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The Golden Age of RPGs is 12

Started by 1989, November 20, 2013, 11:44:02 AM

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1989

November 20, 2013, 11:44:02 AM
Back when I was a youth, I could more easily suspend disbelief and enter into, and enjoy, "living" in a fantasy world. Now, decades later, having lost innocence and seen/experienced the tragedies/suffering of this world, I am not so easily able to lose myself in a fantasy world . . . because the fantasy world has all the same problems and suffering of this world.

So, over time, I've shifted to looking at RPGs as more of a fun game, and not thinking so deeply about the worlds as I did before, and not trying to enter into them so deeply. I don't like this, but that's how it seems to go for me.

Anyone else have similar thoughts, or totally different ones?

Exploderwizard

#1
November 20, 2013, 11:48:33 AM
No one can recapture the lost innocence of youth.

That said, the way I see it, now that I am older and have more worries and responsibilities in this world, the more precious and treasured is the time I have to escape to a fantasy world.

Gaming time is thus more satisfying now than it was back then.
Quote from: JonWakeGamers, as a whole, are much like primitive cavemen when confronted with a new game. Rather than \'oh, neat, what\'s this do?\', the reaction is to decide if it\'s a sex hole, then hit it with a rock.

Quote from: Old Geezer;724252At some point it seems like D&D is going to disappear up its own ass.

Quote from: Kyle Aaron;766997In the randomness of the dice lies the seed for the great oak of creativity and fun. The great virtue of the dice is that they come without boxed text.

Omega

#2
November 20, 2013, 11:50:11 AM
I might be somewhat the opposite. Early on I was not so immersive as it were a RPGer. But over time and as I had to literally wash a co-worker off factory walls. (just blood she stood up accidentally into an industrial ceiling fan.) I got more appreciative and skilled at delving into characters, living the world as it were when a player.

TristramEvans

#3
November 20, 2013, 11:56:21 AM
Your Banality score is too high now, need to find a Freehold and increase your Glamour rating :D

The Traveller

#5
November 20, 2013, 12:24:27 PM
Do most children embrace their imaginations more readily than most adults? Sure. Does that mean adults can't experience the same sense of awe and wonder? Of course not. All it means is some adults need to learn to...

...let go...
"These children are playing with dark and dangerous powers!"
"What else are you meant to do with dark and dangerous powers?"
A concise overview of GNS theory.
Quote from: that muppet vince baker on RPGsIf you care about character arcs or any, any, any lit 101 stuff, I\'d choose a different game.

Mistwell

#6
November 20, 2013, 01:14:57 PM
Quote from: 1989;710164Back when I was a youth, I could more easily suspend disbelief and enter into, and enjoy, "living" in a fantasy world. Now, decades later, having lost innocence and seen/experienced the tragedies/suffering of this world, I am not so easily able to lose myself in a fantasy world . . . because the fantasy world has all the same problems and suffering of this world.

So, over time, I've shifted to looking at RPGs as more of a fun game, and not thinking so deeply about the worlds as I did before, and not trying to enter into them so deeply. I don't like this, but that's how it seems to go for me.

Anyone else have similar thoughts, or totally different ones?

Yes, I am with you man.  I feel like my creative writing has taken a dive as I've gotten older.  Part of that was lawschool, where they beat creativity out of you a bit, but part of it is as you say, simply age.

I've also found that having a child is bringing it back out in me.  Seeing my daughter marvel at new things, helps me marvel at new things as well.  

5th edition is helping me a bit as well.  It's a return to a more 1e/2e/B/X feel of a game, and it's been so long for me since I've played that sort of game that it's definitely sparking my gaming imagination.  But as you play 2e, I don't know if it can have the same effect for you.

Endless Flight

#7
November 20, 2013, 02:41:26 PM
It's not just the golden age for RPGs...

I also have a hard time enjoying comic books like I did when I was younger, because I know how shitty Marvel and DC editorial are nowadays.

therealjcm

#8
November 20, 2013, 03:12:10 PM
"What we see depends mainly on what we look for."

The years give us too many expectations, if you can step outside that you can react to the world with that same sense of newness. Easier said than done though, booze helps - sometimes. :D

Opaopajr

#9
November 20, 2013, 03:41:20 PM Last Edit: November 20, 2013, 03:45:53 PM by Opaopajr
Quote from: TristramEvans;710175Your Banality score is too high now, need to find a Freehold and increase your Glamour rating :D

Yay, Changeling! The original glitter monsters. Take that Twilight!

edit: Oh, and I don't find this much of a problem at all. I'm sure bedlam is only a hop, skip, and a jump away, if I want it.
:p
Just make your fuckin\' guy and roll the dice, you pricks. Focus on what\'s interesting, not what gives you the biggest randomly generated virtual penis.  -- J Arcane
 
You know, people keep comparing non-TSR D&D to deck-building in Magic: the Gathering. But maybe it\'s more like Katamari Damacy. You keep sticking shit on your characters until they are big enough to be a star.
-- talysman

Mistwell

#10
November 20, 2013, 04:01:15 PM
Quote from: Endless Flight;710249It's not just the golden age for RPGs...

I also have a hard time enjoying comic books like I did when I was younger, because I know how shitty Marvel and DC editorial are nowadays.

There are a lot of old comics still left to buy :)

Shipyard Locked

#11
November 20, 2013, 04:11:45 PM
Quote from: Mistwell;710270There are a lot of old comics still left to buy :)

And thus we become frozen in generational amber, protected from future disappointment, but also stripped of relevance and growth through risk.

Personally I'm going to try and beat my brain's desire for that as long as I can, for better or worse. Doing ok so far.

mcbobbo

#12
November 20, 2013, 04:17:48 PM
For better or worse, my mind hasn't changed all that much since childhood.  I have more software but the OS and hardware are fundamentally unchanged.

Now I will say that I am much less able to handle stress (due to load from my life) and put up with less of it in my hobbies.  So there is a degree of "less fun" based on that.  Until I win the lotto anyway.
"It is the mark of an [intelligent] mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

The Traveller

#13
November 20, 2013, 04:19:35 PM
Quote from: mcbobbo;710280Now I will say that I am much less able to handle stress (due to load from my life) and put up with less of it in my hobbies.  So there is a degree of "less fun" based on that.  Until I win the lotto anyway.
Winning the lotto won't help. Being less and less willing to swallow bullshit is a feature of advancing years, not a bug.
"These children are playing with dark and dangerous powers!"
"What else are you meant to do with dark and dangerous powers?"
A concise overview of GNS theory.
Quote from: that muppet vince baker on RPGsIf you care about character arcs or any, any, any lit 101 stuff, I\'d choose a different game.

Kaiu Keiichi

#14
November 20, 2013, 04:28:39 PM
I am now having a better time than I did when I first started gaming, because I am wise and patient enough to know how to spend my time better and to engage with people I know won't be a waste of my time, and have better social skills so as to be a more enjoyable gamer to be around myself. There is less time, sure, but knowing more and having more experience means that I can fight my battles better and get the most bang for my time-buck. Also, in terms of output, the RPG hobby is sizzling with great stuff. I'm having a great time with awesome things to come.
Rules and design matter
The players are in charge
Simulation is narrative
Storygames are RPGs
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