Help starting a game in middle school

[Froogleyboy]

Okay I am in middle school and want to start a rpg game amongst my peers, the problem is that everyone I know is jocks (my school is a "Football players = good, Smart people = bad) I've tried my friendly local gaming store but no one there wants me involved in there games (I'm only now getting into the "In crowd within it) because I'm young I'm not taken seriously there. So, How would I go about this?

[Origomar]

First things first, there are no jocks in middle school.


and bump

[Froogleyboy]

. . . yeah . . . there are a lot (and in my school, middle school and high school are the same. I just used that term for those unaware)

[Roboghostpirate]

Just because they're jocks doesn't mean they won't be interested, you might be able to find a couple willing to play depending on the type of games you like. They might not be into roleplaying, but they might be willing to try it if it mostly involves kicking in doors and killing things.

If that doesn't work you could always try a PbP game. I'm sure you can find a game in this forum's PBP section.

[Froogleyboy]

True but the jocks at my school are jerks.They all insult me and one burned my 2E books

[blazinghand]

Wow. Someone burning your 2E books is amazingly bad. As a youth, I didn't bring my D&D books / Gameboy / Trading cards and what have you to school for fear that something like that might happen.

The easiest thing would be to play in a campaign on the message boards, and keep an eye open for people around school who may be interested. Not all jocks are going to be mean, and even if you can't find anyone who already plays D&D, you may be able to talk some of your friends who play RPG video and computer games into giving it a try.

[Sanguine]

Wow. Someone burning your 2E books is amazingly bad. As a youth, I didn't bring my D&D books / Gameboy / Trading cards and what have you to school for fear that something like that might happen.

The easiest thing would be to play in a campaign on the message boards, and keep an eye open for people around school who may be interested. Not all jocks are going to be mean, and even if you can't find anyone who already plays D&D, you may be able to talk some of your friends who play RPG video and computer games into giving it a try.

This.G.I. Joe

[Myatar_Panwar]

Try visiting your gaming store more often. Joke with the locals or whatever, prove you can be mature despite your age.

Though playing with your school peers is definitely preferable if you can manage it.

[Skorj]

Try visiting your gaming store more often. Joke with the locals or whatever, prove you can be mature despite your age.

Though playing with your school peers is definitely preferable if you can manage it.

I have found that maturity of gamers is not strongly correlated with age. Gaming is full of tall children, and mature youngsters. You might be better off looking for a group that matche your maturity level than your age.

[valadil]

Wow. Those sounds like some serious jocks you got going on there.

When I got to middle school I was a nerd and knew nothing of gaming. Each day I sat at a different lunch table only to be told I wasn't welcome back there afterward. One day I sat where people were playing RPGs and trading Magic cards. I never left :-)

I didn't mean to sound so tragic about it. The point I wanted to make is that you should find other people interested in gaming. Maybe they won't be so overt as to play Magic at lunch, but you should be able to find someone reading a copy of The Hobbit between classes or doodling swords and axes in their notebook. Befriend those people and game with them.

I've seen some prejudice against younger kids at game stores too. My advice there is to become a regular. You want to go in and the people at the store will see Froogleyboy instead of some random kid. Achieve this and you'll be welcome in their games.

[Froogleyboy]

I've been playing there for two years now. I go every Friday from 5 till 10 and people are just now remembering my name

[Elfin]

It's a start.

[Scarlet Tropix]

If you actually know groups that think you're too young, ask them how you can prove that you actually know the game and you're serious about playing. If it's actually your age that's the problem, try overcoming their disinclination and proving that you're the real deal.

And if that doesn't work there's always online groups.

[sofawall]

Man, I love when people assume I must not know a game as complex as D&D just from my age... It's not as bad now, but 2 years ago (yes, I'm young enough for 2 years to be significant) people assumed I wasn't mentally able to learn the game.

I then proceeded to make a god wizard at a table where everyone thought Barbarians were pretty hot stuff. I got that character banned, but I got gamer-cred in the process :D

[Froogleyboy]

My principal agreed to let me put up fliers. What should they say?

[Scarlet Tropix]

Ooh, fliers.

I've been thinking about trying that myself.

As to what it should say, I'd just be simple and say something like "DM looking for players for Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Ideally line out where you stand on hack n' slash vs roleplay and how to contact you for further information. And if you fear jock retaliation, don't list your name, just number.

[oxinabox]

I don't know what middle school is, (in Australia, we hav eprimairy school, and highscholl (which is lower high school, then senior highschool, but it's one place)

If it corresponds to year 8-10, i guess.

I suggest not running at school
Run it after school, with your friends.

Most friends will give a group activity a try, no matter how bad it sounds, cos their friends

If it's like nearly old enoguh to go to university, then take up with the universitiy gaming club at the uni you plan to go to.
In Australia at least it's perfectly allowed (if not common,)

[oxinabox]

Ooh, fliers.

And if you fear jock retaliation, don't list your name, just number.

DOn't list your number.
don't even list your email.
Create a New Email at hotmail or gmail or whatever just for this

[Lord Loss]

Ask your friends.. Here's how my D&D Group started:

First Month after I got my rulebooks: No one likes D&D....

Me: Hey,Jackson I found this game called Dungeon and Dragons it's a rol-

Jackson: You know DND!!! OMG!!! NICE! Let's go make a dungeon!

***
A little while later:

Me: Chatting about new dungeon with Jackson...

Fred: Tu connais D et D?! (French for you know D&D)

Me: Ouais... (French for yeah...)

Fred: NICE!

And that's how my group started... more people came, left, came, left, got kicked out...

Middle school = Grade 7-11 where I am.

[The Dark Fiddler]

I was in pretty much the same position as you. The only thing that got me playing was the fact that my friends were interested. I did talk about it often, but not that many people cared for it after I explained what it was, other than my friends.

Basically, see if any of your friends would be interested. If not, ask around I guess.

As for the jocks insulting and burning books; surely that's against your school's rules? If somebody burnt my books, I'd make sure they got suspended, at the very least (if it happened at school). I'd probably try to get the law on them as well, but I've been told I try to use the law too much.

[oxinabox]

If some one burnt my books i'ld be on to the police.
Books worth ~$AU50 (and older ones are irreplaceable)
so 2 books PHP and DMG $AU100.

If Someone stole you $100 watch,
and you know who it was, wouldn't you tell the police?
Shops report shoplifting of $30 or less, why shouldn't individuals.

Heck when my little brother was in Priamiry school he was reprted to the cops for swearing at a teacher.
Breaking the has no place in a school.


Sorry for the Off topic

[Jalor]

In America, middle school is either 6th-8th grade or 7th-9th grade.

As for the jocks insulting and burning books; surely that's against your school's rules? If somebody burnt my books, I'd make sure they got suspended, at the very least (if it happened at school). I'd probably try to get the law on them as well, but I've been told I try to use the law too much.

Unfortunately, this is not a viable solution in most American schools. Rules are almost never enforced in middle and high schools unless physical fighting happens in plain sight during school hours. Even then, a star player on a sports team is above the law. Middle school is just about as lawless as the Wild West, and even more hostile because everyone wants to prove to their friends how badass they are.

No teacher is going to waste their time listening to your problems unless their job is on the line. The administrators would brush you off, and the cops would just laugh. Relying on the authorities is never a solution unless you end up with some kind of bodily injury that they could get sued over.

On topic, I'd recommend looking for a group in that gaming store. I was only 13 when I first played M:TG with my current group, and I joined a D&D game of theirs a year later. At first nobody took me seriously, but I just had to earn their respect. I'm still in high school and the only one under 18 in the group, but it doesn't matter. Everyone in the store knows me, and I'm more well received than many older gamers.. It probably helps that many of the adults there are immature and annoying, so I end up looking Wise Beyond My Years when I'm probably not.

As long as you don't act needy, hyperactive, whiny, or overly dramatic, you should be fine.

[Scarlet Tropix]

In America, middle school is either 6th-8th grade or 7th-9th grade.



Unfortunately, this is not a viable solution in most American schools. Rules are almost never enforced in middle and high schools unless physical fighting happens in plain sight during school hours. Even then, a star player on a sports team is above the law. Middle school is just about as lawless as the Wild West, and even more hostile because everyone wants to prove to their friends how badass they are.

No teacher is going to waste their time listening to your problems unless their job is on the line. The administrators would brush you off, and the cops would just laugh. Relying on the authorities is never a solution unless you end up with some kind of bodily injury that they could get sued over.

How unfortunate is it that this is so often the way things are? I wouldn't lay a blanket statement on things like that though, because there are schools with staff that will help if things get ugly. It really depends on where you are and how well you and your parents get on with the staff around there. The Principal can't be that bad if he/she is going to let you put up fliers for the game.

I stick by the original plan with the fliers, and what oxinabox said makes a good deal of sense.

[Froogleyboy]

Jalor is right on the money. Thats how it is in my school

[evil-frosty]

Going into the rules not enforced at schools in America. I go to a Benedictine school and the rules are enforced somewhat. The favoritism is still there. Jock that can dunk vs. the nerd in the corner? Teachers will pick the jock most likely but there are some better teachers who wont automatically believe the jock over the nerd. So it isnt as bad besides that the only problem i have is all the rich snobs who i want to deck as i am sorta the hick to them which i find funny at times.


Back on subject, the fliers are a good idea but make a special email account like oxinabox said. Also look for nicer people who might be willing to give it a try. But dont try to force something on them or your favorite play style as they might prefer something else. You can teach them using your favorite play style but always be open to their suggestions.

Side note i was 5 years old when i learned to play DnD 2nd ed. It was great, I became literate and could do basic math faster then anyone else in my class. Of course when i played with my dad it was more of my dwarf smashing some gobbo which is what i called goblins. Very little role-playing.

[Captain Alien]

Why did you have to use the word "jocks"? I didn't know what it meant, so I searched on Google Images. And SafeSearch was not on

My suggestion is this: If there are smart people and jerks in your school, try to talk to those smart guys. The less popular, I guess (This works like that in American Films, does it not?). Then you show them D&D, and they will like it because they are smart. And smart people like D&D.

I had no problem to achieve what you are now looking for, but my situation was different. When I was at school, my class had always had less boys than girls, and every each boy played football. Except me, of course, because I hate football. Anyway, those boys also played videogames. And one of them was one of the most intelligent guys I have ever known. So it was not really a problem. I told them about roleplaying and they were interested. So I made my first roleplaying campaign when I was 11, and it lasted less than a year. It was not even D&D at all.

But you don't seem to have that kind of classmates, so you will have to do something more clever than what I had to do.

[evil-frosty]

Alien i am sorry you had to search that, my imagination is telling me it would be bad. Next time i suggest asking instead of searching as you dont know what will come up.

[Elderac]

On another tangent, perhaps you can help start a "Game Club" as an after school activity (and advertise that on your flyers).

You may have to find a sympathetic teacher as a club sponsor to "supervise" if it is an after school activity. Not to stereotype, but the most likely candidates would be the younger male teachers who teach stuff like math and science, but who do not do double duty as a sports coach. It is possible that they play or have played RPG's.

You may have to start out with traditional board games (although it is possible the school already has a chess club). Once the group is established, you might try board games that are less traditional and have a fantasy flair to them. Then ease on into CCG's, and gradually work your way up to RPG's. Reading through this thread, I saw several folks that found DnD players through MTG games. Perhaps once the group has gained membership and legitimacy, you could rebrand it as a RPG club or DnD club, although leaving it as a generic gaming club does have the advantage of bringing new people in who might not otherwise be exposed to your hobby.

I don't know how many years you have left in middle school, but if you have more than this current year left, you could build a foundation that would last for years to come. With any luck, the foundation you build will carry on after you move on to high school. Then, perhaps you could mine that resource later (as long as you remember where you came from and don't suddenly think it isn't cool to associate with middle schoolers) and find new gamers as others move on.

In any case, it would help the hobby and others who find themselves in your position. There may more out there than you imagine, especially if you attend a larger school.

Also consider simultaneously posting a flyer at the local gaming store. After all, if there are other players at your school, there is a fair chance they get their gaming supplies at the same place. Say something like, "Student at XYZ Middle School seeks others for DnD game." Leave an e-mail address as a contact, perhaps one created for that purpose as someone suggested.

If you put up a flyer there, make it neat looking. I recommend using a computer and printer to create it. A well produced flyer adds legitimacy and seems more serious than something that is quickly scrawled on a crumpled piece of paper. Proper spelling and punctuation help as well.

Your chances of finding others will likely increase if you are willing to be the GM. (Not having to be perfect as a GM is another whole topic.) If you are willing to do so, make it clear on the announcement that you are a GM looking for players.

This is kind of a long post, but I hope there are some ideas in here that will help you. My school days are in the past and I didn't have the opportunity to play RPG's with my school friends. I think that you will find among those you find to game with some lifeling friends.

[Jalor]

How unfortunate is it that this is so often the way things are? I wouldn't lay a blanket statement on things like that though, because there are schools with staff that will help if things get ugly.

I've been to seven or eight different schools, and I've never found one with more than one or two teachers who were willing to go out of their way to help me. Many of the teachers were nice enough people who weren't willing to stick their neck out for some kid they didn't know.

It really depends on where you are and how well you and your parents get on with the staff around there.

Translation: How rich and influential your parents are, and how much ass you kiss.

The Principal can't be that bad if he/she is going to let you put up fliers for the game.

Answering "yes" to a question is one thing. Actually disciplining athletes and risking the ire of their coaches, teammates, and doting parents? Another thing entirely.

Seriously, middle school sucks. Just about nobody is mature enough to be worth talking to, and the Adults Are Useless. Your best bet is to join a group at the gaming store. Don't start a club. It's okay in high school, but middle school is where people say and do the things they regret for the rest of their lives. People will seek out your meetings and heckle you en masse.

Odds are they'll rip up your character sheets or break your miniatures too. I'll never forget the short-lived Warhammer club someone tried to start at my former middle school.

[Scarlet Tropix]

I would like to point out that I never kissed ass. My father is a prosecutor, they kiss my ass. ^ ^

That doesn't render your point invalid, but again, while public schools might be horrifying cesspools of humanity, private/charter schools often have RIGIDLY enforced codes of conduct and will often punish anyone for any reason.

He never mentioned which he goes to.