What does that say about me, I wonder? I haven't done a role playing game in about a decade. I haven't seriously been involved in the true gamer world for almost two decades. However, my husband and I still have much of our old RPG paraphernalia.
By the way, when I say "true gamer world" I am referring to people who play REAL games not electronic ones. Yes, my husband and son play electronic games now. However, the electronic gaming realm is not full of true gamers, in my opinion. REAL games typically involve interaction with other people. REAL games can be role playing games, board, box, or card games. Afficianados of such games used to be called 'geeks' long before computer wonks usurped the term. People who were truly obsessed with the games, and who would go on and on about them to anyone who couldn't run away fast enough, were called 'goobers'. True gamers are a community-oriented bunch. You can't play most REAL games without other people, after all.
While some electronic games are multiplayer, and some are even massively mulltiplayer, the interaction between players is not the same. In online multiplayer games, you don't really get to know the real people who are playing. The interaction between players is all about the game. In the face-to-face REAL game world, people get to know one another. They may even discuss their real lives with their gamer friends.
Maybe that's why I've never become hugely involved in electronic games. I guess that I actually like interacting with people. I dabble a bit here and there, mostly with quick shot online games (Cybernations, Its Your Turn, and Kingdom of Loathing) and the occasional toying with word, puzzle, or card games on my PC. I am thrilled to hear that face-to-face RPG's still have a market. It gives me hope that intelligent people still want to interact with each other.
Slashdot, usually gives a synopsis of someone else's longer story. If you are a closet game geek, and are curious about the changes in the upcoming edition of Dungeons & Dragons, feel free to check out the longer piece at Jonathan Drain's D20 Source
1 comment:
Guess my "old" third edition stuff is obsolete, now. ;-) I still have all my even older stuff as well, much tp my wife's chagrin. She never understood the benefits of gaming.
I still have some of the cooler board games like Settlers of Cataan, Puerto Rico, and Tikal. Perhaps when Maya and Josh are older, I'll nab them.
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