Okay, this is kinda hella cool: 70-Year-Olds Play D&D for the First Time (and Love it)

Now I want to find a nursing home somewhere and get a Edge game started up!

A friend of mine shared that on Facebook. The author's grandparents are about the same age as my parents... grumble, grumble ... and my folks read sci-fi & fantasy fiction, so I could see it. My own grandparents were a generation earlier, and I don't think that would ever have worked.

Still, it's a rare opportunity and everyone seems to be having a great time. May their dice always roll 20s!

That's really cool- somewhat similar but I was 23 when I spent the summer with my grandmother in Florida- her and her gang would come over and play poker almost on a daily basis. I learned a lot from those game sessions!

It would be really cool to see the difference between players at that age level and the traditional gamer group. I'm willing to bet they are more patient and probably have some incredibly creative solutions to some gaming quandaries. I also bet because they are patient, they are a little better on role playing.

Thanks for sharing.

It's something I've pondered as a fun activity for retirement when there will be plenty of time and it helps to keep the old brain active. Better than vegging in front of the TV!

Good story!

I hope that when I'm at that stage of old fart, I'll still have the perspicacity to roleplay.

I hope that when I'm at that stage of old fart, I'll still have the perspicacity to roleplay.

I’m already 50. I don’t need to be reminded of how close I am to that stage…. ;(

;(

I hope that when I'm at that stage of old fart, I'll still have the perspicacity to roleplay.

I’m already 50. I don’t need to be reminded of how close I am to that stage…. ;(

I'm not far behind Age is a state of mind, not a state of being.... however, when we're old & senile it won't matter, as we won't have a clue anyway

Each of the four RPG campaigns that I run is run for only 3 months out of the year. When we go back into a given campaign after a 9 month hiatus, the first couple of hours of the first session is always a little rough because nobody remembers what the heck was going on.

And so I think I kinda have a little preview of what my group is going to be like all the time in another 25 or so years.

however, when we're old & senile it won't matter, as we won't have a clue anyway

Hey, prep gets a lot easier if you can run the same session over and over again.

I'm demonized for suggesting mental illness as a plot point, while this thread blithely pokes at dementia. Whatever.

I'm demonized for suggesting mental illness as a plot point, while this thread blithely pokes at dementia. Whatever.

It’s not so much the condition, but who it’s happening to. At least, who it’s happening to is at least half of the picture, if not more.

If I want to complain about my own age, and seeing where my Dad is at 72 and not looking forward to doing downhill like that, that’s one thing.

If you wanted to talk about a character being old and senile and use that as a plot point, that would be a much more sensitive subject.

Likewise, if I suffered from MPD and was complaining about all the other voices in my head, that would be one thing. But you would be likely to be in much hotter water if you wanted to talk about using MPD as a plot point for characters in a story.

Likewise, if I suffered from MPD and was complaining about all the other voices in my head, that would be one thing. But you would be likely to be in much hotter water if you wanted to talk about using MPD as a plot point for characters in a story.

<FriendlyPedanticCorrection>

For future reference, It's not longer referred to as Multiple Personality Disorder . In 1992 the diagnosis was changed to Dissociative Identity Disorder as part of the release of the DSM-IV.

My friends who are multiples get a little miffed when people still refer to it as MPD.

</FriendlyPedanticCorrection>

I hope that when I'm at that stage of old fart, I'll still have the perspicacity to roleplay.

I’m already 50. I don’t need to be reminded of how close I am to that stage…. ;(

Pfft, what a youngling you are

My friends and I joke about looking forward to the old folks home where we get to role-play every day...

I hope that when I'm at that stage of old fart, I'll still have the perspicacity to roleplay.

I’m already 50. I don’t need to be reminded of how close I am to that stage…. ;(

I hope I'll be that curmudgeon having wheelchair races in the old folks home. In between RPG sessions, of course.

For future reference, It's not longer referred to as Multiple Personality Disorder . In 1992 the diagnosis was changed to Dissociative Identity Disorder as part of the release of the DSM-IV.

Ahh, much appreciated. I will try to remember that. Thanks!

I'm demonized for suggesting mental illness as a plot point, while this thread blithely pokes at dementia. Whatever.

That's me making light of it, which is strange because it's in my family and will likely become part of my life. However, if I've demonized you for using mental illness as a plot point, I apologize. I think that's an excellent plot point. Guess I missed that thread?

But you would be likely to be in much hotter water if you wanted to talk about using MPD as a plot point for characters in a story.

I don't understand this sentiment. It's okay to play a bloodthirsty murderer whose power grows only through killing progressively more dangerous creatures, as long as you're not portraying a radically different thought process than what everyone else thinks is normal?

I don't understand this sentiment. It's okay to play a bloodthirsty murderer whose power grows only through killing progressively more dangerous creatures, as long as you're not portraying a radically different thought process than what everyone else thinks is normal?

This is one of those things where if the story cuts too close to certain real-world issues, you can get into serious trouble. More importantly, if a powerless victim is the target of these close-to-home real-world negative methods, that can really upset the apple cart.

So, if you want to make all your slaves black/african-american humans, you can expect to have problems.

If you want to have soldiers who use r*pe as a weapon of war, you can expect to have problems.

If you want to use the example of criminals who capture a woman, then tie her up and repeatedly beat her and assault her sexually, you can expect to have problems.

If you want to explain the way the mind of a certain criminal works because he has D.I.D., then you can expect to have problems.

So long as you don’t hit too close to home, it’s easier to maintain that willing suspension of disbelief, and then you can allow yourself to enjoy the story.

But when you do hit too close to home, that yanks you right out of the game and ruins any ability you might have had to enjoy playing.

This is compounded by at least one or two orders of magnitude if the issue in question is projected as the GM or PCs being in positions of power and doing these things to others.

If you want to be a punk rocker and use pictures of BDSM on the cover of your album, then make sure that you’re the one being tied up, whipped, and abused. If you are the band and you show yourselves being the ones perpetrating these crimes on someone else, that’s a problem.

Anything that can keep one's mind engaged and thinking can be helpful even into old age, but can't really protect against physical ailments (like Alzheimer's Disease).

So, keep playing and being engaged socially and try to expand your group to include others. It will help you when you do find yourself in the old folk's home, even if just visiting relatives

Two friends played in a game where neither one could be present every week, so they traded off playing one PC, and as I understand it everyone enjoyed the inconsistent behavior between "personalities" represented by the two players.

What works in one game doesn't work for all. Therefore, if, let's say I have a plot idea someone here feels is too personal for them, then wouldn't it be better for them to abstain commenting? I say yes.

Wasn't a NPC in BtR described as being paranoid? Yes. That NPC's paranoia explained the reason for his reticence to cooperate with the PCs, rather than just because he was a contrary pr!ck. Why then would DID not be just as valid a challenge for a PC? It would, IF the player agrees to or suggests the idea.

I don't understand this sentiment. It's okay to play a bloodthirsty murderer whose power grows only through killing progressively more dangerous creatures, as long as you're not portraying a radically different thought process than what everyone else thinks is normal?

This is one of those things where if the story cuts too close to certain real-world issues, you can get into serious trouble. More importantly, if a powerless victim is the target of these close-to-home real-world negative methods, that can really upset the apple cart.

Well, clearly, but wouldn't discretion rule the day? In any of your examples?

I don't understand this sentiment. It's okay to play a bloodthirsty murderer whose power grows only through killing progressively more dangerous creatures, as long as you're not portraying a radically different thought process than what everyone else thinks is normal?

This is one of those things where if the story cuts too close to certain real-world issues, you can get into serious trouble. More importantly, if a powerless victim is the target of these close-to-home real-world negative methods, that can really upset the apple cart.

Well, clearly, but wouldn't discretion rule the day? In any of your examples?

My point exactly.

This is one of those things where if the story cuts too close to certain real-world issues, you can get into serious trouble. More importantly, if a powerless victim is the target of these close-to-home real-world negative methods, that can really upset the apple cart.

Well, clearly, but wouldn't discretion rule the day? In any of your examples?

Yes, it should. But as we have seen clearly demonstrated on this forum many times before, discretion is not something that some people have in abundance.

Therefore, this is a case where I would recommend avoiding certain topics entirely.

I could put in a caveat that if you can demonstrate that you have the discretion necessary to handle them with the sensitivity that is required, then you would be okay.

But as we have seen, those that do not have the discretion to handle the situation properly usually also don’t have the self-awareness to know that they do not have that discretion.