Off-Topic: Survey of RPGs

[glimmerrat]

Gamer types can cover a wide variety of social demographics. That would take a significant amount of time in itself to discuss. Of course, most of the gaming subculture has always managed to poke fun at itself.

You could discuss the stereotypes presented in the 'Knights of the Dinner Table' strips, and the 'Slayers Guide' books. Iirc there was one for female gamers, rules lawyers and GMS. There was also 'The Munchkin's Guide to Power Gaming' and 'Murphy's Rules'.

Our FLGS had a massive A1 sized strip from Dragon magazine on the back wall for years, detailing a gamer telling the store owner all about his Dwarven Fighter. At the end of the conversation he asks the store owner to guess what amazing thing he found in the last gaming session, to which he replies "A gaming store clerk that actually wants to hear about your character?"

[Dr Yes]

Another angle you could look at is the gamer group in regards to organisational behaviour and management theory - Belbin's team roles, The stages of group development (Forming, Storming, Norming, etc), Mediation and dispute resolution, etc.

[Crafty_Alex]

Found the book I referred to earlier: The Fantasy Roleplayer's Bible, 2nd Ed.

http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showbook&bookid=1513

Funny, I recognize every single name on there

[LordKruelos]

Dr. Yes. I'd actually considered doing something very similar initially.