Just a fun Hobby?
It's a hobby with a significant social aspect. You can get lasting friendships out of many things. I happen to have several that have been formed and nurtured via gaming.
It's the hobby I spend the most non-essential free time on. But in terms of life priorities its pretty far down the list. I don't identify with gaming, for example. I'm not a "gamer". I'm a guy who enjoys playing AD&D.
It's definitely my main social outlet. Even if I end up spending more time boozing than GMing, as yesterday. :o Dam you, Rosie's Pig (https://www.westons-cider.co.uk/ciders/)!
Oh, a beautiful Italian woman at the game yesterday told me a director she knows wants our group in a documentary about D&D. To show how it's 'not just for nerds anymore' (perish the thought!). I think I said yes, but I was a bit too inebriated to be sure...
It's an escape mechanism, for me. I don't want it to be like everyday life.
Gosh, I'd say it's a pretty big part of my life, even during the times I'm not actively gaming. I'm always looking for new, interesting systems and settings. I currently visit 2 different RPG themed forums(using a feed reader as an aid). I've been a pretty regular member of the #randomworlds since ~2000(well before the recent name change, and even back to the short time that it was officially associated with "the hated place"). Also I go to Dragon Con almost every year, and the first thing I check on is the tabletop RPG games that are available and get in some of them. I did the same the one time I went to Gen Con, of course. And even at this little convention that's primarily about local authors in the Salt Lake City area called ConDuit, I found the gaming area and signed up for stuff. And partially thanks to the structure of Powered by the Apocalypse games, I've taken my first forays into being a GM in recent years after over 20 years in the hobby.
Can it be both? A fun hobby that has been a significant and important part of my life?
It was a big part of my life in my teens and 20s particularly, although it petered off in my 20s a fair bit as I got into other things.
After that, on and off over the years. It was a good social outlet off, a fun hobby to stretch the mind and keep it active, meet like minded people etc.
I'm not so engaged in it these days (over the last year I suppose). I have other interests that occupy my mind and the effort vs reward has become less so, whereas other hobbies and interests get me out more and gives me a chance to experience different things.
So yeah, it HAS been a big part of my life in as far as hobbies go, but not so much now.
I still chat and socialise with friends who play RPGs.
Quote from: EOTB;1106819It's the hobby I spend the most non-essential free time on. But in terms of life priorities its pretty far down the list. I don't identify with gaming, for example. I'm not a "gamer". I'm a guy who enjoys playing AD&D.
Same here. One of my favorite hobbies, but ultimately a low priority.
its one of the few things left in life that I find remotely enjoyable.
My priorities are simple.
1) Having fun with Girlfriend & Cat
2) Making Money
3) Gaming & Writing
4) Watching Movies & Standup
5) Wanking about politics
6) Reading (I really, really need to switch up 5 & 6)
Gaming (of all kinds) is my high priority hobby for me because of my writing. Without the writing / creating component, just playing games would drop to about the same priority as watching movies. Although I love movies, I don't enjoy movie forums like I enjoy gaming forums so as for online.
Quote from: VincentTakeda;1106889its one of the few things left in life that I find remotely enjoyable.
I can elaborate on that subject myself. It's sad that so many hobbies I previously enjoyed, are in my rear view mirror now.
As hobbies go, I think for me running/playing RPGs is #2, second only to #1 posting about RPGs on the Internet. :D
A distant #3 would be painting miniatures, or alcoholic beverages if that counts. I'm a fan of malt whiskies, real ale and traditional cider. There have been times when political discussion would count, too. I don't watch TV, but I do watch a lot of Youtube (especially RPG related, some political, and HEMA stuff), and seeing Marvel movies with my son is something I do when they come out.
Yes.
Tabletop RPGs rarely bore me, either in the playing/GMing or in the creating of stuff for them. Socially, they are more engrossing than a lot of other activities I've tried. They have been a part of my life for over 38 years.
Damn, I'm old.:D
Not nearly as important as it used to be. Merely in the top 5 of my leisure activities, but it was no.1 for many years so there's lots of good memories, not so good memories, and nostalgia.
Gaming is something I still enjoy very much, however don't have as much time to actually sit down and play as I used to. It is still important recreation though, for example, on a recent business trip to Houston, my Traveller big black book went with me, along with a few supplements, and on the plane, and during downtime at the hotel, I was working on writing new adventures.
It's my favorite leisure activity and a big part of who I am, but I wish I had more time to game. Between the job, wife, two young kids and trying not to let my physical vehicle completely fall apart, I don't have much free-time. Hanging around here is a nice way to get a TTRPG "fix".
Quote from: Razor 007;1106815Just a fun Hobby?
Just a fun hobby, for me. Probably my #2 hobby. I don't consider myself a "gamer" as a lifestyle kind of thing.
"Gamer" is a huge part of my personal identity.
For TTRPGs specifically, I didn't actually get to play with a group till my 20s, but I've been reading the books since I was a kid. I've been playing various games as a primary hobby since I was 7 or so. Much of my spare time is spent thinking about games: game play, game design, what makes games fun, what makes games not fun, what makes games have artistic and gameplay integrity, what I want to play next, what I want to play again, etc.
I've mostly focused on my career, effort-wise, but "gamer" inspires me a lot more strongly, underpins many of my friendships, and is where my brain goes any time it has some cycles free.
What a silly question. SILLY!
Quote from: insubordinate polyhedral;1107225is where my brain goes any time it has some cycles free.
Pretty much same here. Exactly what I process depends on whatever is currently what I consider The Hotness - recently it changed from Aliens to Fallout: Wasteland Warfare. But if I have a few minutes, gaming of some sort is what I think about.
Gonna say both. It's "just" a fun hobby, but the goal ultimately is to have fun.
It's my big hobby. I've gotten to know the founder of D&D, and many of the other people who had to do with that, I've gotten to know lots of the classic artists, I've learned history about the company TSR, I've written things, am writing things for the game, I've journeyed across the country to meet up so yeah I'd say it's pretty significant. It's my chief hobby, as I say.
Quote from: S'mon;1106986A distant #3 would be painting miniatures, or alcoholic beverages if that counts. I'm a fan of malt whiskies, real ale and traditional cider.
A) Tell us about painting alcoholic beverages!
B) Is traditional cider dry or sweet? And what separates traditional cider from modern cider?
Quote from: tenbones;1107234What a silly question. SILLY!
Because it proposes gaming could be merely a hobby instead of a kensai-like devotion to the true meaning for life?
Yeah, that was silly! :)
Quote from: Spinachcat;1107329B) Is traditional cider dry or sweet? And what separates traditional cider from modern cider?
Sweetness varies, but generally pretty sweet. It's never carbonated and it's usually cloudy, so it goes down very easily & easy to drink too much!
One of a few hobbies I still stay busy with. Done work with lots of RPG designers because of my other hobbies.