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RPGnet Columns
01-10-2003, 10:58 AM
Post originally by adam at 2003-01-10 09:58:22
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My own experience with rpgs matches the first couple of rows on your chart but I have to disagree with the assements you make of teenage gamers. When I was thirteen, I picked up Vampire 1st ed. and was both repulsed and compelled by the contents therein. I ran a campaign for about two years with my buddies that went pretty much how you'd expect. I played one nasty, vain, and megalomaniac villian after another and my players gleefully killed every one from Prince to Justicar to Archbishop to the Devil itself. After that, I ran Mage for the rest of high school and reached even greater hights of power gaming and pretention. One of my characters ended up becoming a god.

Forget the "personal identity" or "peer relationship" crap, we were fulfilling our power fantisies on a scale that most adults would find repugnant. I don't think I could stand to be a storyteller or a player in a game like that today. Adults can certainly run great games for kids but teenagers tend to want to do their own thing and I think it's best to allow them to do so.

-Adam

RPGnet Columns
01-10-2003, 04:16 PM
Post originally by Bystander at 2003-01-10 15:16:34
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In contrast, I've found that teenagers are perfectly capable of playing in and running games that are in no way a powertrip. This isn't to say that they won't be interested in powergaming, but that they can roleplay aswell or better than many adult role-players and that they need not be restricted to fulfulling "power fantisies".

Speaking from personal experience, admittedly when I started playing it was with dungeoncrawls (Basic DnD, Oh yeah!) but once I started playing with some slighty older friends my powergaming tendencies were dramatically curbed.

In another example, a friend of mine (age 15, "quests" stage) has expressed interest in running Puppetland, possibly the least powertrip-esque game ever.

I guessthis could be summed up as- don't believe adam, he's spreading anti-young-gamer propaganda ;). Alternativly, give these younger gamers a chance to improve.