RPG-SanDiego.org Forums

Atlas Games posted a bunch of general rpg player questions so I thought they would be fun to answer here. Instead of posting them all at once I thought I'd spread this out for a few weeks. So, here are the first five questions. Reply and answer them.

REVERB GAMERS 2012, #1: What was your first roleplaying experience? Who introduced you to it?
How did that introduction shape the gamer you've become?

REVERB GAMERS 2012, #2: What is it about gaming that you enjoy the most? Why do you game? Is
it the adrenaline rush, the social aspect, or something else?

REVERB GAMERS 2012, #3: What kind of gamer are you? Rules Lawyer, Munchkin/Power Gamer,
Lurker, Storyteller/Method Actor, or something else? (Search "types of gamer" for more ideas!) How
does this affect the kinds of games you play? For example, maybe you prefer crunchy rules-heavy
systems to more theatrical rules-light ones.

REVERB GAMERS 2012, #4: Are you a "closet gamer?" Have you ever hidden the fact that you're a
gamer from your co-workers, friends, family, or significant other? Why or why not? How did they react
if they found out?

REVERB GAMERS 2012, #5: Have you ever introduced a child to gaming, or played a game with a
young person? How is gaming with kids different than gaming with adults?

cczernia wrote:REVERB GAMERS 2012, #1: What was your first roleplaying experience? Who introduced you to it? How did that introduction shape the gamer you've become?

My first rpg experience was with AD&D when I was 15. I didn't understand the rules or really what was going on. I showed up mostly to hang out and eat cheetos. There was no magic. It wasn't until a year later while living in the DC area that a friend twisted my arm to play Top Secret SI. It was just to the two of us playing, GM and player and as a result a lot of the story focused on my character. This has shaped ever since and made me always want to shape the story around the characters.

cczernia wrote:REVERB GAMERS 2012, #2: What is it about gaming that you enjoy the most? Why do you game? Is it the adrenaline rush, the social aspect, or something else?

Mostly the social aspect. I love hanging with friends but also meeting new people through rpgs. My favorite part of roleplaying itself is when two PCs get into some kind of conflict that doesn't end in finality (death or pure hate).

cczernia wrote:REVERB GAMERS 2012, #3: What kind of gamer are you? Rules Lawyer, Munchkin/Power Gamer, Lurker, Storyteller/Method Actor, or something else? (Search "types of gamer" for more ideas!) How
does this affect the kinds of games you play? For example, maybe you prefer crunchy rules-heavy
systems to more theatrical rules-light ones.

I guess I'm a storyteller/actor gamer. I like playing out my character or NPCs over other aspects of the game. I mostly interested in the characters themselves even more than the story.

cczernia wrote:REVERB GAMERS 2012, #4: Are you a "closet gamer?" Have you ever hidden the fact that you're a gamer from your co-workers, friends, family, or significant other? Why or why not? How did they react if they found out?

For the most part no. I am not a closet gamer and frequently read gaming books in Starbucks and other public places. I have gaming posters and nic-nacs on my desk. I also don't try and bring it up around non-gamers.

The only time I can think of when I purposefully kept it a secret was on my dating profile on Yahoo Personals. I didn't tell my now wife that I was a gamer until the 3rd or 4th date

cczernia wrote:REVERB GAMERS 2012, #5: Have you ever introduced a child to gaming, or played a game with a young person? How is gaming with kids different than gaming with adults?

If teens count than yes. I run a teen D&D program for kids 13-19 but I have taught as young as 8. I love gaming with kids and find they can pick up the game just as quickly as an adult. The main difference is I try to keep things PG-13 and have to act more like the person in charge than the average DM.

cczernia wrote: REVERB GAMERS 2012, #1: What was your first roleplaying experience? Who introduced you to it?
How did that introduction shape the gamer you've become?

Actual paper and pen was when I made up my own game in elementary/junior high because I did not have money to buy the books and the kids that were playing kinda gave me the cold shoulder. I eventually had someone that played my game for a bit in art class invited me to play Tomb of Horrors (AD&D). Seth was the DM. My female paladin got teleported naked back to town. I was in love with the game. Eventually I saved my money up working for my Dad over the summer as a graphic artist and finally bought the books.

cczernia wrote: REVERB GAMERS 2012, #2: What is it about gaming that you enjoy the most? Why do you game? Is
it the adrenaline rush, the social aspect, or something else??

Lately it is for the social aspect but over time it had been different. I remember initially it was because I got to use my imagination with folks and have some mechanic to dish out results. Being a little kid playing pretend of our favorite shows or movies was my favorite game and is how me and my bro used to hang out. He would be Han Solo and I would get to be a Stormtrooper. In Star Trek I was always Sulu...thank GOD!...and not a red shirt or klingon or Romulan or whatever was the bad alien. So when RPG's came around I was like 'This ROCKS.'
Some where in the middle it was understanding human decision making and group dynamics.

cczernia wrote: REVERB GAMERS 2012, #3: What kind of gamer are you? Rules Lawyer, Munchkin/Power Gamer,
Lurker, Storyteller/Method Actor, or something else? (Search "types of gamer" for more ideas!) How
does this affect the kinds of games you play? For example, maybe you prefer crunchy rules-heavy
systems to more theatrical rules-light ones.?

Imagination based...engine mechanics are great but if it does not supports my imagination of the events then WTF?!

cczernia wrote: REVERB GAMERS 2012, #4: Are you a "closet gamer?" Have you ever hidden the fact that you're a
gamer from your co-workers, friends, family, or significant other? Why or why not? How did they react
if they found out??

Closet gamer...yeah thats me. Actually closet everything because I don't like to talk about me unless it is relevant. It's kind of a occupational hazard because I'm usually more concerned about who I'm helping and my issues don't need to be on their work table. Now saying that I have been in dire situations where it was VERY relevant that I let some one know that I'm a gamer and done RPG as part of my work.
The reaction was great from most people I know. My wife thought it was cool and she tried to hook me up with her childhood friends when we would go to LA. Now in the same breath I can get consumed by it like its crack and sometimes it would take up too much of my time or it was the only thing I would talk about which does not help with having good intepersonal relationships.

cczernia wrote: REVERB GAMERS 2012, #5: Have you ever introduced a child to gaming, or played a game with a young person? How is gaming with kids different than gaming with adults?

Yes...kids go with the flow better than adults