elusive childhood magic?
A rare creative outlet in an increasingly pragmatic world?
Just plain fun?

Playing (any game) is normally an important part of human behaviour. IMHO it has to do with the fact that you're focusing your attention and skills in something which is completely lacking responsibility and duty, which in a way allows your skills to unfold for their own sake and not for some other target.

I only know a couple of person who don't like playing anything: they sometimes play cards or dice with friends but they don't really like it, they only do it not to stay out of the "evening action", and when they play they're always focused on making fun about the game. These couple of friends also don't enjoy music (they listen to it only casually, and only in function of something else, such as to "boost" a party), don't read books (except books which are useful for their job), have fun at the movies only looking at special effects or beautiful actresses, and generally speaking they don't have any hobbies and everything they do pretends to be useful (either for their job, for money, or for social/sexual success).

 

[Rel]

I take it you like goth chicks, devilbat

They taste like chicken.

 

[Henry]

...So, why game? Life is busy, and complicated. Is gaming just an escape, a distraction from everyday life?

Or is it something deeper, perhaps an attempt to recapture some elusive childhood magic?
A rare creative outlet in an increasingly pragmatic world?
Just plain fun?

Same reasons that people golf, follow NASCAR or NFL, or refinish cabinets or refurbish classic cars in their spare time. Extreme pragmatism demands that none of these things have value (golf could possibly be seen as an EXTREMELY wasteful pastime if you're looking at it from a skewed perspective) yet as humans we enjoy them, because they take us away from the everyday, they train our minds toward the artistic in some cases, or they calm us.

Fun's obvious, I'm just offering some other reasons.

 

[DragonLancer]

One of the arguments against middle-aged gaming seems to be that it's too time consuming for someone who has to raise a family and be successful in their career... I say that's a complete load of bull.

To take a common example of a middle aged man with a time consuming, obsessive gaming hobby, let's look at my father:
-he often spends his Saturday and Sunday afternoons watching athletic events on television.
-he often spends weekday nights doing the same
-he is a member of two country clubs, and usually plays 2-3 rounds of golf a week during the season
-during the summer season, he often has season tickets to the local minor league baseball team's nightly games, and often attends twice a week.
-he spends an evening at an Indian casino about once a month
-he subscribes to and reads three sports-related periodicals, as well as books on his favorite games

Yet his time consuming hobby has not stopped him from raising two (now grown and college-educated) children, holding together a marriage (now in it's 31st year), or becoming a self-made millionaire executive.

Amen brother!

 

[francisca]

Just plain fun?

Yes.
I enjoy playing. I enjoy DMing. I enjoy writing material. I enjoy spending time with the people I game with.

 

[DragonLancer]

I only know a couple of person who don't like playing anything: they sometimes play cards or dice with friends but they don't really like it, they only do it not to stay out of the "evening action", and when they play they're always focused on making fun about the game. These couple of friends also don't enjoy music (they listen to it only casually, and only in function of something else, such as to "boost" a party), don't read books (except books which are useful for their job), have fun at the movies only looking at special effects or beautiful actresses, and generally speaking they don't have any hobbies and everything they do pretends to be useful (either for their job, for money, or for social/sexual success).

Thats really sad. I can't possibly imagine going through life like that.