How To Identify Old-School Gamers

[teddywolf]

Knows that Chainmail is a game system as well as armor and probably knows where to find a copy if they don't already have one
Carries a stylish Dice Bag of Holding
First exposure to Steve Jackson Games was Melee or one of its later versions, including GURPS
Never throws dice away--gives retired ones an honorable burial instead
Seriously thinks there's no real difference in protection between a large shield and head-to-toe hardened leather armor
Knows CoC as "Call of Cthulhu"*
Has at least one full bookshelf of gaming books and knows where to find the little rules wrinkles in every one of them
Even when roleplaying well, can take any game mechanics and make a hideously overpowered character that's the same level as yours
Surprised by HR setting up roleplaying scenarios at work because roleplaying is about games

If you can think of any others that are not too obscure, feel free to write some in the comments. *This is the one that got me started on the list.

Comments

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

> First exposure to Steve Jackson Games was Melee or one of its later versions, including GURPS

Yup. 1980 or '81. also, in 1984, Car Wars, in the original plastic box.

Played D&D with the First Edition of the DM Guide/Player Handbook/Monster Manual is another good one.

A Crown Royal bag as a dice bag. (Seems fewer people do this these days and the ones who do are mostly older gamers? But back when I last actively did tabletop gaming, in high school in the early '80s, neo-Prohibition had not yet gripped 'MURICA and 14-15 year old kids thought nothing of using a CR bag as a dice bag...nor did their elders think anything of it either.)

[warinbear.livejournal.com]

"Familiar with more gaming systems than programming languages . . . and works as a programmer."

[mneme]

...

What else would CoC stand for?

[teddywolf.livejournal.com]

... thus proving that you are an old-school gamer.

(Sadly, millions more people play Clash of Clans than ever played Call of Cthulhu)

[mneme]

Um. Except that Call of Cthulhu is still a very current system, that while not as popular of "Clash of Clans", is still very much in use (and 7th edition). For a roleplaying game that's not D&D, it's -enormously- popular, with games generally being run at every gaming con.

So I don't know that you need to be an old school gamer to see CoC = Call of Cthulhu. (unlike a bunch of the other points which were actually pretty old schol).