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Author Topic: Opinion on starting a new campaign  (Read 3594 times)

jmarso

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Opinion on starting a new campaign
« on: January 13, 2022, 12:32:07 PM »
I'm currently playing in a 2E campaign that will go through next summer at the least, but I'm also contemplating starting up a 2E Greyhawk game and running some of the old classics. Here's the element of the whole thing I'm wrestling with:

I'm a 53 year old 'Grog' who started with the boxed editions and AD&D back in 1979. I have zero tolerance for SJW's, snowflakes, and the way the hobby seems to be going. I have no interest in dealing with those folks even in a Session 0 setting, much less having to kick them out of an established game later. Anyone trying to claim 'most offended status' with me is going to run home to mama in tears by the time I'm done.

I'm thinking that advertising for an 'old school, 2E game' might filter out a large number of potential problems. In fact, it might even net me zero players, given that most folks seem to be interested in 5E and little else.

But would it totally backfire on me to actually come right out and say something like: "This will be an 'old school' DnD campaign aimed at older players, using old school tropes. Younger and/or inexperienced players willing to embrace a more OSR experience are welcome, but SJW's, the thin-skinned, and easily offended won't find this campaign to their liking." 

Too heavy handed and brutally honest for the modern world, or not? These days I hesitate even trying to put a table together with strangers.

Dark Train

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Re: Opinion on starting a new campaign
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2022, 01:31:03 PM »
Direct is good, but those who wish to be offended might take offense and create needless trouble. 

Just saying "2E" will probably weed out most of the people you want to avoid.

Even when running 5E games I find that adding something about playing with old school sensibilities tends to discourage the thin-skinned since they associate it with challenge, lethality, and politics they don't like.

I think "This will be an 'old school' DnD campaign aimed at older players, using old school tropes. Younger and/or inexperienced players willing to embrace a more OSR experience are welcome." does the job without inviting anyone to cancel you.

KingCheops

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Re: Opinion on starting a new campaign
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2022, 01:33:36 PM »
It's far better to be up front about it.  We once brought a new guy into the group to run Rifts for us and he said he was cool with whatever we wanted to do.  So 2 other guys and I made hard-core anti-D-Bee types (not actually Coalition folks) and he spent the whole first session punishing us for that.  It was the first and last game that guy played with us.

jmarso

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Re: Opinion on starting a new campaign
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2022, 03:31:39 PM »
"Old school sensibilities."

I like that- I think it makes the point.

rytrasmi

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Re: Opinion on starting a new campaign
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2022, 03:38:12 PM »
Just saying "2E" will probably weed out most of the people you want to avoid.
Agree. And if you say something like RAW or by the book, then you don't need to entertain ideas about nu pronouns or X cards because those things are not in the 2E materials.
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S'mon

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Re: Opinion on starting a new campaign
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2022, 05:36:03 PM »
But would it totally backfire on me to actually come right out and say something like: "This will be an 'old school' DnD campaign aimed at older players, using old school tropes. Younger and/or inexperienced players willing to embrace a more OSR experience are welcome, but SJW's, the thin-skinned, and easily offended won't find this campaign to their liking." 

Too heavy handed and brutally honest for the modern world, or not? These days I hesitate even trying to put a table together with strangers.

Keep the phrasing positive. Omit the bolded part , it would deter a bunch of regular people as well as the ones you are trying to deter. Don't say 'you won't like this', but you can say stuff like 'old school tropes', '1970s style D&D' etc. You can eg include a summary of your house rules if you like.

S'mon

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Re: Opinion on starting a new campaign
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2022, 05:38:22 PM »
I think "This will be an 'old school' DnD campaign aimed at older players, using old school tropes. Younger and/or inexperienced players willing to embrace a more OSR experience are welcome." does the job without inviting anyone to cancel you.

I agree.
(a) You don't want to encourage people to attack you.
(b) Negative framing will deter people who will worry you're an obsessed anti-SJW rather than someone who just wants to play a good game of D&D.

S'mon

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Re: Opinion on starting a new campaign
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2022, 05:41:12 PM »
SJWs don't actually play RPGs much, they much prefer to roam the Internet monitoring for Wrongthink. So an ad for an old school D&D game is very unlikely to attract any SJWs looking to play. But an ad with 'no SJWs' in it is a red rag to a bull.

Jam The MF

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Re: Opinion on starting a new campaign
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2022, 05:51:47 PM »
I'm currently playing in a 2E campaign that will go through next summer at the least, but I'm also contemplating starting up a 2E Greyhawk game and running some of the old classics. Here's the element of the whole thing I'm wrestling with:

I'm a 53 year old 'Grog' who started with the boxed editions and AD&D back in 1979. I have zero tolerance for SJW's, snowflakes, and the way the hobby seems to be going. I have no interest in dealing with those folks even in a Session 0 setting, much less having to kick them out of an established game later. Anyone trying to claim 'most offended status' with me is going to run home to mama in tears by the time I'm done.

I'm thinking that advertising for an 'old school, 2E game' might filter out a large number of potential problems. In fact, it might even net me zero players, given that most folks seem to be interested in 5E and little else.

But would it totally backfire on me to actually come right out and say something like: "This will be an 'old school' DnD campaign aimed at older players, using old school tropes. Younger and/or inexperienced players willing to embrace a more OSR experience are welcome, but SJW's, the thin-skinned, and easily offended won't find this campaign to their liking." 

Too heavy handed and brutally honest for the modern world, or not? These days I hesitate even trying to put a table together with strangers.

Advertise as follows.....
Wanted: Players for an old school 2E AD&D Campaign, set in the old school AD&D Greyhawk Setting.  This will be run in true old school fashion.  No crybabies allowed.  Leave your pacifiers and security blankets at home.  There will be No X Cards allowed.  Either run with the big dogs, or stay on the porch.
Let the Dice, Decide the Outcome.  Accept the Results.

GnomeWorks

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Re: Opinion on starting a new campaign
« Reply #9 on: January 13, 2022, 07:07:47 PM »
Advertise as follows.....
Wanted: Players for an old school 2E AD&D Campaign, set in the old school AD&D Greyhawk Setting.  This will be run in true old school fashion.  No crybabies allowed.  Leave your pacifiers and security blankets at home.  There will be No X Cards allowed.  Either run with the big dogs, or stay on the porch.

On reading this, my assumption would be that whoever posted it isn't a very pleasant person to talk to, regardless of whether they share my politics or not.

As others have pointed out: you can avoid the idiots and useless scum without being an overt ass about it. Yes, being blunt and offensive to the perpetually-offended is entertaining and at times cathartic, but advertising for folks for your elfgames is probably not the time or place for it.
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Wrath of God

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Re: Opinion on starting a new campaign
« Reply #10 on: January 13, 2022, 07:58:34 PM »
I think it's generally good to go full honest, unless you make advertisement on very leftist site. Alas you should do it in maybe more dyplomatic way.

Quote
SJWs don't actually play RPGs much, they much prefer to roam the Internet monitoring for Wrongthink. So an ad for an old school D&D game is very unlikely to attract any SJWs looking to play. But an ad with 'no SJWs' in it is a red rag to a bull.

Common RPGSite myth, utterly incompatible with my experience across multiple RPG sites and groups in both Polish and English-speaking web. I'm not saying they are good players.
But they play. Like I last read about 70% of trans people plays, insane statistics (though not that ridiculous when I think about it - as certain Polish gameshow host answered when asked why there's like 99% of men in his show and almost all ladies "I don't know why, but I have my suspicions").

Quote
n reading this, my assumption would be that whoever posted it isn't a very pleasant person to talk to, regardless of whether they share my politics or not.

As others have pointed out: you can avoid the idiots and useless scum without being an overt ass about it. Yes, being blunt and offensive to the perpetually-offended is entertaining and at times cathartic, but advertising for folks for your elfgames is probably not the time or place for it.

Yup.

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Darrin Kelley

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Re: Opinion on starting a new campaign
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2022, 08:19:05 PM »
Just don't let yourself be bullied. Run the game and style you want to run. You don't have to appeal to all comers. And saying so from the outset I find refreshing.

You be you.
 

RebelSky

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Re: Opinion on starting a new campaign
« Reply #12 on: January 14, 2022, 06:17:40 AM »
I think this part ... Looking to run an old school AD&D 2e game set in Greyhawk ... Will automatically dissuade any SJW personality from showing up. You really don't need to say more to cause them to avoid it. The 2e part alone will send them fleeing for safer 5e pastures.

FingerRod

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Re: Opinion on starting a new campaign
« Reply #13 on: January 14, 2022, 08:17:59 AM »
I think it's generally good to go full honest, unless you make advertisement on very leftist site. Alas you should do it in maybe more dyplomatic way.

Quote
SJWs don't actually play RPGs much, they much prefer to roam the Internet monitoring for Wrongthink. So an ad for an old school D&D game is very unlikely to attract any SJWs looking to play. But an ad with 'no SJWs' in it is a red rag to a bull.

Common RPGSite myth, utterly incompatible with my experience across multiple RPG sites and groups in both Polish and English-speaking web. I'm not saying they are good players.
But they play. Like I last read about 70% of trans people plays, insane statistics (though not that ridiculous when I think about it - as certain Polish gameshow host answered when asked why there's like 99% of men in his show and almost all ladies "I don't know why, but I have my suspicions").

Quote
n reading this, my assumption would be that whoever posted it isn't a very pleasant person to talk to, regardless of whether they share my politics or not.

As others have pointed out: you can avoid the idiots and useless scum without being an overt ass about it. Yes, being blunt and offensive to the perpetually-offended is entertaining and at times cathartic, but advertising for folks for your elfgames is probably not the time or place for it.

Yup.

Agreed on the being honest and diplomatic front. “2e Greyhawk campaign. No politics, no nonsense.” Probably gets OP most of the way there.

Would be curious about your experiences in gaming with tons of SJWs. I game with tons of liberals, even a few who dye their hair, but they are not SJWs. They are just liberal. On the other hand, I have seen tons of vocal SJWs on Reddit (less around around here) who do and say things that suggest they have no real experience actually playing the game.

tenbones

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Re: Opinion on starting a new campaign
« Reply #14 on: January 14, 2022, 10:31:23 AM »

Keep the phrasing positive. Omit the bolded part , it would deter a bunch of regular people as well as the ones you are trying to deter. Don't say 'you won't like this', but you can say stuff like 'old school tropes', '1970s style D&D' etc. You can eg include a summary of your house rules if you like.

This right here.

As someone of your vintage and having gone through this a bit recently, emphasize that you're running things old-school. Most SJW's will avoid that on its face.

That said - you're going to get younger players that are interested, but they're going to have "modern" sensibilities. Expect Snowflake character concepts, expect possibly pro-noun gender requests for their PC's (easily handled), expect total shock at the potential lethality old-school gaming.

The key is making sure you put forward that your setting is going to be played contextually realistic to the setting. This means it's not a reflection on you, or anyone else. This is the world as it is. So if they wanna play a Half-Orc Barbarian and you're starting in Furyondy, well give them a little in-game history to explain why Half-orcs are not well liked. Same goes with any other weird choice (relative to your starting point), just make sure you properly contextualize what you are willing to do for them - but don't hold anything back. And if you don't think they can pull it off - do not allow it in the game.

I also think you shouldn't say you're aiming for an older audience. Seriously - it's up to us older players to prove to newcomers the value of "old school gaming" rather than pontificating about it on forums like we already do. Bring them new players up. Teach them The Way.

I had a noob player I almost didn't accept into my crew - and he was floored by the experience. He had to drop out due to real-life circumstances after a few months - but he posted the most wonderful parting note to the Meet-up Community we were part of (and none of us realized it until a few weeks later) telling everyone about those experiences and how much fun it was. And for us - it was just gaming as we normally do.

It's going to take people like us to hand down the things we've learned in actual play. So throw your net wide.

« Last Edit: January 14, 2022, 10:34:34 AM by tenbones »