165: Indorktrination

[Altorin]

Congratulations on using one of the most awesome words ever invented.

So your wife was basically a thirsty Stranger in a Strange Land.

I had a similar experience with my girlfriend and WoW.

It brought back some memories when you described her inability to control the camera. I would play with my girlfriend, and we'd duel, but the only thing I would do is try and break line of sight by running around her, through her, jumping and bobbing and weaving, so we worked really hard on getting her to control her camera.

Now she's a hardcore raider who plays more then I do (in fact, I quit months ago, and she's still playing).

 

[SamLowry]

Hehe. Nice read! And I guess there is difference between "dungeon-crawling" vs. role-playing.
If you had made that evening an interactive drama, she could have been the queen (and for once I mean that in a positive way).
If I think back of the times I did the DM, I always tried to avoid senseless dice-rolling (I never got behind that - how was rolling dice for hours without end any fun? Where was the action in that? It was simply frustrating rule grind)
That's why one of our most basic rules was: we don't need no stinking dice rolling: If you (i.e. the player) can describe your actions properly and in a actor-like way (and basic logic doesn't defy it) and you really give your best in acting out your role, hell, why shouldn't it work?
You should have used your special knowledge of the likes and dislikes of all the people to appeal to their "needs" instead of forcing them into boring dice-rolling-land.
[It's funny how all adventures tend to start in bars... I mean, I'm from Germany... and it's just the same over here]
The thing I like most about (real) RPGs is the near-limitless freedom. Why take it away from them. People sense it if they run into invisible barriers (and computer games are, by design, full of them). Running nose upfront into such a barrier creates frustation; and frustration causes people to lose interest, because they don't feel like they can change anything in "your" DM-set-up world.
The most memorable evenings of D&D I created when I completely let things flow. I totally scrapped my initial plans and let the players go, where they wanted to go, throwing hurdles and stones in their way.....

Well, I guess I better stop writing, as there seems to be limited attention on these forums anyway and once I was asked if I had too much time on my hands... Maybe no one will read it anyway...

 

[savagei]

We all live the dream (with the exception of Usefulplayer1) of getting our ladies into the games. Never give up hope. Never surrender!

 

[Rankao]

I love the fact that going to church is something you can't do very well (not that I have anything against no going to church) But you just go sit there and look bored; However, I guess being bored is something most people don
t want to do.

 

[P1p3s]

nice article - i liked the perspective on this one. I've got to say I'm glad you do have some things in common with your wife tho, one of my best friends has a gf who has no gamining interest at all, I think she is going to get the shock of her life when she moves in with him in a few weeks, he's a level 80 tauren warrier, with 2 reserve characters!

 

[similar.squirrel]

I'd be inclined to agree with her on a few points, I'm afraid. This business of WoW being more of a lifestyle than a game rings true, and is the reason I avoid MMORPG. Same thing goes for D&D, with its several sourcebooks and preparation.
I'm afraid I find fantasy a bit juvenile, too. That could be a personal bias, though. I've always thought that sci-fi was more useful, on account of it being grounded in a kind of pseudo-reality as opposed to an archaic worldview relying mainly on outdated tropes and anachronistic viewpoints. Again, maybe that's just the inner fanboy rearing its foetid head.

 

[Verlander]

Just read this, great article. I'm British, and I've found that quite a few "normal" girls quite like the dorky guy, especially when they hit their twenties-something I try and tell the depressed teenagers on this site who just can't get ahead. It's creepy how similar your story was with my life and previous relationships. I love dorky girls, but I don't generally date them. They have all like WoW, mainly because they can create pretty characters. In fact, they never level up farther than 35-40, because they are too busy making new ones, or getting grumpy that the clothes change! Such a negative stereotype, but it's true!

I think the attraction lies within them finding a man who is genuine, nice, and doesn't feel the need to share other people's hobbies in order to be happy, something which can't be said for a lot of the casual-but-pretend-to-be-hardcore football (soccer) fans out there.

I'm kinda happy for you that you didn't fully convert her though. Sharing interests is great in a relationship, but having your own, separate space is essential, and now that she understands what it is that you do, you guys can remain happy, without contention over the time you spend in a darkened room rolling dice. Just stay away from E!