How old are we?
- Thread starter Spenser
- Start date
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Unless we're popping anagathtics.
Spenser
Mongoose
I want very much for that to be true. The more I see data that Traveller gamers are aging, I wonder more about longevity. "It's always been popular" or "I know lots of young people who play" aren't as persuasive as data might be.
But I know this isn't in any way rigorous "research." Mostly I'm interested in how Traveller fans on this board will clump, and how those trends compare to what I've seen with Traveller fans in other places.
But I know this isn't in any way rigorous "research." Mostly I'm interested in how Traveller fans on this board will clump, and how those trends compare to what I've seen with Traveller fans in other places.
Nathan Brazil
Banded Mongoose
Some of your names seem all familiar....
:lol:
:lol:
Might I point out part of the skew in such a census taking is the prevalence of free time at different ages. 20 and 30 year-olds are generally pretty busy, the amount of free time generally increases as one approaches Middle-age. Then statistically speaking we are a small sample set of people who are interested in Traveller.
Gimgamgoo
Mongoose
Is it also showing the age of forum users. Those of us that learned to communicate online with things like Usenet still gravitate towards forums. I wonder how this same survey would do in a facebook group.
Actually, will pen and paper RPGs have a trend to miss a decade or two? Those that are around at its birth play it. The next lot to play it are the children of that generation.
Actually, will pen and paper RPGs have a trend to miss a decade or two? Those that are around at its birth play it. The next lot to play it are the children of that generation.
Spenser
Mongoose
In the Facebook Traveller group with the same question the distribution is close to identical, albeit with more votes.
Relevant - in 2016 ComScore research said 20-34 yr olds were using FB for 2.5 times more minutes a week than the next nearest competing social media app, SnapChat. Soooooo it's not that kids aren't on FB, They're probably just not in the Traveller group in any appreciable number.
Relevant - in 2016 ComScore research said 20-34 yr olds were using FB for 2.5 times more minutes a week than the next nearest competing social media app, SnapChat. Soooooo it's not that kids aren't on FB, They're probably just not in the Traveller group in any appreciable number.
-Daniel-
Emperor Mongoose
My son has rejected pen and paper and has made his preference for PS4 games such as Destiny. He just does not care about the dice rolling or the tons of background that seems to be more like homework that game.
I do nto think it is because the younger are more busy, I work 45 to 50 hours a week, deal with two kids and their activities, and try to maintain some sort of relationship with my wife. I think it is that the younger kids have other options and enjoy them. Traveller just doe snot have what those other options offer. :|
I do nto think it is because the younger are more busy, I work 45 to 50 hours a week, deal with two kids and their activities, and try to maintain some sort of relationship with my wife. I think it is that the younger kids have other options and enjoy them. Traveller just doe snot have what those other options offer. :|
Jak Nazryth
Mongoose
If the Traveller Universe is to survive, it may be in the form of an MMORG or complex RPG/strategy game like Stellaris, EVE on line, or similar type of game. The owners of the Traveller brand will need to be flexible and aggressive to bring in new fans. You could even integrate the traditional table top game experience with an interactive universe where many Traveller gaming groups can interact, but it a virtual setting. It's a lot to ask for, but not out of the realm of possibilities.
My small group of players are around 6-8 and some of them never even heard of Traveller until I brought it up about 6 weeks ago. And many of these guys have been gaming since the late 80's... and never had heard of it before. Traveller is simply one of those rare gems that we all love, but is very obscure and maintains a small niche in the rest of the gaming world.
My small group of players are around 6-8 and some of them never even heard of Traveller until I brought it up about 6 weeks ago. And many of these guys have been gaming since the late 80's... and never had heard of it before. Traveller is simply one of those rare gems that we all love, but is very obscure and maintains a small niche in the rest of the gaming world.
Reynard
Emperor Mongoose
Traveller was the DnD of Scifi since the beginning and lots of games have come and went trying to take its title which means people have preferred the RPG enough to keep it alive. The same kids not playing Traveller are also not playing DnD. Turning it into a digital game seldom works and just becomes formulaic and repetitive and soon forgotten.
As to the new generation not playing non-digital games, that's the new world of eye-candy, short attention span, unimaginative and socially incompetent behavior bred today. Same kind of kids who don't know what daylight is from staying inside or staring exclusively at a screen. Not the fault of an activity that promote healthy social behavior and mental stimulation. By the way, I've played console and PC games plus arcade games since the late 70s but it never stops me from preferring the company and interaction of others. You can have both. Maybe that's a dying phenomenon of my generation, we can socially multi-task.
If or when Traveller dies out, all physical gaming will die too and we'll be living in the world of Surrogates. Not pleasant.
As to the new generation not playing non-digital games, that's the new world of eye-candy, short attention span, unimaginative and socially incompetent behavior bred today. Same kind of kids who don't know what daylight is from staying inside or staring exclusively at a screen. Not the fault of an activity that promote healthy social behavior and mental stimulation. By the way, I've played console and PC games plus arcade games since the late 70s but it never stops me from preferring the company and interaction of others. You can have both. Maybe that's a dying phenomenon of my generation, we can socially multi-task.
If or when Traveller dies out, all physical gaming will die too and we'll be living in the world of Surrogates. Not pleasant.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
You use technology to supplement and enhance the tabletop experience, not replace it.
With Warhammer, it would certainly speed up gameplay.
With Warhammer, it would certainly speed up gameplay.
Jak Nazryth
Mongoose
Several guys in my gaming groups over the last few years (and I've heard similar from other people) have a dream of a digital gaming table. Basically a large LED TV turned face up or projected imaging on a backdrop.
What ever the translucent surface might be, it is tough enough and strong enough for people to lean on, place miniatures, terrain/building models, scuff resistance, etc...
In stead of a vinyl sheet with a grid or hex, it's all digital (you can still use grease or wet erase on the top surface) the GM can upload grids or hexes of any size, or nothing at all. Digital terrains, maps, caves, dungeons, streets, anything... and you can insert it at any scale from a view from orbit, down to 25/28 mm miniature scale, 15 mm scale, or what ever battle scale you want.
Best of all, you could link your group of people to other groups within a larger universe of gamers. Like the traveller universe. Using digital technology, your miniatures, or even digital miniatures, can interact with each other even half way across the world, wetting in a group around their own digital table.
Not sure how the technology would work, but that would one version of a way to integrate traditional table top gaming and MMORG style interaction.
What ever the translucent surface might be, it is tough enough and strong enough for people to lean on, place miniatures, terrain/building models, scuff resistance, etc...
In stead of a vinyl sheet with a grid or hex, it's all digital (you can still use grease or wet erase on the top surface) the GM can upload grids or hexes of any size, or nothing at all. Digital terrains, maps, caves, dungeons, streets, anything... and you can insert it at any scale from a view from orbit, down to 25/28 mm miniature scale, 15 mm scale, or what ever battle scale you want.
Best of all, you could link your group of people to other groups within a larger universe of gamers. Like the traveller universe. Using digital technology, your miniatures, or even digital miniatures, can interact with each other even half way across the world, wetting in a group around their own digital table.
Not sure how the technology would work, but that would one version of a way to integrate traditional table top gaming and MMORG style interaction.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
What's possible would be laser projection on mist for a three dee experience.
Or, everyone has a tablet, and the ongoing scenario is projected there, depending on the angle the player is holding the tablet at.
Or, everyone has a tablet, and the ongoing scenario is projected there, depending on the angle the player is holding the tablet at.
Can you link the other forums / groups that you saw the surveys at? I'd like to check them out and possibly join them. I would really like to work on getting MgT2 a much bigger following and revive the excitement I saw with the original version. I'm going to start by running some intro games at my local game stores, but word needs to spread faster/better than that.
On the technology front, I very much like the idea of a game table with a monitor in it, and have been thinking about that for a while. I converted a pool table to a game table, because the room I have it in is too narrow to use it as intended. I have a monitor & Chromebox on the wall for remote players, but I'd really like to mod the table with a big monitor too and lose the game mat.
I have also created spreadsheet based character gen and player sheets (that link back to a referee summary sheet as well), which makes the game very playable with tablets. All my other RPG games moved that way in the last year or so, and no one in those groups uses paper at all anymore. The new books are great, but in order to catch fire, there is a lot of work ahead and need to embrace a new way of playing.
On the technology front, I very much like the idea of a game table with a monitor in it, and have been thinking about that for a while. I converted a pool table to a game table, because the room I have it in is too narrow to use it as intended. I have a monitor & Chromebox on the wall for remote players, but I'd really like to mod the table with a big monitor too and lose the game mat.
I have also created spreadsheet based character gen and player sheets (that link back to a referee summary sheet as well), which makes the game very playable with tablets. All my other RPG games moved that way in the last year or so, and no one in those groups uses paper at all anymore. The new books are great, but in order to catch fire, there is a lot of work ahead and need to embrace a new way of playing.
Spenser
Mongoose
Can we link to other forums? I'm not sure, so I'll just provide references here.
Citizens of the Imperium board - search on "How Old Are We? II"
Facebook "Traveller-RPG" group - go to the group and search on "what is the average age in this group?"
The distributions are very similar. I haven't yet dug into the GURPS Traverller forum, but I have my suspicions.
Citizens of the Imperium board - search on "How Old Are We? II"
Facebook "Traveller-RPG" group - go to the group and search on "what is the average age in this group?"
The distributions are very similar. I haven't yet dug into the GURPS Traverller forum, but I have my suspicions.
