From trying to get people to play games (Empire of the Petal Throne for example) I have found that gamers can be some of the most close minded people I know.

Not that they are _more_ close minded, just that they have been Put to the Test and failed to deliver.

I don't know that system.
I only play {the most popular system that day}.
That doesn't let me play a {specific racial or class}.
...

Is it just my small exposure or is there a lot more talk than action when offered to try something new?
=

Gamers are like sports fans.  Very tribal of their preferences and hostile towards anything they don't "approve of".  This of course carries over into things other than games, as we've seen.

I'll try any* game at least once.

...


*=obvious exceptions apply : FATAL, RaHoWa, Maid, etc.

The ones I know, not very as far as games go.

How open minded are gamers? Try calling Fiasco a true role playing game here and see how that goes.

When I was in my teens to my early 20s, I was pretty willing to try any new game.  Most of my peers at that time were the same way.

Over time I noticed many of the gamers in my group quit wanting to try new games.  For most of them it happened mid 20s.  Most of them developed an attachment to one system and wanted their game time to be focused on that.  They didn't see the need to learn something different just for another game.

I'm somewhat similar.  My interest in new games probably petered out late 30s.  I accumulated and learned a lot of different games.  I've reached a point where I feel it's impractical to invest money and study time into something new for that kind of entertainment.   That said, there are quite a few games on my to-play list.  I'm open to variety within that list, but I'm not going to jump into something outside of it.

Quote from: Certified;822056How open minded are gamers? Try calling Fiasco a true role playing game here and see how that goes.

FIASCO is a true role playing game.  It meets all the necessary requirements for being a role playing game.

I've tried lots of things over the years; I have a very good idea what I like and what is complete shite.

Well, I am finding that, the older they are, the less likely they are to want to learn something entirely new. They will play variants of systems sharing the same basic "language" (i.e., if I like 3.5, I'll play Microlite). I'M the stickler for certain sub-genre's--for example I just don't dig a ton of "weird" races in any fantasy campaign, for various narrow and personal (maybe stupid) reasons--I just can't grok why anyone wants to play a lizardman, for example, 'cuz all they're doing is playing a human in lizard-skin. Had a player want to be a pseudo-dragon once (why? WHY?). I just don't think that way, so I nix some systems if that's a feature, only because I don't want to pretend we're not human, when we're all acting like humans, or demi-humans, anyway. Personal prejudice, I know.

Thinking about it now, maybe this is because of the investment in time it takes to start playing an RPG-- creating characters, etc.

Quote from: cranebump;822065Well, I am finding that, the older they are, the less likely they are to want to learn something entirely new. They will play variants of systems sharing the same basic "language" (i.e., if I like 3.5, I'll play Microlite). I'M the stickler for certain sub-genre's--for example I just don't dig a ton of "weird" races in any fantasy campaign, for various narrow and personal (maybe stupid) reasons--I just can't grok why anyone wants to play a lizardman, for example, 'cuz all they're doing is playing a human in lizard-skin. Had a player want to be a pseudo-dragon once (why? WHY?). I just don't think that way, so I nix some systems if that's a feature, only because I don't want to pretend we're not human, when we're all acting like humans, or demi-humans, anyway. Personal prejudice, I know.

This is what I've found.  Trying different rpg's isn't like trying a new food- there's a time investment involved.  The older you get, the less free time you have, and the that time becomes more precious.

Quote from: Greentongue;822047From trying to get people to play games (Empire of the Petal Throne for example) I have found that gamers can be some of the most close minded people I know.

Not that they are _more_ close minded, just that they have been Put to the Test and failed to deliver.

I don't know that system.
I only play {the most popular system that day}.
That doesn't let me play a {specific racial or class}.
...

Is it just my small exposure or is there a lot more talk than action when offered to try something new?
=

I think it is a general geek culture thing. We decide we like something and then really, really like it. I don't think all of us are that way, but I know I personally have that tendency.

Quote from: cranebump;822065Well, I am finding that, the older they are, the less likely they are to want to learn something entirely new.

I haven't really seen that. I know it's a popular stereotype though (ageism, when are the SJW going to go stand up against that prejudice?).
When I was first playing RPGs there were the kids who wanted to play anything/everything and the kids who absolutely refused to play anything but D&D... and were openly hostile towards any other system. I figure the vast majority of stodgy old guys who won't explore are the same ones who wouldn't try new games as kids.
I revolted against D&D early on... and was goggle-eyed at all the new games I was seeing in the stores.
I see the same thing today, at 45. Some guys I play with are wide open to trying new flavors, others never have ventured out much past their initial system.

I'm happy to try just about anything. I might not want to run it, and I do have my favorites (not all of them 'old'), but as long as the games I know and love are still on the menu somewhere I'm fine with exploring... I like trying new stuff.

Now... maybe those guys who wouldn't budge off of D&D back then continued to play RPGs regularly whereas a lot of the more adventurous guys moved on to other sorts of pastimes. Resulting in the stodgy ones over-representing now.
I've met a number of guys who seem like they've been stuck in a gaming rut for decades... to where I'm not sure they even enjoy the game anymore but just can't imagine what else they'd be doing on Saturday nights.

As a parallel tangent I'll say that I haven't found gamers to be nearly as imaginative as they like to claim they are... always pulling from the same narrow band of source material and being fairly conservative in what actually happens at the table. "Let's watch this new historical fantasy from Finland!" "No thanks, it's got subtitles... besides, I'd rather just watch The Princess Bride again for the zillionth time"

Quote from: Greentongue;822047From trying to get people to play games (Empire of the Petal Throne for example) I have found that gamers can be some of the most close minded people I know.

Not that they are _more_ close minded, just that they have been Put to the Test and failed to deliver.

I don't know that system.
I only play {the most popular system that day}.
That doesn't let me play a {specific racial or class}.
...

Is it just my small exposure or is there a lot more talk than action when offered to try something new?
=

Oh, fuck this.

"Someone doesn't want to play My Favorite Game so obviously they are close-minded! Probably a bigot too!"

Before weeping and wailing, try thinking about other possible reasons why people may not want to play a game.

I am always kind of stunned when people suggest it's Not OK to decide what entertained you like. If I don't want to play a game about robot mobsters, why should I? That's it a reflection on your desire to do so. Your fun does not depend on everyone liking what you like.