How Old Are We?

[Jame]

Amount of reading really depends on your economy, heritage and upbringing. Many children in my area don't read very often, although a large part of it is due to the low economy in my area - poor kids don't read, neither do their parents, many immigrants (poorer, which happen more here [it seems, anyway]) around here don't read either. So to me, literacy has a lot to do with how wealthy and educated one is.

We need to get poorer people interested in reading, and make sure that they have enough leisure time in which they could. Asimov and Weber could get books read if movies were made out of their work, but that might not happen.

 

[lord irial]

Originally posted by Jame:
poor kids don't read

I have to disagree with this one- we were dirt-poor for several years when I was a kid, and having no t.v. during that period, I read countless library books. Generally speaking, there is some truth to what you say, but as always, there are exceptions.

 

[Liam Devlin]

Originally posted by lord irial:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Jame:
poor kids don't read

I have to disagree with this one- we were dirt-poor for several years when I was a kid, and having no t.v. during that period, I read countless library books. Generally speaking, there is some truth to what you say, but as always, there are exceptions.</font>[/QUOTE]---------------------------------------------
I must concur with Lord Irial-there were five of us growin up, Da' in the Navy...books were better (and still are IMNSHO) than TV. heck, I'm still considered "poor", but my kids can out articulate/ debate their cousins of the CD-More stuff is better age.
And Library's are free!!!(just watch those ate fees tho!)

 

[kafka47]

Poor Kids, sure do read! But, it is the parents who not read to their children and plunk them down in front of the TV and increasingly, the Internet. This reproduces a culture of illiteracy,

 

[Liam Devlin]

Among other things...
I read LoTR to my little brother when he was 9 and I was 17. I read To my kids on occasion now, what with homework and all taking up some of their time. I haul my eldest & daughter to games, and watch her run circles around some of the gamers there, who finished high school!

 

[savage]

41.

Trash80? How about Commodore Pet with 8k of Ram. But don't have it or the Apple 2E or my 75 Chevy Nova.

My newphew (6) loves reading, cartoons ...and computer games.

Its the Graphics isn't it?

Why would Traveller be popular with young ones? Traveller has had several weak versions that were very hard to manage. Not quick GMing like a Shadowrun.
And with the surge in Magic, AD&D popularity its not suprising that CT couldn't hold its own.

Savage

 

[trader jim]

O me God...You got RID of your 75 Chevy Nova???....(all of a sudden gets REAL quiet)...

 

[James642]

Am I the only one that marked the 14-18 section?

 

[notagoodusername]

Originally posted by James642:
Am I the only one that marked the 14-18 section?

Looking at the results, yes. No pressure - but you and people your age are the future of Traveller, so get out there and recuirt recruit recruit James!

Oh, and... Hey TJ, feel old yet?

Shane

 

[grognardkc]

42 here

 

[trader jim]

just for the fun of it..sometime i wish i could get 6-7 players togather, all in their 40s and up!!!!....us "older" players possiably could start a real nice RIOT!!!....with a little luck...maybe get arrested!!!...what a BLOWOUT!!!
whatta great game!!....us old dudes gotta stick togather!!

 

[savage]

TJ this could be "space cowboys" Traveller style.

Those in their 20's are the future of traveller. T20 and Gurps will help to bring in more players. Especially if T20 starts showing up next to AD&D at the book stores. More automated tools for refs and better environment development will go a long ways.

Savage

 

[trader jim]

hi there...this is johnny Game Master...you all are in VIOLATION!!!! BIZZZAAAP....next group please!!!

 

[Jame]

I think kafka made my point - a poor kid is less likely to read, and parenting either increases or decreases the kid's chances of reading. This doesn't mean that all poor kids don't read, just is less likely. I tried to introduce a couple of friends to TNE several years ago, they weren't interested 'cause I showed them a book, and a huge one at that. Now that I think of it, a rich kid is only moderately more likely to read. Sorry, but I have to think about where the middle classes are in this.

If someone likes to read, eventually he/she might discover RPGs and from there might discover T20. Should this someone do so, I'll gladly give them welcome.

 

[BMonnery]

Originally posted by lord irial:
Odd to see no under-25s so far. Makes think it might be why Firefly was cancelled- too many of the young 'uns didn't get it.

26, but I was 25 when I joined!

Bryn

 

[Antares Administration]

43....

You know, it would be interesting to re-run this poll in, say, a year or so. Most of us are carryovers from CT/MT/etc., but a year from now, I wonder how much the distribution will change?

Paul Nemeth
AA

 

[Liam Devlin]

Originally posted by Antares Administration:
43....

You know, it would be interesting to re-run this poll in, say, a year or so. Most of us are carryovers from CT/MT/etc., but a year from now, I wonder how much the distribution will change?

Paul Nemeth AA

_______________________________________________

AN excellent observation, AA! we shall see!

 

[Jame]

I suspect that while there may be more under-25s, there won't be very many. This probably would be due to lack of availability, lack of visibility and supplement price. I may be wrong, but somehow that's what I see happening.

 

[BrennanHawkwood]

Almost 32 here...and someday I'll get someone to do more that state that Traveller sounds really cool...like actually play it with me!

 

[Lord Iron Wolf]

I happen to be one of the Gray Triad in this poll. 47 working on 48 and not an anagathic dealer in sight!

I have to agree on what's been said on reading. Without that mental exersize you're going to have a hard time visualizing any game beyond "Candyland."

One other thing which I have noticed and found disturbing is the lack of science fiction stories in bookstores. The mall stores: "B. Dalton/Walden's" SF sections seem to be shrinking and if you eliminate Fantasy, Media Tie In fiction and Reprints; you would be lucky if you could fill three shelves--let alone a section. I believe SF in general is in trouble. An ancillary thing like a RPG is going to suffer the same malaise.

With some of the SF I've read recently, I can see why. How many young readers can relate to a messed up loser winning pyrric victories over his/her oppressors. The heros are of the wrong sex/ethnic heritage for the readers to identify with and the whole book sounds like someone's political tract. (Political Correctness destroys free thought.) Worse yet the stories are often novellas in a three part, 500 pages a part trilogy that needs serious editing to make in to a good read.

I don't think it's Traveller or other SFRPG's that are in trouble, it is the whole Science Fiction Genre that is in trouble.

I'll hold my comments off on TV programs since I rarely watch TV. (Being a conservative, white male over 25, I do not like being insulted by proxy. If you don't get it watch a week's worth of TV shows and see who gets cast as the jerk, bigot or buffoon.)

(RANT OFF)

Right now I'm working on a Sword and Planet RPG. It's basically playing a group of heros in worlds inspired by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Lin Carter, Otis Alberth Kline and other writers of that tradition. Almost a hundred pages of text done and more coming. I'm aiming it towards gamers returning to gaming with a genre that has never been used.

Speaking of computers and the antique ones, right now this new one is refusing to recognize Word 2000 and I can't open any documents in it--and my Commodore Amiga 2000 is out in the shed!!! Time to get tech support or (Lord have Mercy )get ready to do mucho OCR scanning.

Lord Iron Wolf