Local RPGing

| [Gaming Terminology] |

Suspenseful music crescendos and a deep, ominous voice begins to speak:

"Dungeons and Dragons, Satan's game. Your children, like it or not, are attracted in their weaker years to the occult, and a game like DnD fuels their imagination and makes them feel special while drawing them deeper and deeper into the bowels of El Diablo." "This afternoon the dead alewives watch tower invites you to sit in on an actual gaming session. Observe the previously unobservable as a hidden camera takes you to the inner sanctum of Dungeons and Dragons."

Although few gamers know where this sound clip turned video animation originated, every one in the gaming community is familiar with it. It's a gag. A retaliation through humor against the notion that gaming is some kind of evil cult activity.

The music ends and the voices of teenage boys pick up as the last reverberating note fades into silence. As they attempt to play out their game, the boys find its continuity continually interrupted by arguments over rules and negotiations for Cheetos and Mountain Dew. The clip pokes fun at role-playing, as only insiders could, playing off some of the most common gamer stereotypes.

"That's what DnD is right there. . ." said role-player and UO student Denise McMurry as the animated version of the clip, which she has on her computer, came to and end.

"There's been so much 'evil' propaganda. But, the people don't think this is real. This is something we do for fun; we do this to be taken out of reality for a little while. Usually people end up cracking jokes while playing, and the GM has to go, 'Guys, hey guys, come on let's get back to the adventure,'" McMurry said.

Lots of people seem to be "getting back to the adventure" with the relatively resent release of 3rd edition Dungeons and Dragons in 2000. The past several years the gaming industry has focused on making some of its games more accessible in order to draw new players into the gaming fold, and it seems to be working. Some gamers are still skeptical about whether Eugene has been part of this gaming renaissance. But, others are adamant that their numbers are on the rise.

"The gaming population has got to be increasing with 3rd edition coming out. It kind of spreads. One person will pick it up and get a whole bunch of people together," McMurry said.

"I think the gaming industry is still in a good place," said Mikel Turner a volunteer at Planet of Sand. "Role-playing games satisfy my need for a good story; it's complete and total submersion -- like living in a book. For anybody who's never played, think about a watching a movie. We suspend our disbelief and you pretend you are the main character. Whether you realize you're doing it or not, you empathize with them. Every interaction in a role-playing game is like that if you have a good story."

While people outside the gaming community often know very little about the games, stereotypes of gamers are pervasive.

"The stereotype of the socially awkward teenage boy that doesn't quite fit in. That was me," says veteran gamer Michael Bloss with a laugh. "But, I'm an extrovert now; and I've been making up for lost time ever since."

Bloss, who has been involved in all varieties of gaming for 24 years, isn't the typical Eugene gamer. He and his wife, Susan, recently moved from Denver. They've noticed that the gaming crowd here seems rather young and speculate that it's probably because of the University.

The demographics of Eugene's gaming community has a big impact on the type of role-playing that goes on here. Losing perspective is one of the biggest problems people on the outside see with gaming; and it's certainly not unheard of for people to get a little too involved in their characters.

"Some of the stereotypes are well deserved," Susan Bloss says, "But, I've only run into a few people like that here. It's mostly college students, so they are more level-headed. They've worked really hard to get where they are and have a reality perspective because of that."

Interestingly enough it is the exact opposite of the "losing touch with reality" gamer stereotype that often forms within the community itself. The stereotype that gamers themselves often refer to are the player who memorize the rule books and munchkin their characters for combat. Games where there is no plot but instead just a series of random encounters where the players fight monsters are boring for experienced players even though it may have been what originally intrigued them and got them into the gaming world when they were younger.

"There's a change in mentality. When I started playing DnD in the seventh grade -- that was roughly '80 or '81 -- I did a lot of hack and slash. I have a +10 ax of kill everything." Michael Bloss jokes. "Some grow out of that and some don't."

Having the University here helps the gaming community organize and players connect with one another. But, it also tends to be the reason that long campaigns end up dying out. Players get too busy or move away after graduation. This keeps Eugene's gaming community in a state of flux from year to year.

Additionally, because of the stereotypes often associated with gaming, some people tend to shy away from trying it out. How true are the stereotypes? Several players were asked to come up with a list of qualities and interests that typify the average gamer.

Gamers, they said, enjoy reading books, watching movies and TV shows that fall under the fantasy and sci/fi genres. There is also high crossover between people who game and people who like anime. They like strategy board games like Axis & Allies and Risk. Typical gamers also like statistics and their math and science classes in school.

"If you're not good with numbers your likely to ball up your character sheet and leave," said James Powers, former UO Gaming Club librarian.

Role-players may also have gotten into gaming if they played any of "the true role-playing computer games" like Baulder's Gate, Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger.

These are opposed to the point and click games like Diablo or first-person shooter games like Counter Stike which are for "twitchers." According to some players, those people probably wouldn't have the attention span it takes to role-play. Sessions usually last several hours at a time, and people may play from several times a week to once a month.

"Role-playing breaks limitations," according to Powers, "You can do things you wouldn't do in real life."

A minor chord is struck and suspenseful music fades in drowning out the gamers. The deep throated, mock-serious voice over starts again supported by the bravado of the music:

"There you have it A frightening look into America's most frightening past time. Remember that It's not your children's fault that their being drawn into a satanic world of nightmare It's their gym teacher's fault for making them feel out cast when the couldn't do one single pull-up"