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Message: <blockquote data-quote="innerdude" data-source="post: 6797949" data-attributes="member: 85870">Deep down, I think all of us as active roleplayers want some kind of great "revival" of RPG play. We want our hobby to magically shine forth and go truly "mainstream," like fantasy football. Because it would infinitely expand our options for gaming. The whole reason we put up with as much crap at our game tables now, with bad GMs and odious players, is that it's so stinking hard to find a group to do it with at all. One of the reasons I think I felt so strongly about the "Edition Wars" back in 2008 was I somehow had convinced myself that creating the "right" RPG would somehow make it easier to "progress the hobby forward." Now, I've fully accepted the fact that pen-and-paper RPGs will never be "mainstream," for the simple reasons you state here. It takes A) a certain type of person, with B) certain types of interests, with C) the time and creative capacity to participate, along with D) a social circle willing to also participate. That's a rare, rare thing. Combine that with the historical "nerd baggage" that goes with the hobby, it's a wonder we're in as good a shape as it is.I've said it before elsewhere, but a single, mid-sized software company that I used to work for---one, just one, out of tens of thousands of like software companies---has more overall revenue potential RIGHT NOW than the entire RPG industry, everywhere, in the entire world.And I completely agree with your assessment, @<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=4937" target="_blank">Celebrim</a>, about rules systems. It's why I almost completely avoid (a competing web site that shall not be named), because half the conversations over there seem to revolve around "converting" people to some esoteric rules system that a grand total of 10 people have ever heard of or played. I don't need another set of rules, and I don't need to argue with anyone why their "ULTIMATE HOMEBREW!!!!!!" system is the greatest thing put to paper (or digital document file). There are nigh-innumerable good entry points into our hobby now ---- D&D 5e, Pathfinder beginner box, the Savage Worlds "test drive," Fantasy AGE, GURPS Lite, Fate Core/Accelerated. I'm way, way more invested in getting new players into good groups with solid GMs so they'll stay in the hobby than I am in what they end up playing once they get there.</blockquote>

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