Lately, my 10-year-old son started playing Dungeons and Dragons with some kids from school. Needless to say, I'm incredibly proud and happy to see a new generation continuing this great tradition. However, I recently had the chance to sit in the kitchen and eavesdrop on their session in the living room, and I have to say—they play the game very differently than my generation (Gen X) ever did. These kids are really getting into it. They leap out of their chairs every few seconds and mime everything they're doing. If they're fighting some orcs, they get on their feet and demonstrate exactly how they swing their swords, and the DM mirrors their energy, acting out the scenes right along with them.
I don't know if it's a generational thing, but we rarely ever leave our chairs during a session. And it's not just because we're older and more tired now, only standing up to grab snacks—we never acted out our actions, even as kids in the '80s. We sat at the table, talked, and maybe did some silly voices. Still, I love watching this new style of play. It makes for such a dynamic and lively game.
