Vote: +1 for a mix.

Quote from: markfitz;902063I often think that it must be hard to be genuinely, devastatingly beautiful. A certain amount of attractiveness is a definite asset in life, including personal charm as well as looks, but at a certain point physical beauty must become a bit of a hindrance to normal interactions.

It is a hindrance, I dated a Vidal Sassoon model, very beautiful, and everywhere she went, there were annoying flirtations from guys.

Quote from: Teodrik;902089I have never played in any 50/50 group split between male and female gamer except at conventions. And judging from that limited experiance I would say that I have never seen an real benefits at those convention games than the convention games with only guys, and vice versa. But used play in groups with a least one girl and 3-4 guys. In my hometown most female gamers are hardcore larpers, and tabletop rpgs are more of a secondary interest, and dont like same stuff as I do, or the stuff that the girl in our group likes. So naturally she used to play with us than with SJW-Vampire-Larpers. I  would never invite people to a game because of : "Well we need more women in this group for diversity" or some other stupid crap like that.
If you are a guy or girl that have the same taste in tabletop rpg like me or the group I am playing in, I dont care about if you got dick or vagina, I happely play with anybody as long as they are not assholes. And yes, female gamers can also be disruptive assholes like males gamers. And not all girl gamers are much more socially adjusted than all male gamers. I have met some really weirdo female gamers that are the exact mirror image of that unwashed greasy-haired 'special' guy you really try to avoid starting a conversation with in local gaming store, who just wont shut up about their characters.

I like the phrase "SJW Vampire Larpers".

I'm also quite sure that the reason people like mixed groups isn't "for diversity". "We think it would make a better mix of players and potentially a bigger group" has nothing to do with diversity.

And lastly, I don't invite people to play because I think they'd like it. I invite them because they might want to play;). Whether they will like it, is up to them, and if they don't, they're advised not to join.

I'd love to have the luxury of picking and choose players based on criteria other than "wants to game and is willing to show up".

Quote from: Krimson;902121I'd love to have the luxury of picking and choose players based on criteria other than "wants to game and is willing to show up".

Quote for truth !

I can agree that having at least one woman on the table tends to change the table's dynamic, generaly in a good way.

One of my most fun RPG time was a CoC covention game were 2 young women played some desperate housewives in 1930' middle west USA, and it was glorious !

I'm not going to make a blanket statement that there are no differences between men and women, but as far as this specific question, as a GM there are no differences between men and women players. A person is either a fun person to game with, they "get it" as far as taking the game seriously without taking it seriously, and are creative and make interesting character choices, or they don't. Nothing in my experience has led me to believe any of these traits are primarily masculine or feminine. I've almost always had mixed groups, but I wouldn't seek them out or say they are superior (they aren't). As far as gaming goes, people is people.

Actually, Tristam, according to my personal experience, the average woman player is far more apt to play a woman PC than the average man player.

Quote from: markfitz;902075I wonder how you can tell if a fruit fly is attractive? Wingspan? Featheriness of feelers?

You can tell they are attractive because you can see how many interested potential mates they are attracting. You don't have to be attracted to someone or something to notice how much attention they get from those who are.

Quote from: markfitz;902063I often think that it must be hard to be genuinely, devastatingly beautiful. A certain amount of attractiveness is a definite asset in life, including personal charm as well as looks, but at a certain point physical beauty must become a bit of a hindrance to normal interactions.

I know from experience that it cuts both ways. Being a very attractive guy is nice when you want attention. It makes it easy to get service in restaurants, bars, or hotels because the food service and hospitality industries are heavily staffed by people who are attracted to good looking guys. I never have to wave or shout to get a server's attention when I want something because they're usually waiting for me to make eye contact. Air travel in Asia is really easy because the receptionists are always young women who always seem nice enough to call me over to the business/first class check in counter for help when I'm waiting in the economy class line.

On the other hand, it's hard to have a quiet moment alone as an anonymous customer. When I go to a coffee shop, I like to just sit quietly and read something while i enjoy my coffee and scone. I feel like I'm forced to be rude when waitresses try to chat and flirt with me and I need to brush them off so I can have some alone time.

Overall, it's definitely a net positive, but there are downsides. The downsides are probably a bit more pronounced for attractive women because men are much more aggressive about showing their attraction and a bit more clueless about giving up when their target isn't interested. When women try to make excuses to touch me (feeling my arm or rubbing my shoulders or pressing her chest up against mine "to see how tall" I am, etc.), it's not physically threatening because they're almost always smaller than me. An attractive woman would probably be a bit more freaked out by guys grabbing them.

Didnt we have this discussion about 3-4 months ago?

Gender is irrelevant. Ability to play well and not be a problem is what is important.

(This being said while in a group where I am outnumbered 3 to 1. :eek:)

Quote from: Omega;902163Gender is irrelevant. Ability to play well and not be a problem is what is important.

Totally indifferent to the gender, age, racial or religious etc mix as long as they're friendly and cooperative. In my experience in scores of games at a dozen conventions in the past six years, the latter is what matters to me.

Quote from: yabaziou;902154Actually, Tristam, according to my personal experience, the average woman player is far more apt to play a woman PC than the average man player.

Fair enough.

Quote from: Teodrik;902089SJW-Vampire-Larpers

*brrr* :eek:

Quote from: Teodrik;902089And not all girl gamers are much more socially adjusted than all male gamers...

I've had the female equivalent of the extreme*-right-wing knife-wielding (in US would be gun-wielding) Survivalist type in my group - she was 'interesting'... nice legs though.

*She was German, liked Hayek, which was ok, so do I. She also seemed to think the Third Reich had been unfairly maligned - not so ok - and objected to my Sven Hassel books on that basis. She liked the positive portrayal of the Waffen-SS in Assault Battalion Wotan, though.

Quote from: AsenRG;902110I'm also quite sure that the reason people like mixed groups isn't "for diversity". "We think it would make a better mix of players and potentially a bigger group" has nothing to do with diversity.

Diversity - I get a fair number of east-Asian and south-Asian players (one of my current campaigns was initially 50% east-Asian, until a player left) but I've never given any thought to balancing a group by race - or by age, social class, sexual orientation* etc. I wonder if anyone has; it seems like something SJWs might talk about in the abstract maybe.

*Playing in London, I have had all sorts, including groups consisting mostly of cute bisexual girls... And yes they play D&D exactly like everyone else... It was fun going to see Gloryhammer & Blind Guardian with one on each side of me.