Ive been told that it would happen for 11 years now and I think it is. Im falling out of gaming and alot of fantasy! Fantasy and rpgs have been a staple in my life now for over a decade and Im a husband, a father of two daughters, and a soldier deployed in a war zone. I dont know if it was priorities or views or what but I cant seem to get interested in rpgs or writing fantasy anymore. I cant think of any new creative ideas or concepts and I dont feel like using anyone elses. All the rules and new games and stuff are beginning to wear on me and I havent had a group to game with in about a couple years. I still read only fantasy novels when i get a chance to read over here. I couldnt survive without Glen Cook's Black Company and Dread Empire. I want to just get rid of all my games and supplies and groups of forgotten realms novels. Ill remain a fan of Metal, Magic, and Lore because I think it is the most groundbreaking rpg out there but I doubt I will ever get the chance to play it and I lack the energy to create a story or setting for it. My wife may like this turn of events because she has said in the past that I was into rpgs too much. Oh well. better late than never! Farewell, roleplaying games!! You made the last decade a thing of fun and magic, but I think I have to move on. My energy and focus has to reside with my family, my responsibilities and my safety in this war.
Ive been told that it would happen for 11 years now and I think it is. Im falling out of gaming and alot of fantasy! Fantasy and rpgs have been a staple in my life now for over a decade and Im a husband, a father of two daughters, and a soldier deployed in a war zone. I dont know if it was priorities or views or what but I cant seem to get interested in rpgs or writing fantasy anymore. I cant think of any new creative ideas or concepts and I dont feel like using anyone elses. All the rules and new games and stuff are beginning to wear on me and I havent had a group to game with in about a couple years. I still read only fantasy novels when i get a chance to read over here. I couldnt survive without Glen Cook's Black Company and Dread Empire. I want to just get rid of all my games and supplies and groups of forgotten realms novels. Ill remain a fan of Metal, Magic, and Lore because I think it is the most groundbreaking rpg out there but I doubt I will ever get the chance to play it and I lack the energy to create a story or setting for it. My wife may like this turn of events because she has said in the past that I was into rpgs too much. Oh well. better late than never! Farewell, roleplaying games!! You made the last decade a thing of fun and magic, but I think I have to move on. My energy and focus has to reside with my family, my responsibilities and my safety in this war.
Nah, get focused back on the important stuff; gaming! ;-)
Kidding aside, you could try a different genre rpg? Personally I tend to vary my games as I burn out (for brief periods) on any given game or genre after a while.
Twilight 2013 might be an interesting close to home theme for a military man such as yourself?
Duty and Honour is an interesting new rpg set during the Napoleonic Wars, which is kinda aimed toward playing a Sharpe type campaign. It has an interesting mechanic that attempts to give each character an individual story to follow.
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Sorry to see you go.
Sometimes you have to just do what is best for that moment in life, regardless of what you have to put aside.
Having said that, I've been where you are, so if you're interested in some thoughts (which I assume you are, since you're posting it on a forum), I have a few.
As was mentioned, switch genres, or explore more deeply the one you're in. I've found that a renewed interest and time spent in Sci-fi has brought a new appreciation into my life for Fantasy. Also, I've found that I enjoy a grittier fantasy now - I dropped the TSR/WotC style fantasy for the likes of George Martin and Steve Erikson, among others.
Try some Dark Heresy, or some Mutants and Masterminds or Star Wars D6/d20/Saga, etc. A change of pace can do wonders.
Also, I found that narrowing your focus can work. I identified a few "franchises" that I wanted to buy into (pathfinder, etc.) and generally keep to those few. I've found that the renewed focus has allowed me to get more involved in the hobby as opposed to wanting, and feeling bad about, trying everything under the sun.
Last, Time Management. Sounds kind of weird I know, but as they say, too much of a good thing, is still a bad thing. Give yourself an hour for something, then move on to smething else different. Bite sized chunks for a while can help.
After a month or so of follwing my own advice I find I'm creative again, interested in the hobby again, and happy to just focus in on the few products that hold my interest the most.
Cheers.
I havent really thought about playing any other genres than fantasy aside from WoD which Ive been a Storyteller of numerous chronicles. I did play the sci fi rpg Alternity years ago and me and my buddies had alot of fun with it. But a major problem is that i never really get to play rpgs anymore. Thats understandable over here at war in the middle east but even stateside i never get to play anymore. I dont really get to have any new rpg experiences that had always kept me intrigued and in love with the hobby. I feel too busy with my wife and kids and work and everything. And I dont know any gamers where Im stationed in El Paso.
I get to go on R&R in a couple days in the town that my wife and I grew up in and my friends back home insist that we play something so maybe that will rekindle a new interest in gaming for me. But right now it's just like .... blah, you know.
I havent really thought about playing any other genres than fantasy aside from WoD which Ive been a Storyteller of numerous chronicles. I did play the sci fi rpg Alternity years ago and me and my buddies had alot of fun with it. But a major problem is that i never really get to play rpgs anymore. Thats understandable over here at war in the middle east but even stateside i never get to play anymore. I dont really get to have any new rpg experiences that had always kept me intrigued and in love with the hobby. I feel too busy with my wife and kids and work and everything. And I dont know any gamers where Im stationed in El Paso.
I get to go on R&R in a couple days in the town that my wife and I grew up in and my friends back home insist that we play something so maybe that will rekindle a new interest in gaming for me. But right now it's just like .... blah, you know.
I've gone through inactive periods with gaming, some quite long. I would recommend you not sell your stuff, rather put it away for now. It's funny how you say you can't find gamers in El Paso, I was brought into gaming again by a bunch of military gamers stationed there after almost ten years of inactivity. You never know when you'll meet the right bunch of folks to game with.
It's too bad you can't fraternize with Sgt. Fortune. He's a rabid gamer, although now that he is married with chillun I think he does the high-level WoW stuff more these days. Lazy berk still hasn't sent me the bag of dice I left with him in 2000....
I've been on D&D "breaks" before. Long ones too. The last one felt like I wasn't gonna play again. Ever. So I let it go... For a while. But you know what? You just can't kill the adventurer in you. It comes back after a while. It always does.
After a year or so, I got the urge again. It took a while but found some folks to play with (some of my old group, some new folks) and try to set up a game like once a month. Mainly, we use the gaming session to just get together as pals would on a Sunday afternoon. We play all afternoon, have fun, then get the wives in and have ouselves a BBQ feast or something.
So don't get rid of your books and stuff. Do as mentionned above and just put it all away somewhere. Do what you have to do now and be where you're supposed to be. You'll end up playing again one day, you'll see.
Ultradan
p.s.: Be safe over there... You're a hero to us all.
Thanks everyone, and I really do hope that one day I'll be able to find a really good group and be able to run some campaigns again. The military makes it pretty hard to do though. Maybe when im out in Jan 2012 and move back home my old group will get back together (if they are still around that is!!) Otherwise Ill have to wait till my kiddies are old enough. I do think I will still sell my books though, because a little extra cash in these crappy times wouldnt hurt the wife and I have a ton of mint condition books. There are people over here in the Sandbox that have wanted to buy my books (Nobody I would consider playing with by any means!!!!) so Ill probably get rid of them. I still feel like a gamer though after all the years Ive put into world-building and running campaigns and stories for my friends. I just needed those good times to keep coming i think.
It's too bad you can't fraternize with Sgt. Fortune. He's a rabid gamer, although now that he is married with chillun I think he does the high-level WoW stuff more these days. Lazy berk still hasn't sent me the bag of dice I left with him in 2000....
Yeah he seemed to be pretty much just a WoW gamer when I left the States in March.