I know this does not really belong here but we wouldn't all be designing games if it wasn't for D&D, so I thought this might be of passing interest to everyone here.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3655627.stm

Simon

It's interesting to note that the overall perception is one of RPGs having been big in the '80s, but an unknown quantity now. I wonder to what extent this is perception and to what extent reality. I mean, I think that the "big" part was the sudden appearance of RPGs, and that now they've simply settled into a pattern as part of the landscape. But, then again, that might be a skewed view from an insider. Makes you wonder...

Mike

I think that's more a function of the demographic of the media: the bulk of those "active" at an influential level are mostly in their early thirties, and most of their exposure to gaming will have been at University. Hence, RPG's were "big 10-20 years ago", because the reporters were around the dominant player demographic 10-20 years ago.

There's also the fact that video games have eclipsed role-playing in the collective mind of the media, as that market has balooned. There were never as many kids playing D&D as home video games, at least in the UK, since about 1982. But this doesn't mean that there are fewer role-players now than there were then.

I think we may soon see another wave of popularity, as the first teenage generation's offspring reach gaming age, but that's probably wishful thinking on my part...