Ask Slashdot: Explaining Role-Playing Games To the Uninitiated?

An anonymous reader writes "As a kid in the late 1970s and the 1980s, Dungeons and Dragons, as well as many other fine tabletop roleplaying games, figured heavily in my life. From learning about various forms of governments (theocracies, oligarchies, etc.) and Greek, Norse, and Egyptian mythology, to what N.B. and et al. mean, to the social glue that enabled people like me to get together, write cool adventures, problem-solve, and have a blast doing it all, role playing games were a powerful force in my life. The thing is, I still enjoy playing them. A lot. I get together once a month with friends and we play for sometimes up to eight straight hours of epic battles, puzzles, legends, lore, and camaraderie. All of this, unfortunately, seems totally alien to someone who did not grow up with RPGs and who has never experienced the sheer joy of a dungeon crawl. Have you ever had to explain to your spouse or significant other why you value gaming so much, or why it is ok to spend a hunk of time with other gamers? How do you begin to relate it all to them?"

Comments

Need an excuse?

[Deltaspectre]

Are you trying to get your spouse to let you pull the trigger on the Reaper minis Kickstarter?

Simple way to explain

[Anonymous Coward]

Serial improv within (usually) numerical/statistical constraints.

Re:Simple way to explain

[BoogeyOfTheMan]

Have them listen to the Penny Arcade podcasts of them playing D&D 4th before it came out. With Mike being a pen and paper RPG noob and no one of them ever having played 4th edition (since it wasnt out yet), there is a lot of explaining things going on. Also, its funny as all hell. It got my ex wanting to play. And I have another friend that now wants to play thanks to the podcasts.
Obviously, starting at the beginning is the best way for it to make sense. Also, the second session has Will Wheaton in it.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/podcasts.aspx

They did another session at PAX that has video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqXqK3ZlqWI&feature=related

If you subscribe to the podcast, theres also a video series with the makers of Robot Chicken playing.

Re:Simple way to explain

[gbjbaanb]

I always said "Its like acting in a radio play, only we don't have a script with everything written down, instead that guy there is the director who sets the scenes for us to act out our characters using improvisation".

I think that's a little more understandable. Anyone who understands what "statistical constraints" means already know RPGs :)

Here's a "Don't", IMO

[OakDragon]

Please don't start with the example of "remember when we were kids, and we played Cops & Robbers?". I've heard well-meaning role-players start with this, and it just seems to me that it infantilizes the experience.

Re:Here's a "Don't", IMO

[cretog8]

Sorry to hear it sounds bad, because I think that's the best explanation if not the best sales pitch. While people play for different reasons, I think the most common element is the fun of playing make-believe. The trouble is for many people (including me) as we grow up we lose some of our ability to do ad-hoc make-believe. We want to be able to have some restrictions on what's appropriate in a given game, how to get around the [I shot you! Did not!] problem and so forth. So, D&D-style RPG's provide enough framework that we can play make-believe even with more adult minds.

We can argue for a lot of the benefits that come from that (good social interaction, creativity, maps, math, blah-blah) and all of that's fun, but why RPG's instead of book clubs, poker games, or jam sessions? I think it's the make-believe.

You don't

[RobbieCrash]

You can explain 'til you're blue in the face, but they'll never get it. You're weird, it's what they like about you. It's fun, and they'll either see you play it and be interested, or shake their heads and walk away and tell the dog they don't get it either.

Collaborative Story Telling

[Kintanon]

Role Playing Games are really just a framework of rules that you all agree to in order to tell a story. One person takes on the role of Narrator (The DM) and the others take on the roles of main characters in the story. It doesn't have to be a fantasy based story, it could be anything. But the joy is in taking an initial vision and writing the story together as you all experience it. It's just a more interactive version of reading your favorite book. Almost everyone that enjoys some kind of media has wished at one time or another that they could be part of the story they are watching. Role playing games are a way to make that desire a little more real.

Re:Collaborative Story Telling

[N0Man74]

That's similar to how I describe it to people.

I usually summarize it as a cooperative storytelling game, with rules to help create dramatic tension and resolve conflicts. Styles of game vary greatly among different groups, but generally tend to frequently resemble characteristics of board games, other storytelling games or exercises, improv theater, acting, or video games (I usually focus on a reference point that is most familiar to the person I am speaking to in order to compare and contrast).

I tell them that each player, except one usually, makes the decisions for one character in this story. This other player will be a "Game Master" (whether D&D or not, I suggest not using the word "Dungeon Master", or other silly game-themed title) who will act as a narrator (or director, emcee, referee, etc).

I tell them that these stories take place in specific settings. For Fantasy, Lord of the Rings (which nearly everyone is familiar with the movies) is often a good example for setting. Though, I tell them that if you can find a genre in film or books, then there will be a role-playing niche for it too.

Sometimes I give a disclaimer that there is a huge variety in the way the games are played, and that while some examples of the stereotypes do exist, that it is by no means universal. In any given subculture, whether based on interest, hobby, profession, religion, or politics) there will always be members that will make the rest of the group look bad...

But most importantly... Try not to have this talk within ear-shot of one of those gamers that make gamers look bad... On more than one occasion, I have had someone show interest in role-playing games, but then get immediately turned off because some overly-opinionated gamer who decides to chime in with his opinion regarding some gaming holy war...

Re:I like having fun

[0racle]

you have to explain why you play games to people you fuck on a regular basis.

You chose/choose poorly.

Re:I always explain it this way

[Gilmoure]

It's like accountants who like to play "Let's pretend!"

Its a game.

[Ginger Unicorn]

Its a game where you all make up a story as you go along - one person knows what the general plot is going to be and everyone else gets to make up the details as they find out more of the plot. To keep things interesting no one has absolute control over what happens. Players suggest what they think should happen and dice are used to see if it pans out exactly the way they wanted. The bits you aren't in control of are compelling for the same reason a movie or a book are compelling and the bits you do control are satisfying for same reason any creative act is satisfying. There may be more to it but anything else might be more difficult to relate.

Re:Dont.

[Culture20]

Well, failing that, you could try a potion of wisdom for them and a ring of charisma for you. Or a bit of Domination. You know, if they're into that kind of thing. ;-)

"When we were dating, you told me you were a Dungeon Master. I thought you meant something entirely different." - Your S.O.

Re:Dont.

[PopeRatzo]

Well, failing that, you could try a potion of wisdom for them and a ring of charisma for you.

I just ordered a cock-ring of charisma from a company in Thailand.

As a dedicated gamer, the possibility that it will get any use beyond holding a napkin when I have my Thanksgiving Hot Pockets is rather small.