Quote from: RPGPundit;755229The real point here wasn't to shame anyone, just to analyze exactly how many people here are current and active gamers.  I have a theory that there's a larger proportion of actual gamers here than on other forums.

You're deluding yourself then.

Quote from: Bunch;756251Yeah I'm not giving mad respect to anyone who prioritizes the Jets vs the Packers or bridge or D&D over their kids first soccer game.  What you call commitment I call lame.

What, you mean the baby can't get it's own milk, or change it's own soggy diaper?!? Next you'll tell me I shouldn't throw it in the oven, either!

:rolleyes:

I don't think anyone's advocating ditching the wife or kids to do gaming. That's pretty lame.

But some of us have worked out a consistent system that allows us to game regularly (weekly, in my case). It's a commitment we've worked out. Some people, like flyerfan1991 for example, have commitments that make that nigh-impossible. I'm not going to say he's "a non-gamer", but he isn't as active as others. I don't think he's "less of a man" (in fact, I think his priorities are commendable) because he doesn't game as much as me. But I think it's accurate to say he's not as active. Two years ago, he would have been more active than me; I had a year I didn't play after moving to New Mexico.

Quote from: jibbajibba;756216do you think there is a degree of spousal approval here?

I mean poker night, football night, baseball games are all more generally socially acceptable than "playing elves with your geeky friends" so if you have to cancel something the more political thing is elf night?

I definitely get that impression - spouses are more willing to lean on players than they would be for other group social activities such as bowling, team sports, even poker maybe. Players - and sometimes even GMs - often don't prioritise it the way they would other group-dependent social activities, where the absence of one player has a deleterious effect on the group. The weirdest thing to me is when they don't even prioritise it as highly as passive, non-group-dependent activities like going to the cinema. At that point I wonder why they signed up to play; but as GM these days I mostly try to accommodate 'occasional' players when possible - it's a lot easier in some systems (AD&D) than others (4e D&D), though. I did recently boot a player who missed two of her first three sessions.

Quote from: Novastar;756341What, you mean the baby can't get it's own milk, or change it's own soggy diaper?!? Next you'll tell me I shouldn't throw it in the oven, either!

Yup, I missed a year when my son was born. I guess if I had had a decent-sized family, three or four kids, that could have been three or four years of no gaming, or Internet-only gaming, which would have sucked (but would have been worth it later, of course). And from what I see a lot of gamers here in London either have no children, or drop out when their first child is born, or (like me) only have one child and schedule games so their spouse is minding the critter on game nights. Low gamer fertility is definitely an issue when it comes to breeding the next generation.

Quote from: S'mon;756478I definitely get that impression - spouses are more willing to lean on players than they would be for other group social activities such as bowling, team sports, even poker maybe.

Haha, my wife is more likely to be angry if I schedule games at times she can't play.

Quote from: S'mon;756480Yup, I missed a year when my son was born. I guess if I had had a decent-sized family, three or four kids, that could have been three or four years of no gaming, or Internet-only gaming, which would have sucked (but would have been worth it later, of course). And from what I see a lot of gamers here in London either have no children, or drop out when their first child is born, or (like me) only have one child and schedule games so their spouse is minding the critter on game nights. Low gamer fertility is definitely an issue when it comes to breeding the next generation. :)

Yeah I'm on kid two about to try for number three.  So pretty much I've either had a vomiting moody pregnant wife or a newborn for three years and probably at least two more years.   Almost all the gaming I do is internet based and highly interrupt prone.  I'm doing my damndest to find an afternoon game.

My gamers are all pretty reliable; but then, reliability is something I select for.

Quote from: Emperor Norton;756508Haha, my wife is more likely to be angry if I schedule games at times she can't play.

QFT

Due to kids we were hosting games at our place, but to be honest, it was just too much hassle dealing with kids and trying to game. We even tried playing with other gamers with families at their place, but if our two kids are a hassle during the game, adding in 4 others was almost insane.  One of our additional hassles is we can't hire just any babysitter due to one of our kids having "special needs."  So we each now get a night off to game or do whatever individually.

Quote from: Brander;757232QFT

Due to kids we were hosting games at our place, but to be honest, it was just too much hassle dealing with kids and trying to game. We even tried playing with other gamers with families at their place, but if our two kids are a hassle during the game, adding in 4 others was almost insane.  One of our additional hassles is we can't hire just any babysitter due to one of our kids having "special needs."  So we each now get a night off to game or do whatever individually.

Yeah each person's child situation is different but gaming with mine so far has been borderline impossible. That and my wife's pregnancyare just horrible for her so it's not an option to just say you take an evening all by yourself.   I so look forward to preschool.

I never found kids as distracting as the wife.

My kid is 9 now when she was 1-4 she woudl be in bed by 7pm my mates show up at 7:30 after storytime. No kid issue.

Now she is 9 she walks in on Sunday and her and her mates poke fun as the geeky nerds for a while. Last sesisona s no one else was about she sat and advised the players. "Since you have turned into a dragon why not just bite him in half rather than trying to be clever"

Never really been an issue.

Wife has be come immune and demands for attention have been replaced with painting eggs or sitting on teh balcony and skyping her mates.

One thing you should all try though is staff. Makes like a lot easier when you have staff

Staff? Like a butler or maid?!?

So if I game once a month, does that mean Im not a gamer for any few hours difference between one session & the next?

I took up game and campaign design as a hobby... All my table time is play testing stuff. Does that count as gaming, or is that something different?

Quote from: Scott Anderson;757851I took up game and campaign design as a hobby... All my table time is play testing stuff. Does that count as gaming, or is that something different?

Playtesting is work. By creating game stuff instead of playing with it, that makes you a non-gamer, and we all know that gaming stuff designed by non-gamers is rubbish.

Basically, you're the cancer killing gaming. I hope you're pleased with yourself. Insert random terms of abuse here. Etcetera.

Quote from: TristramEvansSo if I game once a month, does that mean Im not a gamer for any few hours difference between one session & the next?

It does indeed, but on the other hand, that means your GM can say they bring back a lapsed gamer EVERY MONTH, and that's good for like seven forum points.

Quote from: Marleycat;757841Staff? Like a butler or maid?!?

I read that and thought "he has GOT to be joking."