Me: "Is anyone interested in real tabletop RPGs, dice and all, and in person? I am really into things like...."



Them: "Oooh, yes I love the idea of an RPG, personally I'm totally into things like...."

On the bright side, they make it plain that you wouldn't want them at your table without wasting any more of your time. Still pretty crappy but a small silver lining nonetheless.

I run into similar things with Traveller, but I have an advantage. If I turn up the volume on the science, engineering, economics, politics, and problem solving during the game the tourists tend to wander away from the table because it isn't Star Trek/Star Wars enough for them.

Well, I'd rather play Sailor Moon instead of renfaire furry porn, I guess.

Probably didn't get the memo that #SailorMoon was cancelled over 'problematic content'.

Quote from: Brad on July 10, 2024, 10:11:20 PMinstead of renfaire furry porn, I guess.

I guess you are not a fan of 5e then?

I've noted a definite generational divide on anime influence.

Back when I was in college, anime could really only be found via the anime club who had some VHS tapes of subbed shows and you'd watch 2-3 episodes a week and maybe get through a couple of series in a semester. Manga style art was only just starting to be an influence on the newer Marvel/DC artists, and actual manga were something you had to order from a catalogue and good luck finding ones translated to English.

Like the OP, my vision of fantasy settings is more in line with his first piece of art; perhaps filtered with some mid-to-late 90's comics elements and maybe some video game bits from Zelda, Ultima, Shining Force, or Final Fantasies of the time layered on top. The Chronicles of Prydain were probably a bigger influence on me than Tolkien (and Palladium Fantasy more than D&D), but otherwise not too out of line with my generation.

Recent campaigns I've been in though have included players in their teens up through maybe 30... basically coming of age with the anime/manga and streaming explosions. Their visions are nearly entirely of anime influences that have taken over their media. Most of them are too young to have even seen LotR in theatres and their fantasy movies are the MCU and Disney Star Wars (at best it's the Clone Wars and follow on cartoons... elsewise their references are to Mando/Asohka). At best their first RPG experience was late D&D3e, but more typically 5e is the only thing they've played before (one started on 4E, but I get along with him).

Of those influences, at least for now (Blackrock just got controlling interest in one the major producers in Japan), the anime/manga influences are probably the least toxic of what they've been consuming.

I watched Record of Lodoss War. It's an adaptation of the showrunner's D&D campaign.

Thanks for your thoughts folks. I'm not really "going after" anyone here. it's more a rant about when you finally find a group that seems interested in RPGs, and then realize that people have completely different tastes and interests, so it seems impossible to find a setting that everyone would find interesting.

Quote from: Trond on July 11, 2024, 08:53:18 AMThanks for your thoughts folks. I'm not really "going after" anyone here. it's more a rant about when you finally find a group that seems interested in RPGs, and then realize that people have completely different tastes and interests, so it seems impossible to find a setting that everyone would find interesting.

I feel ya.  My long-running group has two players that are far more interested in character than they are mechanics.  Two others are interested in mechanical optimizing and tactical play.  The rest just go with the flow.  It's hard to scratch all of the itches at once.  Too tactical, and my optimizers shine while the rest look like henchmen.  Too much roleplaying, and I can see optimizer eyes glazing.  Setting incongruity isn't the only hurdle to match up players and games...

Years ago, one of the kids at my store wanted to play a Sailor Moon campaign.  Someone asked why I went along with it and I said, he's a really good customer.  He said, "and a really good friend I hope." to which I responded, "I wouldn't do it for a friend." 

So, I made Shiruki the annoying little sister who gets super speed by drinking energy drinks, talks at a million miles and hour and likes to run behind villains and pull their pants down.

Personally I think that's a pretty on tone anime trope but apparently it's a game killing character.

The campaigns I prefer are humanocentric. But I am old school. I started with BECMI and AD&D 1st edition. So the crazy amount of races are completely jarring to me.

It took me literal decades before I played my first Elf. And that was way out of my wheelhouse.

Quote from: David Johansen on July 11, 2024, 10:02:45 AMYears ago, one of the kids at my store wanted to play a Sailor Moon campaign.  Someone asked why I went along with it and I said, he's a really good customer.  He said, "and a really good friend I hope." to which I responded, "I wouldn't do it for a friend." 

So, I made Shiruki the annoying little sister who gets super speed by drinking energy drinks, talks at a million miles and hour and likes to run behind villains and pull their pants down.

Personally I think that's a pretty on tone anime trope but apparently it's a game killing character.

Oh? I would have thought so too. What was perceived as being wrong with this character?

Quote from: Eirikrautha on July 11, 2024, 09:23:07 AM

Quote from: Trond on July 11, 2024, 08:53:18 AMThanks for your thoughts folks. I'm not really "going after" anyone here. it's more a rant about when you finally find a group that seems interested in RPGs, and then realize that people have completely different tastes and interests, so it seems impossible to find a setting that everyone would find interesting.

I feel ya.  My long-running group has two players that are far more interested in character than they are mechanics.  Two others are interested in mechanical optimizing and tactical play.  The rest just go with the flow.  It's hard to scratch all of the itches at once.  Too tactical, and my optimizers shine while the rest look like henchmen.  Too much roleplaying, and I can see optimizer eyes glazing.  Setting incongruity isn't the only hurdle to match up players and games...

And that has been a problem with me ever since the silver age of D&D. Our trick as DMs is to find spots so that everyone can shine during a session, whether it's players who want to role-play or the players who love the tactical planning and wargame aspects. As an adult, I've been in groups that have successfully balanced both, because for the most part we were mature enough to let everyone have a chance to shine. If it wasn't our character's time, then that was when we get a drink or snack, take a potty break, take a smoke break, or otherwise converse without distracting the rest of the group.

I'd have to say though that I've experienced a few special little snowflakes that had to hog the spotlight or use the game as testing ground for their deviant behaviors that they would otherwise not have been brave enough to explore in the real world. My true pet peeve were those immature twats that couldn't let others have the spotlight for just a bit. Those are a cancer that needs to excised from every gaming group. I wish they should just create their own special support group for narcissistic, emo, socially retarded cunts instead of infecting the hobby. I'm not playing so, 'you can find yourself.' This is supposed to be a game, not fucking role-play therapy. It was not the settings or background that caused the most conflict, it was the players who were in the game for entirely incompatible reasons.

I can deal with people from a different generation. I've built a mini D&D campaign that included Yu-Gi-Oh and Naruto tropes to placate the players, even though I had no idea what those were. I had to study to make sure I got the feel right. But that was me being flexible.

Luckily over the years, the real adults I've had the privilege to game with--you know, the ones who can function outside of the land of make believe--have been able to purge and expel these social retards for the toxins and poisons they are. If only I'd had this wisdom during my adolescence, our games would have been much more enjoyable. Maybe I would have pushed them more towards Vampire instead of trying to keep these dysfunctional groups together.

I can agree with Trond here. What I tried to run in a fantasy campaign was more Conan the Barbarian via Howard. What I got was anime furries galore. This was with a Primeval Thule 5E game.

Switched to Savage Worlds Adventure Edition. They were okay with the rules change (SWADE seems easier to grok than 5E for new players). Still furries, though.

So back to Shadowrun. They like the world lore but are confused with the rules. That's okay so am I half the time with Sixth World.

An old player rejoined the group. He started with SR3 and is trying to convince the group to play a game of that. Lol.

But at least no furries...

If you don't mention Changelings, anyway!