"How do we make RPGs more popular?"

[hafwit]

This topic shows up on pretty much all internet fora that deal with pen and paper gaming. I haven't found the solution, but I do feel like ranting a bit about the suggestions that usually get thrown out there

Comments

[stacy288]

You absolutely have it right. I have a nice cross section of the hobby being involved largely in another, model horses, and the biggest problem with the role playing hobby is that there is no effort what so ever to involve people that aren't already involved. In model horses I work with new hobbyists holding events all year long. I normally bring in 75-100 new people a year, just in my little area. Even outside of that, on internet forums people are welcoming and happy to have new people that are still learning about things. The role playing hobby was completely different from my experience, it was always a "big dick" contest to see who knew more and if you were "Geeky" enough to be included in whatever discussion was happening at the moment.

The role playing hobby has evolved so much into an insular, unfriendly, unwelcoming hobby as a whole that I haven't wanted anything to do with it in a long while. I enjoy hanging with my friends and many people that I've met through the hobby, but as a whole, it really is just about the worse hobby to get anyone involved in.

I can't begin to count the times I've tried to get someone involved in model horses, given the the name of a website to visit and a forum to join, or invited them to an event. RPGs? Never. I've never felt confident enough in the hobby to know that they wouldn't hurt their feelings for not being geeky enough or having a big enough E-Peen.

I will say that, while I know popular opinion is strongly against me, WoTC is doing everything completely right. I'm headed out tonight for DnD Encounters, one of the best ideas they have come up with. Whether it is to get older people back involved with small segments of a game in short periods (No big commitments, good for someone like me that works too much and can't fit a game into her schedule) or for newbies who just want to give it a try, its a great idea to offer a free, weekly game where you have all materials provided.

Beyond that they are going to great lengths to promote it. Their Facebook page provides good information as does their website and twitter. This weekend at PAX they had purchased the back cover of the program book just to promote DnD Encounters, they had events running consistently, and had a *GREAT* booth in the dealers hall doing 10 minute, almost LARP like, encounters that lasted 10 minutes. It was the perfect idea to be at a "Video Game" convention teaching people how to play their game. They also promote their introductory sets in mainstream bookstores which helps get people into it that might not before.

I also think that they hold a lot of stake with the Magic:TG crowd, they have a big customer base with them and could transfer them over to DnD easily, which I think the Encounters will help with, as well as Living Forgotten Realms. They really have the opening stake in the hobby and have been doing it really well.

The main issue is that many hobbyists are way too insular and are not welcoming. Many of "Us" have been shunned by peers that their is a superiority contest that is unspoken and many feel the need to defend themselves on a nearly consistent basis. Instead of embracing new players its much easier to make fun of them to inflate one's ego.

The other main issue is that there is such a stereotype to fight against with the "Basement Crew" creating a bad name for many. Showering is definitely the norm in the hobby as is having a job and taking care of one's self, but many people have only been exposed to the "Other" side of the hobby and not the one of which isn't so "creepy". For many women too there are a large number of socially inept men that come along with role playing, again, not all, but there are quite a few socially inept men which makes things a little awkward at times.

Wow I rambled, anyways, I know what you are talking about and its basically because we have no grass roots campaign in the role playing hobby to help new players feel welcome and to teach them about thing, and guide them through and be nicer as a whole :)

[hafwit]

Thanks for the input! :-) I think you're right about WotC, and I had had no idea that they've been that active. Great news, and something to learn from.

Do you think the the problem with rpgs as a hobby is one of attitude, or are there other things we could learn from the model horses crowd?