Quote from: Sable Wyvern;892568This is Shawn Driscoll. It means that, like everyone who roleplays (except him, I presume), they're shit roleplayers who aren't really roleplaying and what they do sucks.

That's alright, I've been doing it for 33 years and I'm still crap.

Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;892544When someone says they've been playing or GMing RPGs for 30+ years, what does that really say to you? You see how they play now, and you're not impressed. Do three decades make any difference in their play-style quality?

It means they probably know the ropes at least of one playstyle and system, and definitely means they're older than me:). Whether I'm interested in either the playstyle or the system, is something to be decided ad hoc.

The answer being kinda ambiguous is due to the fact that I've certainly managed to find someone who boasted that much experience, and putting it mildly, had quite a bit of room for future improvements;).

It means I can legally serve them a beer.

Quote from: Larsdangly;892591Anyone under the age of 40 won't like to hear this, but to me it means I'm gaming with someone who I'm pretty sure has some muscle memory left over from an era when most people understood how to play in the style I like — really proactive players; free-wheeling, flexible adventures; sandboxy settings; real danger and unpredictability at every turn (meaning dead PC's, not lovely wonders). I feel like 90+% of the stuff I've pulled off the gaming store shelf in the last 20+ years has been over-written, rail-roady pre-programed crap that I don't even recognize as useful gaming material. I can't really play with people who relate to that stuff.

Yup.

...

But well, that's just my first hope, which is probably a counterpoint to the annoying experience of running into newer gamers who are used to game styles I have averse reactions to.

Really though, even when I was younger, I liked what I liked, and looked down my nose at what I didn't like, and with the decades, my tastes have gotten more picky and rarified. I also have learned that even players I like and respect and who I've played and enjoyed the same games with, often have very different tastes and sensibilities and may or may not like the same things I do.

When it comes to players who have played so much that I consider them "subject matter experts," I always listen to their observations, if only to gain better understanding of their areas of expertise. If said player was "present at the beginning," I listen to gain a greater sense of what it was like, from their perspective.

That said, I have near 40 years of experience, but don't consider anything I have to say the be-all and end-all of gaming. I hop systems like crazy, so I never became a real "expert." What I HAVE found out, after all these years, is that I have finally settled on what works for me. But I'll use any system that seems to speak to that (lately, I've been thinking Dungeon World).:-)

Like most of the others, it doesn't mean much to me except that the person is close to my age and hopefully knows a couple things about rule books and maintaining a schedule.

I've been playing since 1980 but I spent over a decade not playing anything. I've had good GMs and bad GMs. Sometimes I've played one game for years other times I've tried four games in a year. I've been to conventions big and small and seen good and bad too. GMs who were excited to play and GMs who needed more coffee. Players who made me laugh often and players who sat there like a log. I've seen players with years of experience make noobie mistakes:

Me: "We shoot the Hellhounds in the pit with arrows, staying out of range of their attacks."
Dumbass: "No. I cast Levitate and bring the Hellhounds up out of the pit to us so we can hit them with our swords."
Me: "WTF??" /Facepalm.

(Yes, that actually happened at a convention. The dumbass made so many idiot moves his own brother abandoned him and joined my side.)

I have hopes that a 30 year veteran of games knows a lot and is a good player, hopes bordering on expectations. But I don't absolutely know it and assume it.

Quote from: Doughdee222;892739I've seen players with years of experience make noobie mistakes:

Me: "We shoot the Hellhounds in the pit with arrows, staying out of range of their attacks."
Dumbass: "No. I cast Levitate and bring the Hellhounds up out of the pit to us so we can hit them with our swords."
Me: "WTF??" /Facepalm.

(Yes, that actually happened at a convention. The dumbass made so many idiot moves his own brother abandoned him and joined my side.)

:rotfl:

"I just have this spell slot burning a hole in my memory. If I don't cast it I'll just die!

"Why are you trying to hit me, guys, you'll interrupt my spell... Geez."

Quote from: Bren;892712It means I can legally serve them a beer.

Or in your case, it means he can legally buy you two beers;).

Here's a question for you all:

Would you rather play with an rpg with a guy who has played one rpg for 30+ years, or a guy who has played 30+ rpg's in one year?

Quote from: Cave Bear;892854Here's a question for you all:

Would you rather play with an rpg with a guy who has played one rpg for 30+ years, or a guy who has played 30+ rpg's in one year?

Guy number 2.  Because he's more likely to be open-minded.  Or maybe I'm just projecting.

Quote from: Cave Bear;892854Here's a question for you all:

Would you rather play with an rpg with a guy who has played one rpg for 30+ years, or a guy who has played 30+ rpg's in one year?

Well, the guy who has played 30+ rpgs in one year might have problems with focus---SQUIRREL!!

Quote from: Cave Bear;892854Here's a question for you all:

Would you rather play with an rpg with a guy who has played one rpg for 30+ years, or a guy who has played 30+ rpg's in one year?

Funny thing is. The one who played one game 30 years could end up more open minded than the one who has played 30 in a year.

The one thats played for 30 might know of other systems and be interested. But never had a chance. The one thats played 30 may be fickle and shallow, or badmouths every game they have played and then ragequits when someone calls them out on it.

Such is gaming.

Quote from: Cave Bear;892854Here's a question for you all:

Would you rather play with an rpg with a guy who has played one rpg for 30+ years, or a guy who has played 30+ rpg's in one year?

Either. Until they prove they're a dick

Quote from: Cave Bear;892854Here's a question for you all:

Would you rather play with an rpg with a guy who has played one rpg for 30+ years, or a guy who has played 30+ rpg's in one year?

1) It makes a difference whether I am playing the game with this guy or running the game for this guy.

2) For the first guy, it's important how much I like the one game he's played, because he's going to want to play that game.

3) For the second guy, I like long duration campaigns so I'm concerned about why he has played 30 different RPGs in the same year. He sounds like someone who initially appears open but who is actually very difficult to please. The sort of person who will try anything once, but seldom wants to play the same thing 3 times in a row.

That or someone who joins games and then gets asked not to return. A lot.

Frequently, when I hear this it's in response to an ad posting looking for gamers.

Unfortunately, as others have mentioned, it frequently comes with some nonsense superiority complex (not always, occasionally it's what others have mentioned, simply a place holder for folks of a certain age).  Unless there is something else compelling in their response, I don't even bother.  Without context, it's meaningless to me.