Would you play D&D in a public place?

[mhacdebhandia]

Would and have. In fact, I wouldn't play in a gaming store.

When I was studying at the University of Sydney, though, we used to run games on the couches in Manning House, one of the student union's buildings. For all I know, they still do. There were a few short-lived D&D campaigns, one memorable semester where we had a floating hack-and-slash D&D game, Aberrant adapted for four-colour supers, and 7th Sea.

I'd love to play on a banquet table at a Chinese restaurant, or something similar. Enough room for food and gaming materials both, and I'd be there.

 

[DaveyJones]

been there, done that.
have the cheetostains to prove it

 

[DragonLancer]

Already have done and would have no trouble doing so again.

 

[shilsen]

I've already played a couple of sessions in a public place (quite a busy and large coffee shop), but I'd prefer not to do so again, simply because it was a little loud and distracting.

As for the whole "geek stigma" element, I've never cared about it and never will. Last week, when I introduced myself to my classes at Temple U., part of it involved me telling them that I'm a card-carrying geek whose idea of a busy social life is being involved in a large number of games, and that I'd be using my D&D dice in class (I do, and they work great).

 

[MonsterMash]

I have, but there are other games that are easier to play than D&D because they are less affected by interruptions. Like most Brits it seems I have played in the pub, and when I was at school in the library.

 

[sirwmholder]

I would rather play in private... some place we can control the environment (temperature/wind) and eliminate distractions (cell phones off). When we play we do so for hours with out interruption. It's wonderful and I would not change it for anything. When I'm not gaming I can usually be found reading some sort of d20 material or working on my home brew so it's not like I'm a closet gamer.

Thank you for your time,
William Holder

 

[Falkus]

I used to run my d20 Modern campaign every week in the student lounge at my university before I graduated.

 

[Capt. D]

I've played in a few public places such as libraries, during study hall(back in high school), and at the park (1 time).
I have no problems with the geek stigma, I am back in college finishing my degree and have done several reports that concerned gaming and comic books. (The positive effects of Roleplaying games for my public speaking class, and Fawcett vs National in my legal environment of business class.) Over all most people don't care if you are a "geek" and honestly the term really doesn't mean much, except as a way for gamers, comic book fans, etc... to justify their hobbies and feel special. But it's really unnecessary, unlike goths and other "alternative/subcultural" groups geeks really don't stand out (although there are exceptions). The extent of our geekiness really doesn't show unless we are in a group or in a geek safe environment, such as a game shop. The rest of the time we look just like any other mundane. Even if we wear our trademark geek clothes (black t-shirt with geek logo/phrase) people won't pay that much attention, and shirts of that type are very common/popular. Within the geek community there are so many subgroups that pretty much everywhere you turn there is some kind of geek. Popular culture lumps all geeks in the same group whether they be Star Trek fans, Star Wars fans, gamers, or comic book geeks so in a way being a geek is seen as fairly normal. While there may still be jokes made about geeks, they are generally made by geeks, see a Kevin Smith film, because we have no problem laughing at ourselves. We see tons of geek references in everything from top grossing movies, popular TV shows, and video games (probably the most popular and mainstream of the geek hobbies.) Even sports fans are geeks, they have the obsessive habits of geeks (collecting memorabilia, & defending their favorite teams), the only difference is that their geekiness is seen as normal ,predominately male, behavior.
Nearly everyone in the world knows who Darth Vader is, they probably have a favorite Star Trek captain, they've heard of Dungeons and Dragons, and they've probably seen Spiderman once or twice. They may not know in depth details like a true fan, but if you walk down the street with a shirt saying "May the Force be with you" almost everyone will get it. So I think the geek label is just our way of trying to prove we are different and not mundane since the hobbies we love are becoming so recognizable to the masses. As a whole geeks tend to be fairly intelligent, creative & passionate people, and having a label that differentiates you from everyone else helps to feed the need to feel special, but there is nothing wrong with that.
So geek, game and be merry....

 

[Capt. D]

I apologize for the last post, I get kind of preachy sometimes... a simple comment becomes this whole big speech... But to get back on topic yes I have games in public and would again....

 

[Mark Hope]

I used to run my d20 Modern campaign every week in the student lounge at my university before I graduated.

Oh yeah, there too, briefly. It was also used as the tv room by other members of our hall of residence. Eventually we gamed in my room instead, not because the tv was a distraction, but because our whooping and hollering (and in the case of one player, setting fire to things and scarring himself for life.. ) was deemed a distraction for the non-gamers - so we were politely asked to take our dice elsewhere, heh heh.