Why Traveller is better than...

[siefertma2]

Originally posted by Aldan Romar:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Mark A. Siefert
What? Me become scornful of women when they choose hunky or well-off men over fat, geeky, lower income me? Why should I be cynical when I her women claim that all they want is guy with humor and sensitivity, then they end up with Mr. Six-Pack-Of-Abs-And-Seven-Figure-Salary? Why should I be afraid of taking social risks? It's not like it's a foregone conclusion that they're going to laugh in my face and/or reject me outright.

My dear Mr. Siefert,

I'm sorry to again read a message of yours which seems so - unhopeful (no insult intended). I can't help wondering, if you are aware of the fact, that people can change? (again no insult intended). I once was in a similar position (as far as I can grasp it - mentally, that is - again no insult intended). I then decided that looking at it, thinking about it would not change a thing. So I grabbed myself and made myself change. That wasn't as easy as it reads here, but given some time... (and an awful lot of Determination-Rolls ). So much for that, I think the 'Lone Star' is not the place...

But perhaps I'm missing the point.
Have a nice day,
Aldan Romar </font>[/QUOTE]Let me give you the long and short of it.

I never had a girlfriend until my third year of college. Back in high school I was at the bottom of the social pecking order so asking another of my female classmates for a date was not only unthinkable, but laughable. As a matter of fact, my very first date ever asked me out. This relationship latest about a year-and-a-half when the woman who had become the moon, sun, and stars to me decided that I no longer fit her critera for affection. After only one other failed attempt at a relationhip with another class mate that lasted two dates, I have not been with a woman in a social situation for 4 years.

I can't just "stop" thinking about it. It plagues me when I see my friends and co-workers with their SOs. If depresses me that every other woman I have asked has flat out rejected me. I've even gone as far to put out personal ads... none were ever answered (although the amount of ⌧-related spam certainly increased).

I think I've earned the right to be cynical when it comes to "love" (if such a thing really exits which I am seriouly begining to doubt) and relationships. I think have I can speak with authority about being the jilted social misfit and why people choose shack up with whom they do. I think I can be a little angry at a gender who has played me for a chump.

Or am I supposed to act like the last 10 years of my life never happened for political correctness sake?

 

[Alias]

Ouch, I symperthise but come on you can only brood for so long, the reason your cynical is because at heart your a romantic. Anyway the best thing to do is go out and enjoy yourself with friends maybe you'll meet someone.

And as for censorship I gotta back up Keklas Rekobah and my buddy WhiteStar it was meant in jest not as a Psych Paper on the Male Gamer. So just smile everyone!

 

[Jame]

I'm in much the same position as Mark, but I've never been out on a date, much less really asked. So don't tell me not to be mad/sad/whatever unless you want to find me a date, first. This is how things are and I doubt any of you can do a thing about it.

 

[Jame]

And for that matter, Why Is Traveller better than Star Wars?!?

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

"... and for that matter, why is Traveller better than Star Wars?"

Uh-oh, looks like we have the start of another flaming thread!

This is gonna be fun...

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

M.A. Seifert,

Great website!

 

[siefertma2]

Originally posted by Keklas Rekobah:
M.A. Seifert,

Great website!

Ooooh Ooohh.. Which one? My main site, or the UFTWWP?

 

[woodmage]

As a person who meets many of the stereotypical "gamer" criteria (at least, on the outsode), all I can say is...

181) Traveller won't mind if you think about playing another game while you're playing with it.

Sure, it's annoying when non-gamers make assumptions... even if I hadn't started gaming, I wasn't gonna be a "jock". But the point here, I think, is we're really making fun of the stereotypes, not reinforcing it.

 

[Alias]

Stereotypes, my pet hate! Why anyone sees them as a "guide" to people I don't know. The best way to get to know someone is to talk to them everyone has hidden depths things that can be seen when you think of someone as a Goth/Jock/Nerd/Whatever.

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

I knew you were going to say that.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Originally posted by Baron Saarthuran:
You're Absolutely right, Captain, I am entitled to my opinion. And here is how I arrived at it.

Ever since Rona Jaffe, darling of the supermarket checkout literary section, penned her fecal opus, "Mazes and Monsters" (and the Reprehensible TV movie starring Tom Hanks!) people that play roleplaying games have been almost universally maligned by the greater population. This combined with the well reported cases of "Role Playing Murders/Suicides" and the rhetoric of Religious nutcases have made it a thing of worry to the less observant parents of the world.

When "Mazes and Monsters" came out in 1982 I had been playing RPGs for five years and war gaming for over twelve. I assure that there was nothing in the judgements on and stereotypes of gamers that wasn't old ten years before Ms. Jaffe wrote.

Of course, what really hurts is the truth behind those stereotypes. I look around gaming conventions and I see armies of pasty-pale adolescents with thick glasses, no sense of style and annoying laughs.

I seek out the miniature/wargame crowd and find middle-aged, overweight men with limited conversation, occasionally about ex-wives.

Women... occasionaly you find one there on business, a salesperson or model, who would desperately like to be elsewhere. More often you find pathetic, overweight creatures with a harem of pimply boys vying for their attention. These sad creaures aren't even gamers, but they feed off the sexual desperation of gamers.

Does this apply to everyone? No. And not all models are dumb and there are Republican liberal arts professors. But it does apply to many of us (my sex life is worse than Mark Seifert's, I just don't whine as much) and pretending it doesn't will accomplish nothing. Intead of just being viewed as nerds, we would become dweebs in denial.

Great post K.R.! If we can laugh at ourselves it moves us above the stereotype.

 

[Alias]

Ah, hear the ANGST of our American Brothers! You guys should come over to the U.K. and see how we handle things.

And todays Mantra is :
It's only a game, it's meant to be fun!

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

Someone asked why Traveller is better than Star Wars. After consulting with the local experts on the subject (a dozen or so pale, pimply, virginal, teenaged, male weregamers), I came up with only two reasons, to wit:

1) Traveller RPG's are better than Star Wars RPG because when Traveller is used to simulate Star Wars RPG, it is still Traveller. This is mainly due to the open framework of the Traveller rules.

2) If Star Wars is used to simulate Traveller, then it becomes Traveller. This is mainly due to removing such things as light sabers, jedi/sith knights, the Force, and bun-headed princesses.

Traveller is obviously the dominant gaming system.

 

[HICKMAN]

Oh Keklas, someone must introduce you to a nice lady (or maybe a not-so-nice one -- Umm Hmm).

 

[Jame]

I think you mean "Traveller is secretly controlling all of sci-fi roleplaying."

And someday in the future I'll visit the UK, strike up a game, and maybe wander off with a Celtic beauty...

 

[clementk]

Originally posted by Jame:
I think you mean "Traveller is secretly controlling all of sci-fi roleplaying."

Hum, sounds like a good Illuminati card(s). They already have SciFi Fans and I think a Gamers card, but perhaps make a Grandfather/Traveller "Secret Power" card (or whatever they're called). LBBs, FGMP, Battledress artifact cards. Hum.

And someday in the future I'll visit the UK, strike up a game, and maybe wander off with a Celtic beauty...

Heheh, I'll try to save a spot for you in the line then.

Casey

 

[Alias]

Not a bad idea Jame, give me a shout and we'll see if we can arrange something. As for the Celtic lass, well that might be a little more difficult. A friend of mine just came back from Oz and said "Jez mate is this London or downtown Bombay!"

Small country, lots of "ethnic groups" and a Govt that can fix the worlds problems but not its own. Thats the U.K.!

 

[Jame]

Thanks, Alias, but we're talking years here - no money for trips, no job for money... But, when I do get to it, I'll give you a whistle, okay?

 

[Liam Devlin]

CPT K.R.

Sorry to have arived late to the Smoke the stereotype party! Alas.

Waded through the swamp of way-too serious after that delightful ensemble of REAL GAMER humor!--to arrive here and thank you for the levity.

(Look lads, No soap box! Whaddya expect from a heretic? A sermon!
Bwahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahaaaa!)

Slainte!
(Shane/Zinzan, we need to export red-heads from Scotland/UK again!)