Sunday 29 January 2012

D&D and the Open Marriage

I think most gamers have a relationship with D&D that's similar to an open marriage. You're allowed to see all the other games you like, and you can even bring them home sometimes, but in the final analysis there's only one truly lasting love - and that's Dungeons and Dragons. The other games are fun, and they add a lot of spice to your life, but D&D is the only one that feels like home.

It's only by virtue of the fact that D&D is usually the gateway to the hobby, of course. And for people who came to role playing through other systems, I guess it doesn't apply. But I'd estimate it's true for 75% of gamers.

So I miss D&D when it's not around. I'm running a weekly Cyberpunk 2020 game at the moment and really enjoying it. But that hankering for hit points, THAC0, orcs and random encounter tables won't go away. In fact it's growing stronger. I'm not sure how much longer I can take it.

11 comments:

  1. Does that make us like Newt Gingrich going through all these editiosn to get the latest an hotest model? Ugh!

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  2. What if we play multiple editions? Does that put us in poly-open relationships?

    and if we play flailsnails with multiple editions all at the same table...

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  3. Yeppers. My gaming buddies indulged me for over 2 years on a Gamma World diversion... but D&D pulls me back in... (cue Sopranos guy imitating Godfather guy).

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  4. You remind me of why it's fun to be a bachelor. No ball and chain tying me down.

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  5. D&D is that girl everyone else either seems to adore or has some kind of history with, but who's just not my type.

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  6. The thing most people don't realize is that D&D is bi and is totally down for a 3 way with pretty much whatever.

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  7. i fel the same urge, but with the other fantasy rpg which was my gateway to the hobby, which is not D&D.
    So in fact this applies to everyone, one way or another.

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  8. I totally get this, but with Apocalypse World, which was my entry point to the hobby.

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  9. I don't agree. With a similar comparison I can see D&D as a "first love": for someone will be a marriage, for others it's only the first experience.

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  10. Kelvin Green and I would probably end up at the same bar or party looking for chicks.

    If I went to those kind of bars or parties.

    I need to get out more.

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