Does anyone else feel like modern mainstream fantasy is becoming increasingly dull and its players more shallow? It seems it is almost impossible to find gaming groups that appreciate gritty and atmospheric fantasy settings. I know I'm gonna sound like a broken record here, but I just want to vent out of frustration.Whenever I've looked for possible groups/players at a local RPG club, the fantasy scene has been dominated by people in their early 20's that want to have whimsical adventures in a kitchen sink D&D mishmash. I've tried to play with one group since I was dying for a fantasy game and wanted to have an open mind, but it was just so dreadful. There were no stakes, there was no real atmosphere and the roleplay boiled down to improv voice acting, spouting jokes and doing funny bits.However, my main gripes were with the worldbuilding involved. I did not truly want to explore the world since it was an uninteresting cosmopolitan magical fairy land where the only existing conflict was us vs. the one evil bad guy group. It just made me wonder why this world even needs heroes since they seem to have most issues resolved already. It did not seem like the other players were interested in exploration either since every character had some deep emotional issues and extensive personal backstories that the GM wanted to drag through. Storytelling is fine with me, but I'd rather have it emerge through shared gameplay instead of being written down beforehand.I've seen the trend that modern fantasy is moving away from "problematic" subjects and generally becoming more neutered and lame. I'd like to have a tense adventure in a fantasy world that is ripe with conflict and where there are problems that extend beyond the villains of the week. I'm afraid that I am in a shrinking minority of players that want a more focused and serious experience. Or am I wrong to look for such a game? You tell me.
>>97996708Gritty fantasies are just no longer the norm. It's not longer sword and sorcery being the most common but high fantasy.Look for non d&d and grimdark as d&d is high fantasy and modern. There are some popular gritty games, but it's not the mainstream
>>97996736What kind of systems would you suggest looking into? I might need to learn something new and take a more active role as a GM to promote my interests. I've heard good things about Dungeon Crawl Classics and HackMaster, but my knowledge around niche games is limited. I've been attached to the D&D sphere for too long.
>>97996756You may need to look into the OSR sphere mork both are kinda grim and lethal. Symbaroum and Shadow of the demon lord are both supposed to be gritty too. I don't go very grim and gritty but those are the tree I know off hand
>>97996708In a hobby built around making whatever you want and playing however you want, why the fuck would I ever care about what the modern mainstream does or likes?Everyone thinks my games have too much math and are too bookkeeping, so what? I'm not out to impress them, I'm out to play games.As far as /tg/ activities are concerned, all my friends play UNO, Cards Against Humanity, Skip-Bo, etc., and I fucking hate it, so they respect my opinion and we do non/tg/ things when we hang out, just as I don't try to force them to play TTRPGs.If you're the only one who appreciates "gritty and atmospheric fantasy settings", whatever the hell that means, make your fucking game like that and play it.You want certain kinds of stakes? Have them manifest through the kinds of challenges you want to face in the kind of game you want to play. You want "real atmosphere"? Create it through your game. Roleplay how you want to roleplay.You aren't wrong to look for the kind of game you want, you're wrong for bitching about it to strangers on the internet who either make their own games, or modify existing games to their groups' tastes. Put in the effort, like the rest of us; at least those of us who aren't posting bots, puckee, nogames lore and worldbuilding fags, and cross-board scum.
>>97996776The use of the word "modern mainstream fantasy" was wrong on my part, it should have been "modern fantasy RPGs" instead.I don't live in a big city so finding others that want to play my way is the biggest issue. Online play ain't for me either. But I get it, if I want to find like-minded people that are interested in this genre, I'll have to be more active in digging them out of whatever hole they're hiding in.
>>97996708When real life is already shitty for many people, it makes sense many would want relatively low stakes simple fantasy escapism.
>>97996918I think it is more empowering and motivating to face problems and conquer them in the game, even if they are problems you might have faced IRL. At the table you have agency and the power of change. It could also help you deal with those same problems better in real life and make you a stronger person overall, but to each their own.
>>97996708>and its players more shallow?Women and faggots have moved in. They're doing to RPGs what they did to the popular film franchises.My tip: discover solo roleplaying.
>>97996708TRPGs are a secondary product of the fantasy/sci-fi genre. Since a few years ago there's been both a push to move from the classics with the flood of low-quality remakes and unnecessary sequels that try to imitate the past but have no gravitas in their own. This has resulted in many players knowing nothing of how fantasy actually likes look beyond DnD slop. There are a lot of people who are thirsty for gritty and meaningful fantasy, but the corporate fucks that dominate the landscape are never going to provide them, because anything with grit is inherently repellent to corpos.The solution to this will very likely come from the indie space, and not from TRPGs, at least not first. Because rpgs live from stories told in another medium.
>>97997092So you are retarded and underage nogame who has no understanding of the hobby.
>>97997092>discover solo roleplayingThis.I'm able to make the games I want and play them how I want, instead of trying to guess what some shithead is thinking or having him say "no cuz it duznt fit duh thtory" all the time.
>>97996708>I went to play a roleplaying game with young people and they roleplayed instead of adhering to my vague ideals of "atmosphere" and "worldbuilding"Ah. Another glorious b8 thread.
>>97996708idk have you tried playing games you like?
>>97996708your games are dull and shitty. most people prefer things that are good to things that are bad. the problem lies with you, and no one else.
>>97997045no, playing make believe does not make you a stronger person, and you will never, ever be a Serious Adult while simultaneously having an imaginary tea party.
>>97998181This might not be the board for you.
>>97996852Don't worry too much about that anon, he's just one of the resident spergs.There's several recent systems for dark and gritty games, several of them have been suggested already, so there's definitely a niche for them still. Do consider taking up the GM mantle if you want to push something that is not that widespread.
>>97996776This
>>97998636For you, rather.
>>97996776Don't worry about the retards replying to you, they've never actually played anything.
>>97999774Who in their right mind would think what you posted and stay here?
>>97996708What happened is that you turned 30, anon.>gritty and atmosphericYou just mean "what I grew up w/" Yes: fantasy today is slightly different than when you were a teen. Just like the fantasy you grew up w/ is different from what I did. That's not because fantasy is "supposed" to be a particular way. It's because you're getting older.
>>97999934>escapism>>97998155>>97998168>>97997113Nobody loves you
>>98000886Nice projection, retard.
>>98000085I have actually turned 30... it's just hard to let go of the past you enjoyed so much. Too bad I've lost touch with so many old friends in adulthood. When I get older, it's getting harder and harder to build new social circles and find people that are on the same wavelength.
>>98001061>n-no uCope faggot learn to handle criticism.
>>97996708This might almost be a thing written in the post-tolkien period.
>>98002022The irony of your retarded reply.
>>97996708>I did not truly want to explore the world since it was an uninteresting cosmopolitan magical fairy land where the only existing conflict was us vs. the one evil bad guy group. It just made me wonder why this world even needs heroes since they seem to have most issues resolved already. It did not seem like the other players were interested in exploration either since every character had some deep emotional issues and extensive personal backstories that the GM wanted to drag through.Literally the MCU problem.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEeZOn962QIModern D&D is played literally as medieval fantasy MCU.
>>98002365>Modern D&D is played literally as medieval fantasy MCU.They emulate what they know. Raised on slop so they recreate slop.
>>98002465Happens for the slop media creators too.Which begets more slop media. Slop based on slop based on slop, inescapable because the memory of something non-slop is long obscured, sometimes even sabotaged.It's a vicious cycle.
>>98000062You're the only person here stupid enough to hold such a juvenile belief.
>>98002465Their preferences are better than yours.
>>98000085>>98001337Oh fuck off with this "everything and everyone must suck once you get older". Despite what they tell you progress is not inevitable and cultural regress in many aspects of today's cultural and intellectual life is evident. You're not going crazy or senile, anon. People really are getting dumber, more infantile, more neurotic, more lethargic and often they are simply unpleasant to be around, let alone play with. No desire to stick with convention, keep up decorum or contribute to the atmosphere. Just an endless routine of low grade jokes, tired memes or just straight up babble. "Oh, this is my tortle wizard (8 Int lulz), Sir Didier Espteiner III. He has a monocle, wears a kilt and has a robot butler and whatever bullshit GM will let me get away with."
>>98003246kek, seethe
>>98001337I have been in the TTRPG hobby since it inception, and the longer you are in it the more you will probably see your tastes change; to me everything has just become a collection of worldbuilding tropes and mechanics that I have already seen before, so no existing product excites me in the slightest. I maintain interest by trying to expand outside or subvert the existing status quo, especially in worldbuilding.
>>98003246Nope.
