Good Gaming Group?

I can't find a group where I fit. I would love to have a group that meets up consistently that was fun to play with. The people I love playing with do not have time to play that often. The groups that play every week bother me. Maybe it is because I see those groups more often?

No, it is because there is a certain mentality to those that have set groups that meet weekly. One, I'm usually coming into those groups solo and they know how everyone else plays. This gives them an advantage and I dislike losing. I am playing with a group now where I am constantly coming in last. I feel like I'm not good enough. I do not like that feeling but it is okay for me to learn some more humility. For example, the spread in the bean game was 16 for the winner and 12 for the lowest score. In Puerto Rico, the winner had 53 while the lowest score was 42. The problem was I have constantly been the lowest score. It did not bother me last week since I was out of it, but I do believe they may just be better than me.

Oh it hurts to type. It is just not that fun for me. It is like running track against people who are naturally better and training longer who are extremely serious about running. If I could run with them, maybe it would be more fun, but I want to run with the group laughing.

Second, these groups are all about the mechanics. No, when we play Bang as if we all are in the old west or on a Frontier world like Firefly. We are people with cards. I ask, "What does that card say?" "Oh I can shoot people from 3 spaces away," they would reply. "Okay I can see the symbols what does the very top say?" "Oh, it is a buffalo rife."

Imagine the fun that could be said with that! Protect yourselves because I'm hunting all of yaw and your buffalo. Or Oops I meant to shoot that buffalo and you were just too close. My bad. These are just two silly statements that could be said.

I get bored focusing on the mechanics. There is only so many ways a game can be played even an excellent game. You can play the game x, y, or z. If you start down the x path, then you want to do this. If y or z, then these paths. I did get grumpy with the groups last night because I can usually see those paths and I like being the best, but I have played cooperatively too long. It is not just about the paths anymore, but if I am trudging down the path, skipping with my friend, or doing cartwheels.

I do need to get over insecurities. In my running example above, I do not care if someone runs faster. This is where I am at genetically and how much I am willing to train. This is true in gaming as well. Others are smarter and are willing to play more often. I am feeling better just typing this blog.

I'm just agreeing with two of my friends who rather role play than play board games. I have so many more problems finding a group I can role play with. I like my board games to be role played more and I like my role playing groups to have end points. I can play a card or board game without role playing or being silly. I can also role play for sessions where the story line never gets finished. I just rather play differently.

Okay so this is what I have learned about myself. I should be playing one shots or short story arc role playing. I need to find one really flexible group who wants to board game and role play- doubtful. On the other hand, I could find a few groups who do different activities. I would love to find that group that is silly, social, and strategic or a group who would love Killer Bunnies. Then I would have another group that role playing with definite story arcs. Alas, I don't have the time to play as consistently as I would like to.

At this point, I have become like my friend Grumpator. I do not play just for the joy of the game (though sometimes it happens), but I game to be with my friends.

I also might be smarting from having someone yell shut up at me. The gentleman apparently could not handle the words miscarriage and period. I was talking about my surgery and the circumstances around it. Unfortunately my uterus was the certain of that medical problem and I did not realize talking generally about blood and that area would garner that reaction. Okay, that is part of the problem. I am angry that I could not say “I thought I had a miscarriage but my gynecologist said it was just a rough period,” without some pansy yelling at me. People who have read my blogs know that I have given more details than that.

I love board gaming, but it is time to take a break from it.