Stumbling in the Dark

Bring a Light!

As my infrequent attention to this blog can attest, I recently have found my interest in our tabletop gaming hobby at a nadir of sorts. In all probability this is a personal transition thing peculiar to myself alone, but with the possibility that others may be feeling the same malaise that I do, I will pursue sharing of my thoughts on the present somewhat troubling matter of our collective hobby future.

From where I sit and ponder, it appears that the TTRPG hobby in America has become divided against itself. The debate between fans of the Most Popular FRP game and the so-called "old school" players (some of whom enjoy the current version of said game) are an obvious example, but even among the divisions there are divisions. Old school gamers (such as myself) don't always agree on what constitutes an "old school" game! If I ask ten gamers what they think roleplaying is, I will likely get at least ten different answers. And if we dare discuss what the game SHOULD be, the discussion is likely to become heated.

One need not look far afield on the internet to see evidence of this trend. Venture into the friendly local game store and I am likely to encounter something less than friendly as the division plays out in real time. The art of "getting along with others" seems to be in steep decline.

Division within the tabletop gaming hobby is not a completely new phenomenon. I can recall during the early days of our hobby when the then new "fantasy games" started to invade gaming spaces previously devoted exclusively to historical themes. And yes, there were heated opinions expressed about that. It made for some unpleasantness at times and the fantasy folk were sometimes rudely treated, but believe it or not, those were more polite times and the rancor had its limits. I am starting to think that we may be returning to the days when gamers were a rare breed and we were on the look-out for anyone who might share our interests. 

I am also starting to wonder if the halcyon days of my little hobby interest being a part of the wider popular culture may be over. It is increasingly difficult finding like-minded gamers who readily embrace the games I would like to play and I am increasingly uninterested in playing the most popular game. The idea of returning to the Underground as part of a niche hobby is something I find ever more appealing.

All is not darkness, however.

Regardless of your FRP preference, there is light on the horizon. The corporate giant is marketing (and miss-stepping) in anticipation of the next big version of their IP/Brand/Lifestyle product dropping from the digital either sometime next year. The current popularity of the hobby and the proliferation of its points of entry made possible through a combination of  the easy accessibility of desktop publishing and the marketplace provided by various digital vendors and independent game producers has all meant there is no shortage of great "alternative" products from which to choose if "popularity" is not your idea of everything. 

I particularly look forward to what our hobby may soon produce including the revised versions of several favorite games scheduled to release later this year. Pathfinder 2, Swords & Wizardry, and Basic Fantasy are all undergoing revisions in light of the threat to the OGL and together with new FRP products like Shadowdark, I remain excited for our dungeon delving future. 

The onus is really on us as gamers to get along. We all need to step up our personal friendliness game and become the change we want to see. Maybe that means trying a little harder to tolerate our differences. Maybe it means agreeing to disagree, and much like the historical gamers and the fantasy gamers of the 1970s, we go our separate ways to our mutual satisfaction. A shared space is not always the right answer. Fences can make good neighbors.

I am starting to think that perhaps I am fine going back to a time when I am constantly vigilant for signs that I may be speaking to someone with whom I have a shared interest, and who may possibly be a like-minded (future) gamer. Sometimes we appreciate the things that require a little more effort.