age problems? [Archive] - Wizards Community

age problems? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
silvermist
02-01-06, 04:23 PM I'm a female dm that has been running a game for a year and half so far. Only 2 of the current players have been in it since the begining and both of them switched characters around a year ago (but still within the same world and time period). Now we're down to a group of 3 (not counting me) and one of our players is going to be leaving soon.

To help with this i have recruited a new player. We work together and when i invited him to play he seemed excited. I'm turning 21 in may, he's turning 18 in two weeks. The single remaining core player is 24. Our other players are 23 (the player who's leaving) and 30.

So far we've been doing really well but i question the 12 year age gap. Has anyone else played with vastly different aged players? Is there a trick?
Mit Ratten Lebt
02-01-06, 04:26 PM The trick is to not focus on it.

In a group I ran for a year and a half, the players all had a great time.

My oldest was 48 and my youngest was 20.

And age never came up as a factor.
Cymraegmorgan
02-01-06, 04:27 PM No trick that I know of, except mutual courtesy and politeness.

I am 38, my current players are 38, 36, 25, and 22.
Illundir
02-01-06, 04:32 PM I'm 17, the game I'm DMing includes players my age up through late twenties. So far it hasn't been a problem. I can't really see it becoming a problem, either.
MoogleEmpMog
02-01-06, 04:52 PM 30 and 18, "vastly different age"?! :eek:

I DM for a group that ranges from 13 to early '50s. The previous DM was older than the oldest current player. While the group has its share of problems, the age gap has never been one of them.
Callista
02-01-06, 04:53 PM You're all adults-- I don't think there should be much of a problem. The friends I hang out with (I'm 22) range in age from 17 to 45; and we usually see each other as equals (with an exception for the ladies in their forties; they have grown children of their own and usually see me as a niece or something like that). In any event, if I had a D&D game with my older friends, I don't think I'd have a problem holding everyone's attention; fantasy is really pretty timeless. Once you get past junior high, just about anyone can befriend anyone else quite successfully; and playing a game together shouldn't cause too many problems. If there *are* problems, I wouldn't attribute them to ages.
Lord Ian Stark
02-01-06, 05:46 PM If there *are* problems, I wouldn't attribute them to ages.

Well said.

My wife is 28, I'm 29 and one guy we play with is 40. All the others are in thier 30's. No problem what so ever. We even had two 18 year olds playing for awhile before there school and futures (i.e. girlfriends :D ) got in the way of game night.
Chobemaster
02-01-06, 06:29 PM Depends on the individual. I've played w/ 18 year olds who were good gamers and weren't problems at all...and I've played w/ guys in their 30's who are annoying, rude, self-centered, disruptive, munchkinish, etc.

If I were going to leap to a conclusion, it might be that 18 yo male may not want to play the same type of game a 30 year old woman (you didn't mention the 30yo's gender) might want. But you already know both people, so no prejudices need apply.
Loren Pechtel
02-01-06, 06:34 PM I'm a female dm that has been running a game for a year and half so far. Only 2 of the current players have been in it since the begining and both of them switched characters around a year ago (but still within the same world and time period). Now we're down to a group of 3 (not counting me) and one of our players is going to be leaving soon.

To help with this i have recruited a new player. We work together and when i invited him to play he seemed excited. I'm turning 21 in may, he's turning 18 in two weeks. The single remaining core player is 24. Our other players are 23 (the player who's leaving) and 30.

So far we've been doing really well but i question the 12 year age gap. Has anyone else played with vastly different aged players? Is there a trick?

What age gap? I see adult to adult. That's less age difference than between my wife and I--and we are approaching 18 years together.

Now, it's possible the 18 year old and the 30 year old are after different things in the game but that can happen even with players of much closer age ranges.
jpyrich
02-01-06, 06:38 PM My regular groups have ages ranging from 16 to 55. We've never had any problems.

Just watch out for the normal generational issues. "Young people don't know anything." and "I don't have to listen to you."

JP
MoogleEmpMog
02-01-06, 06:51 PM My regular groups have ages ranging from 16 to 55. We've never had any problems.

Just watch out for the normal generational issues. "Young people don't know anything." and "I don't have to listen to you."

JP

Why is this a problem? The older people don't have to listen to the younger people BECAUSE they don't know anything! ;)
Renkrige
02-01-06, 09:23 PM Here's an offer from my experience. Generally speaking players in the upper teen range tend to be a bit more concerned with looking cool and doing cool things--an extention I think of developing sense of self. As the players get older there tends to be more of an emphasis on deep world exploration and character enrichment. Neither is a bad way to approach things, but it may give insight into how to tailor things for each group.

As far as the trick of playing with an age gap--it's the same as running a game with any other heterogenious group, whether it be age, gender, or whatever. Largely it's figuring out what each player wants from the game and giving it to them without distorting the setting or being unfair to the other players. Once you know what they seek in a game, it's easier to give everyone some of what they want.
NeoRaven01
02-01-06, 09:58 PM I am in a group with the youngest being 14 and the oldest being in his mid 50's and age also doesn't seem to be a problem with us. Once the DM screen is up we are all in character and so the age really doen't matter. We all play our characters to our vision of them; the young thief being brash and adventurous; the wizard being cool and contemplating. Though the youngest does play his character much more like just a piece of paper than a cleric of Tyr I guess thats how he seems her.
silvermist
02-02-06, 09:13 AM I stand corrected, twelve years is not enough of an age gap to worry about.

the 30 yo is male. I am the only female (for those who asked). In general i suspect you'll all be right.

thanks
silvermist

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
silvermist 02-01-06, 04:23 PM	I'm a female dm that has been running a game for a year and half so far. Only 2 of the current players have been in it since the begining and both of them switched characters around a year ago (but still within the same world and time period). Now we're down to a group of 3 (not counting me) and one of our players is going to be leaving soon. To help with this i have recruited a new player. We work together and when i invited him to play he seemed excited. I'm turning 21 in may, he's turning 18 in two weeks. The single remaining core player is 24. Our other players are 23 (the player who's leaving) and 30. So far we've been doing really well but i question the 12 year age gap. Has anyone else played with vastly different aged players? Is there a trick?
Mit Ratten Lebt 02-01-06, 04:26 PM	The trick is to not focus on it. In a group I ran for a year and a half, the players all had a great time. My oldest was 48 and my youngest was 20. And age never came up as a factor.
Cymraegmorgan 02-01-06, 04:27 PM	No trick that I know of, except mutual courtesy and politeness. I am 38, my current players are 38, 36, 25, and 22.
Illundir 02-01-06, 04:32 PM	I'm 17, the game I'm DMing includes players my age up through late twenties. So far it hasn't been a problem. I can't really see it becoming a problem, either.
MoogleEmpMog 02-01-06, 04:52 PM	30 and 18, "vastly different age"?! :eek: I DM for a group that ranges from 13 to early '50s. The previous DM was older than the oldest current player. While the group has its share of problems, the age gap has never been one of them.
Callista 02-01-06, 04:53 PM	You're all adults-- I don't think there should be much of a problem. The friends I hang out with (I'm 22) range in age from 17 to 45; and we usually see each other as equals (with an exception for the ladies in their forties; they have grown children of their own and usually see me as a niece or something like that). In any event, if I had a D&D game with my older friends, I don't think I'd have a problem holding everyone's attention; fantasy is really pretty timeless. Once you get past junior high, just about anyone can befriend anyone else quite successfully; and playing a game together shouldn't cause too many problems. If there are problems, I wouldn't attribute them to ages.
Lord Ian Stark 02-01-06, 05:46 PM	If there are problems, I wouldn't attribute them to ages. Well said. My wife is 28, I'm 29 and one guy we play with is 40. All the others are in thier 30's. No problem what so ever. We even had two 18 year olds playing for awhile before there school and futures (i.e. girlfriends :D ) got in the way of game night.
Chobemaster 02-01-06, 06:29 PM	Depends on the individual. I've played w/ 18 year olds who were good gamers and weren't problems at all...and I've played w/ guys in their 30's who are annoying, rude, self-centered, disruptive, munchkinish, etc. If I were going to leap to a conclusion, it might be that 18 yo male may not want to play the same type of game a 30 year old woman (you didn't mention the 30yo's gender) might want. But you already know both people, so no prejudices need apply.
Loren Pechtel 02-01-06, 06:34 PM	I'm a female dm that has been running a game for a year and half so far. Only 2 of the current players have been in it since the begining and both of them switched characters around a year ago (but still within the same world and time period). Now we're down to a group of 3 (not counting me) and one of our players is going to be leaving soon. To help with this i have recruited a new player. We work together and when i invited him to play he seemed excited. I'm turning 21 in may, he's turning 18 in two weeks. The single remaining core player is 24. Our other players are 23 (the player who's leaving) and 30. So far we've been doing really well but i question the 12 year age gap. Has anyone else played with vastly different aged players? Is there a trick? What age gap? I see adult to adult. That's less age difference than between my wife and I--and we are approaching 18 years together. Now, it's possible the 18 year old and the 30 year old are after different things in the game but that can happen even with players of much closer age ranges.
jpyrich 02-01-06, 06:38 PM	My regular groups have ages ranging from 16 to 55. We've never had any problems. Just watch out for the normal generational issues. "Young people don't know anything." and "I don't have to listen to you." JP
MoogleEmpMog 02-01-06, 06:51 PM	My regular groups have ages ranging from 16 to 55. We've never had any problems. Just watch out for the normal generational issues. "Young people don't know anything." and "I don't have to listen to you." JP Why is this a problem? The older people don't have to listen to the younger people BECAUSE they don't know anything! ;)
Renkrige 02-01-06, 09:23 PM	Here's an offer from my experience. Generally speaking players in the upper teen range tend to be a bit more concerned with looking cool and doing cool things--an extention I think of developing sense of self. As the players get older there tends to be more of an emphasis on deep world exploration and character enrichment. Neither is a bad way to approach things, but it may give insight into how to tailor things for each group. As far as the trick of playing with an age gap--it's the same as running a game with any other heterogenious group, whether it be age, gender, or whatever. Largely it's figuring out what each player wants from the game and giving it to them without distorting the setting or being unfair to the other players. Once you know what they seek in a game, it's easier to give everyone some of what they want.
NeoRaven01 02-01-06, 09:58 PM	I am in a group with the youngest being 14 and the oldest being in his mid 50's and age also doesn't seem to be a problem with us. Once the DM screen is up we are all in character and so the age really doen't matter. We all play our characters to our vision of them; the young thief being brash and adventurous; the wizard being cool and contemplating. Though the youngest does play his character much more like just a piece of paper than a cleric of Tyr I guess thats how he seems her.
silvermist 02-02-06, 09:13 AM	I stand corrected, twelve years is not enough of an age gap to worry about. the 30 yo is male. I am the only female (for those who asked). In general i suspect you'll all be right. thanks silvermist