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A Parent's Guide to Role Playing Games
hapycamper writes "Role playing games are evaluated from the perspective of a concerned parent in the latest two editions of the GamerDad Unplugged column. The articles discuss some of the finer points of table-top gaming from a parental perspective, with the first article discussing just what an RPG is and the second addressing some of the main concerns that a parent might have about their child playing an RPG." From the article:"So, the most important things a parent should be concerned about in a role playing game are the game players. Who is your child playing with? As mentioned, these types of games come straight out of the imagination of the players, especially the GM..."
I clicked on the link, thinking it might be a good read. And it is, but only from the perspective of someone who already knows something about it. The author stares at D&D, only making passing references to other genres, of tabletop RPGs. He alludes to cartoon, superhero and historic genres, but provides no links.
He also suggests historical-based games as a way to avoid exposing children to religious issues. Questions about maturity requirements aside, he apparently never heard of Egyptian or Norse mythology.
The author uses images of D&D books as illustrations for discussion of evil (Book of Vile Darkness) and religion (Dieties and Demigods).
Apparently, he never read Dieties and Demigods, because it's a fascinating source of information for Greek, Norse and Egyptian mythology. I'm not saying it's a definitive source, but it's certainly capable of spurring someone into doing their own research. The stat blocks for the *ahem* dieties and demigods in the book read like essays on the subject, if you're paying attention.
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Parents need to understand that RPGs DO teach children real world skills.
Kids that play RPGs understand intuitively that winnning the Lotto is nigh impossible because you would have to roll 1d4 and 7d10 and have them all turn out as 1's.
Kids that play RPGs are better prepared for the workforce because they know what it is like to work together as a team to reach a goal, only to have that goal squashed due to the GM's (aka boss') preconceived notion on how the adventure (aka project) should turn out.
And finally, kids that play RPGs know that you should never open a door, package, or anything else for that matter without first checking for traps.
I posted this on the forum at GamerDad as well because I grew up (and played pencil-and-paper RPGs) when all of the hysteria broke out about Dungeons and Dragons, and I don't want to see this kind of silliness again.
Characters can often be some type of priest serving a god who, in turn, provides that character with magical abilities like healing or protection. This could be uncomfortable for some families.
When I was growing up, I played RPGs a lot. My mom was a religious woman, and I knew that she was sometimes uncomfortable with me pretending to worship various deities and casting spells. (Yes, I was one of those who went through the occult motions that my character would.) As a kid, of course, I thought she was just being silly, since I was an active Christian member of my church and never got into any trouble.
The important thing for kids and parents to understand about these games is that they are just that--games. The worlds that gamemasters create are realms of fiction and fantasy. Although a quick spell may help a player's wizard get out of a sticky scrape, kids are smart enough to realize no amount of spellcasting will help them with that history test in fifth period tomorrow. If that is not true, then role-playing games are not the primary issue, and I suggest that you need to get psychological help for your child.
When I played role-playing games, it was for entertainment, nothing more. I also watched horror movies, like A Nightmare on Elm Street, and I was well aware of the difference between Freddy Kruger (the supernatural psychopathic killer) and Robert Englund (the actor that played Freddy). If I had met Robert in person, I would not have run away screaming in fear, I would likely have told him that I loved his movies and asked for an autograph. I also was well aware that there was no such thing as Freddy Kruger, and though I occasionally worried about various bumps in the night, I never was in any real fear of Freddy coming out from under my bed to get me.
Adults engage in this form of escapism as well. In The Passion of the Christ, an actor named Hristo Shopov portrayed Pontius Pilate. The actor, in his role-playing, recited lines to condemn Jesus Christ to death. I surely hope that concerned parents do not seriously have religious issues with Mr. Shopov accepting this role, and I surely hope that parents of children who play role-playing games do not mistake their entertainment as occult rituals.
I suggest that as a parent, it doesn't hurt to remind your child of the distinction between fantasy and reality occasionally, just as you would when explaining that the people on television and in movies are just pretending. But if you prohibit your child from playing role-playing games because of religious reasons, you could very well be creating or contributing to a problem with this distinction because you are assigning real qualities to something that is inherently make-believe.
I agree with Matt, a frank discussion of the issue is probably the best solution. Make sure that it is a real discussion in which the parent keeps a healthy perspective and truly recognizes these games for what they are.