It’s been somewhere over 17 years since I last ran or played in a role playing game.
That kind of hit me earlier as I was painting some figures for Cyberpunk.
My wife has mentioned from time to time about running a game again but I’ve always dismissed it as neither we nor our friends have any time spare – what with families and other responsibilities. But, while trying to remember how to paint – yes, that’s been sitting idle for about the same time, if not longer – I realised that we don’t need a group to play.
So, I began plotting and planning and pondering. Most games set in this sort of genre are pretty much solo games. The Deus Ex series, Cyberpunk 2077 and several others are all single player. So why couldn’t I set up a campaign for just my wife?
That’s right, absolutely no reason whatsoever to stop me.
So, that’s what I have started to do. Not that you all out there give a flying monkey’s sweaty left testicle what I am or am not doing. I just decided to share what was, to me at least, a revelation.
Game night was always a social event. People would gather, we’d drag out the munchies and beers – or they would bring beer and we’d make an evening and half a night out of it. This was a regular thing, every weekend – being the most convenient time as people could lay in on Sunday and catch up with themselves. Then we all started breeding and bringing new victims into the world and it all got shelved.
I know my wife misses the social evenings but I don’t. But then, I’ve always been comfortable in my own skin and in my own company. I’m not a loner, I just don’t need company around me.
It’s been a long time, our kids have grown up and left home. one at University earning a doctorate, the other trying for her first degree – and doing well so far. The house is quiet, and there are no demands on our time aside from caring for my elderly mother. But, once she has gone to bed we mostly don’t see her until late the next morning.
So, that leaves our evenings just to ourselves. Okay, we can’ go out as somebody needs to be here in case we are needed, but that doesn’t mean we can’t occupy ourselves. Over the last year or so I’ve bought the Zombicide series (not the fantasy issues). Death must Die – a Cthulhu mythos game and a couple other things that looked interesting along with the current editions of Shadowrun and Cyberpunk. Personally I prefer Cyberpunk, but my wife prefers Shadowrun – so, it will most likely be one of those I will use. On other evenings I think I will dig out the other games we wanted to play but never have – winter does bring a lot of cold, wet and unpleasant evenings with it. So a nice ‘real’ fire, hot coffee and a few hours spent playing games. Sounds like a plan to me.
As my wife caught me writing furiously the other day as I set up some street gangs, contacts and scenario ideas she is now aware of my plans. The nice thing about it all, she started smiling. When I asked why, she answered with “I wondered if you were ever going to take the hint.” Typical woman, always manipulating…..
But, she’s right, it’s been long enough and it’s time to get back into something more interesting than the shit that’s all over the tv channels. So sick of that crap I’ve read a record number of books this year.
Well, time to read some different books.
