The Elfish Gene: Dungeons, Dragons and Growing Up Strange
The Elfish Gene: Dungeons, Dragons and Growing Up Strange by Mark Barrowcliffe is a self-analyzing book about the influence a fantasy role-playing game has on the life of an adolescent and the effects it has on adulthood.
Read the AP article “Dungeons & Dragons Memoir Oozes Nerd Nostalgia” by Dan Scheraga.
Product Description on Amazon:
Summer, 1976. Twelve-year-old Mark Barrowcliffe had a chance to be normal. He blew it. While other teenagers were being coolly rebellious, Mark—and twenty million other boys in the 1970s and ’80s—chose to spend his entire adolescence pretending to be a wizard, a warrior, or an evil priest. Armed only with pen, paper, and some funny-shaped dice, this lost generation gave themselves up to the craze of fantasy role-playing games. Spat at by bullies and laughed at by girls, they now rule the world. They were the geeks, the fantasy war gamers, and this is their story.
The book is slated for release November 1, 2008 by Soho Press.
I myself never got into the fantasy role playing games. I did enjoy Warcraft 2 when it came out in the 90’s, and I’m sure I’d love World of Warcraft, but I just don’t have the time to devote to playing it. I hear it can consume hours on end, and it’s something I probably shouldn’t start. Can anyone relate to these fantasy role playing game obsessions (D&D, World of Warcraft, Magic, Morrowind, etc.)?
Filed under: Fantasy, Literary News on October 29th, 2008
I can definitely relate to the obsession. I have been a cardboard crack (Magic: the Gathering) addict for a good long time. It actually was a contributing factor to my dropping out of college, although if Magic hadn’t been there I’m sure something else would have. I stopped playing Magic for a few years, but am now reentering the game with my eyes a little wider open thanks to my wife. I’m actually even writing a blog about my experiences, but it’s just getting started.
As far as the obsession factor goes I’d say that it’s all about who you are. If you are a person who will let hobbies run your life it’s probably best not to start a game like WoW. If you are good at time management and making sure you get your work done before indulging in games/hobbies then you should be fine, and it might be a good place to unwind.
I’m much better than I used to be several years back. These days, I could probably handle a game like WoW and manage my time effectively. I still get obsessed with things, but at least those things are more productive, like my writing or working on this web site or learning a new language.
I understand Magic is having a re-emergence, and its popularity is on the rise again. I only have one deck of Magic cards from 13 years ago. I never got fully sucked in.
I was a gamer in middle school (in the early 1980s), and while I don’t recall role-playing games taking up much of my time, many of the motifs and much of the vocabulary certainly took up permanent residence in my brain. Nearly 30 years later, what amazes me most is how mainstream the culture of gaming has become. Now that I’m an adult, I can’t imagine having the time or interest either for old-school gaming or for long-term, computer-based gaming, but I remember that stuff fondly, even as I’ve permanently channeled those old impulses into writing, teaching, and traveling.
Jeff,
It is indeed amazing how gaming has become so mainstream in our culture and society today. I remember back in the 80’s and 90’s, a person probably wouldn’t mention to others at school how they stayed at home and played video games on a Friday night or went to an arcade. Now, groups plan LAN parties and make it a social thing. Occasionally, we’ll have LAN parties on a Friday night, and we get a really good turnout. Video games have definitely come a long way.