One of the biggest problems that roleplaying games have is the image that they are something that a bunch of antisocial nerdy guys play in a basement or a back room (because we don't really have basements in Australia), away from prying eyes and sunlight. I don't think it should be like that at all.
The Basement Problem
There's a reason for playing tabletop roleplaying games in basements and back rooms. It's quieter there, there's more space usually, there are fewer distractions and in turn, our yelling will distract fewer people. But, this also makes it seem like a far more exclusive activity than it is.
I have many fond memories of sitting around with a group of friends, cloistered away from the world, immersed in another and having a blast. But, playing in these tucked away spaces doesn't expose new people to the hobby as well as it could.
I have many fond memories of sitting around with a group of friends, cloistered away from the world, immersed in another and having a blast. But, playing in these tucked away spaces doesn't expose new people to the hobby as well as it could.
The Guy Problem
I've been rather lucky in that there has been at least one woman in two-thirds of the games that I have played or run. But, when it has been at least one woman, it has usually been only one woman.
There aren't any problems with having an all-male roleplaying group, except when most roleplaying groups become all-male. This, again, feeds back into the insular nature that can be developed by such groups, preventing more people from engaging with the medium.
Also, having more women, children, people of different age groups means that you have a much greater diversity of experience to draw from as a game master. How an older person or a woman would respond to a situation is more than likely going to be different from how a man between the ages of 18 - 35. This just helps make your stories more interesting and engaging.
There aren't any problems with having an all-male roleplaying group, except when most roleplaying groups become all-male. This, again, feeds back into the insular nature that can be developed by such groups, preventing more people from engaging with the medium.
Also, having more women, children, people of different age groups means that you have a much greater diversity of experience to draw from as a game master. How an older person or a woman would respond to a situation is more than likely going to be different from how a man between the ages of 18 - 35. This just helps make your stories more interesting and engaging.
The Antisocial Problem
Not only do lots of people think roleplaying games are just for guys sitting around in a basement, but those guys have no social life. When a social life is defined by going out for drinks, probably getting drunk, on a Saturday night at the local pub or club, then it certainly seems that way.
But, roleplaying is a quintessentially social experience, where players need to work together to overcome an obstacle and progress the story. Quite unlike many of the antisocial behaviours our Australian binge-drinking culture promotes, tabletop roleplaying games promote acceptance, empathy and collaboration, as well as conflict resolution, when players or their characters don't agree.
These characteristics in players and people should be applauded because they make people more open to new experiences and less likely to resort to violence when faced with situations that threaten their worldview. Which is a far better outcome than the horrible hangover you get from a night of drowning yourself in booze.
But, roleplaying is a quintessentially social experience, where players need to work together to overcome an obstacle and progress the story. Quite unlike many of the antisocial behaviours our Australian binge-drinking culture promotes, tabletop roleplaying games promote acceptance, empathy and collaboration, as well as conflict resolution, when players or their characters don't agree.
These characteristics in players and people should be applauded because they make people more open to new experiences and less likely to resort to violence when faced with situations that threaten their worldview. Which is a far better outcome than the horrible hangover you get from a night of drowning yourself in booze.
The Nerdy Problem
Tabletop roleplaying games are also seen as part of the realm of nerds and geeks, strongly linked with being antisocial, people who can only interact through fantasy worlds, but not through the reality around them.
This can certainly seem the case when people are rolling dice, looking at archaic character sheets and trawling through tables to determine the impact of their action, but that all depends on the kind of roleplaying game that people play. There are just as many, if not more, roleplaying games with simple rules and the goal of telling interesting stories.
And yet, roleplaying games are no less nerdy than other similar pursuits, such as fantasy football leagues, with both requiring players to manage a limited set of resources to achieve a desired outcome while doing their best to mitigate the impact of chance on that outcome.
Imagine if we could apply that same kind of thinking to real world problems?
This can certainly seem the case when people are rolling dice, looking at archaic character sheets and trawling through tables to determine the impact of their action, but that all depends on the kind of roleplaying game that people play. There are just as many, if not more, roleplaying games with simple rules and the goal of telling interesting stories.
And yet, roleplaying games are no less nerdy than other similar pursuits, such as fantasy football leagues, with both requiring players to manage a limited set of resources to achieve a desired outcome while doing their best to mitigate the impact of chance on that outcome.
Imagine if we could apply that same kind of thinking to real world problems?
The Sunlit Solution
The sunlit solution is to make roleplaying games more visible in the simplest possible way, take it outside. Now, this doesn't mean you have to play in a park, but heading somewhere that other people can see you happily engaging in your hobby would be great!
Go to a local eatery, or a pub and have some quiet drinks, or even better somewhere outdoors, where people can stop and have a watch of you play while they're out on a stroll.
This may be uncomfortable for some people, especially with leaving the safer, cloistered space and entering one where you don't know how you will be treated or viewed by those around you. But, that shouldn't stop us.
Most people will see it as a novelty and move on. Some will stop and watch and some of them might even ask you a question or two about the game. Only the smallest and least important cohort of all those who see you playing will sneer and make rude comments, so they can feel important.
The more people we can get into the hobby, the better it will become for all of us.
Go to a local eatery, or a pub and have some quiet drinks, or even better somewhere outdoors, where people can stop and have a watch of you play while they're out on a stroll.
This may be uncomfortable for some people, especially with leaving the safer, cloistered space and entering one where you don't know how you will be treated or viewed by those around you. But, that shouldn't stop us.
Most people will see it as a novelty and move on. Some will stop and watch and some of them might even ask you a question or two about the game. Only the smallest and least important cohort of all those who see you playing will sneer and make rude comments, so they can feel important.
The more people we can get into the hobby, the better it will become for all of us.
Pop-UP Roleplaying in Perth
With International Free RPG Day coming up on June 18th, I think it would be a great time to run a pop-up roleplaying event, where anyone can drop into try out a session of roleplaying.
Somewhere in the city will be pretty nice to run this. Maybe at the library. I'll get in touch and keep you guys in the loop.
Somewhere in the city will be pretty nice to run this. Maybe at the library. I'll get in touch and keep you guys in the loop.
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